This dissertation explored school principals' perspectives on optimal leadership practices and their impact on student achievement in Title I schools. Title I schools with high percentages of children from low-income families often face unique challenges, making the study of leadership practices within these institutions especially significant.…

The principalship has one of the worst job turnover rates in the nation and continues to get progressively worse. Fifty percent of principals leave their positions by their third year (Goldring & Taie, 2014; Superville, 2014). This is a serious problem in education because next to teachers, principals have the second biggest influence on…

National assessment trends and governmental policy initiatives have placed student achievement efforts at the heart of district- and building-wide goals of schools across the country. In leading these change efforts in their buildings, school administrators must navigate the needs and expectations of a variety of stakeholders, resulting in a…

There continues to be a problem with schools being able to effectively address the increase in student mental health issues and school shootings. America's educational system is under attack because some students decided to enter schools armed and prepared to inflict harm by killing students and staff members instead of learning. A need for this…

In this article we explore the perspectives of school leadership and management on the principal's role in learners' academic performance. School leadership and learner performance continue to be of great concern in the South African education system. We explore the relationship between school leadership and learner performance from a school…

Middle and high school administrators in a Midwest school district needed to implement strategies to support parent involvement. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine how middle and high school administrators implemented strategies to support parent involvement that may influence student achievement. The conceptual framework…

The school accountability system in the Dominican Republic (DR) involves the use of several national assessments, the reporting of such data, and the training of principals on how to use such data as part of school improvement efforts. While this type of indicator accountability system does not include specific consequences, there is still…

Teacher retention is often attributed to the support, or the lack thereof, that teachers, especially novice teachers, receive when they enter their teaching careers. Early career teachers often need mentors and additional support from school administrators, teammates, and instructional coaches to be effective teachers. School and district…

The problem explored in this study was that the state education agency recommended school board members of low-performing school districts participate in a governance training called student outcomes governance to address student achievement, yet no data suggested the training changed school board members' understanding of how to create policies…

With the growing population of English Language Learners, there is a need to focus on ELL education from a new perspective as principals' school priorities and practices directly influence teacher priorities and practices (Dufour & Marzano, 2011; Walker et al., 2004). Elmore (2000) stated that "leadership is the guidance and direction of…

School leadership has always been a priority around the globe to address changes in education. With strong leadership skills, these changes are attainable. Over the years, different leadership styles have been researched to understand best practices in assisting teachers in the classroom and closing achievement gaps. The Principal Instructional…

The case study contained within this dissertation is a part of the International Successful School Principalship Project (ISSPP). The aim of this project has been to examine successful school principalship in Alabama through in-depth analysis of qualitative interview data. The primary focus of the study is the nature of school…

In the United States, legislators have created policies to hold school personnel accountable for the academic success of all students. However, many students with disabilities working toward a high school diploma have not demonstrated progress on local or national standardized assessments. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore…

Creating and sustaining an organizational culture that contributes to high academic achievement is frequently a problem in schools. This basic qualitative study explored measures implemented in thriving campus cultures and effective leadership on those campuses by interviewing principals and teachers in Blue Ribbon Schools. The study focused on…

This study documents voices of the most experienced active Illinois community college chief academic officers (CAOs). Adaptive leadership theory is used to frame the effort of CAOs to infuse accountability into the core community college open access mission. The analysis of conversations with these CAOs reveals a focus on accountability that…