Browsing by Subject "Principalship"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
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    Exploring principals' perceptions about potential and readiness for the principalship in assistant principals : a case study
    (2013-05) Gonzales, Richard Martin; Reyes, Pedro, 1954-
    Research has documented the need for school districts to recruit and retain qualified school leaders capable of navigating the organizational challenges for school improvement, particularly in high-poverty, low-achievement contexts. Recently, scholars have studied principal pipeline structures implemented by school districts to recruit and retain effective principals. A key finding of this research is that clearly-defined standards and performance criteria can inform school districts' strategic identification and development of individuals with the potential to become effective principals. Further research is needed to understand and define potential and readiness for the principalship in assistant principals, commonly the largest candidate group in a principal pipeline. I used a qualitative case study design to investigate veteran principals' perceptions about potential and readiness for the principalship in assistant principals. Six principals in one urban school in Texas were purposefully selected based on their experience with supporting, developing, and/or endorsing former assistant principals for promotion to the principalship while under their supervision. I collected data through questionnaires and in-depth interviews to understand this phenomenon through the informants' lived experience. I found that the principals view professional competence and personal dispositions as indicators of potential and readiness for the principalship. They believe an assistant principal's potential to perform as a principal is evident in the processes and products of their work, but they don't believe all high-potentials are necessarily ready to become principals. Shared leadership was instrumental to developing readiness for the principalship in their assistant principals, and developing capacity by building on strength and targeting weakness worked equally well in their experience. Using these findings and existing research, I identify state and district-level policy implications for the field. I also make recommendations for further study of this topic in the future.
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    High school restructuring and renewal : an exploratory and comparative study of structural and instructional integration strategies applied by successful leaders of turnaround high schools
    (2012-12) Vail, Ruth Elizabeth; Olivárez, Rubén; Sharpe, Edwin; Brown, Keffrelyn; Crook, Kelly; Veazey, Lana
    This study examined the perspectives of central office personnel, principals, and teachers involved in the school transformation process. This study was guided by the two main questions: (a) What strategies (structural and instructional) do high school principals implement to lead a successful turnaround of a school? and (b) Which strategies seem to be perceived as most effective by principals, teachers, and superintendents, when measured by multiple school effectiveness indicators? A qualitative case study design was used in an in-depth comparative inquiry of two high schools, which met the criteria of turnaround schools. Data collected were inclusive of interviews, documentations, and historical artifacts to provide insights into the school planning and decision-making process. In addition, the role of the principal and its impact in the selection and implementation of specific strategies were investigated and analyzed against a research-based conceptual framework developed by the researcher, exploring the following components: (a) Principal’s Leadership Role, (b) Structural Integration Practices, and (c) Instructional Integration Practices. A three-fold investigation was conducted to gain a deeper understanding of schools undergoing restructuring. This three-fold investigation was designed to: (a) Review and summarize extant research related to high school restructuring models that relate to school turnaround, (b) Collect research findings that identify effective instructional and administrative leadership practices adopted by principals to accomplish a successful school turnaround, and (c) Conduct a comparative study of two Texas urban high schools that experienced school turnaround. This research study revealed that a principal’s leadership role in effectively implementing strategies has a great impact on the school transformation and renewal process of school turnaround. In addition, the perceptions of central office staff and teachers, principals’ structural and instructional practices chosen by schools, demonstrated the utilization of specific strategies school leaders may adopt to ensure a successful turnaround.
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    A quantitative analysis of the production, selection, and career paths of Texas public school administrators
    (2012-08) Davis, Bradley Walter; Gooden, Mark A.; Cantu, Norma V; Feng, Li; O'Doherty, Ann; Powers, Daniel A; Young, Michelle D; Reyes, Pedro
    Using state-wide, longitudinal data on Texas public school educators employed between the 1991-1991 and 2010-2011 school years, this study explores the disproportionate selection of campus leaders based on ethnicity and gender. Through a combination of descriptive and inferential techniques, this study illustrates how trends in the production, selection, and career paths of administratively-certified educators at the various intersections of ethnicity and gender have changed over time. Controlling for a variety of individual work history and campus characteristics, this study also explores how an administratively-certified educator’s ethnicity and gender affect their probability of procuring a campus leadership position.