Through the years, the role of the school principal has shifted from managerial to an instructional focus, which required additional skills, strategies, oversight, and flexibility. Assuming the role of instructional leader challenged principals to ensure students achieve at high levels. Legislation over the years added to the high expectations…

Female superintendents across the nation comprise approximately 27% of the population (Finnan et al., 2015), while female teachers account for approximately 75% of the population (Robinson et al., 2017). In Ohio, the gender gap between male and female superintendents is more pronounced with 16.8% of superintendents identifying as female at the…

This study examines insights from Career and Technical Education (CTE) leaders that help to better inform the preparation of all school leaders. CTE leaders find themselves in the interesting position of being inside the PK-12 system but at the outside edge. This outsider within perspective not only gives CTE leaders a unique understanding of…

Peer coaching involves two or more professionals collaborating to reflect on and refine current skills and practices (Yee, 2016). The peer coaching model described in this article focused on grades K-2, a critical time for the development of students' reading skills. In the 2022-23 school year, a small pilot study was conducted of a program based…

This qualitative descriptive case study addressed elementary teachers' perceptions of trauma-informed teaching practices, acknowledging the problem which is that many elementary teachers lack an understanding of why trauma-informed teaching strategies are considered best practices and how to utilizes these strategies in the classroom to contribute…

The constructs of mindset, leadership, and school climate interact within the school environment. Mindset drives decisions and behaviors, decisions and behaviors determine leadership style, and leadership style influences school climate. Finally, school climate impacts student achievement and success. Much of the research related to mindset,…

Prior research has found the transition to high school to be a critical time for ninth-grade students. This mixed-methodology study investigated the experiences of a school-based team that provided programming and various support to ninth-grade students using the teaming model. The study utilized the following methods: 1) interviews, 2) historical…

This quasi-experiment tested whether or not a statewide professional development program for principals yielded measurable changes in self-reported attitudes and practices. The two-year program combined training events at central and regional locations with on-site coaching. The program attempted (1) to change attitudes toward inclusion, broadly…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the extent to which instructional leaders providing principal feedback to teachers with five or more years of teaching experience influence student high value-added growth in urban Ohio middle schools, specifically in regard to their Black students. It examined statistical information between…

The COVID-19 pandemic forced school leaders to balance health needs and learning needs in unprecedented ways. Promoting student health needs required schools to shift to virtual instruction. Promoting student learning needs required daunting efforts and adjustments by students, families, teachers, and school leaders. The purpose of this study is…

The purpose of this study was to examine the self-reported competency level of Ohio principals in each of the five 2018 ISTE Standards Education Leader domains, measured by the 2018 Principal Technology Leadership Survey. This study also sought to investigate if the differences in self-reported technology leadership competency correlated to a…

School districts across the country are experiencing a mass exodus of teachers and administrators while those who stay struggle to maintain the level of productivity needed to lead our schools and ensure a high-quality education for our nation's students (DeMatthews et. al., 2021; Peters-Hawkins et.al., 2018; Superville, 2020). Black women, in…

Purpose: Public interests and concerns often create dilemmas for school principals. As such moral dilemmas are the case for schools as places marked by social, economic, cultural and political diversity. The purpose of this paper is to look at how Appalachian school leaders use moral literacy to make decisions when facing ethical issues?…

This leadership portrait using qualitative methods exposes one female superintendent's perception of practices and characteristics that led to her 23-year tenure in one district, exceeding the national average of 3.5 years. Leadership qualities and practices are explored and compared related to student success and superintendent responsibilities.…

School leadership is a key component of successful school environments and academic performance strategies. Among school-related factors, school leadership is second to teaching in its impact on student learning. In addition, research shows that strong leaders contribute significantly to successful school turnaround. To ensure that school leaders…