The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore Pennsylvania public high school principals' leadership of grading practices reform and how that leadership was influenced by enabling and constraining factors within schools' cultures and communities. The analysis of the accounts of the lived experiences of 10 principals…

The purpose of this mixed methods collective case study was to explore the utilization of assistant principals as instructional leaders to identify and explain factors that influence instructional leadership effectiveness of assistant principals, and the potential effect on school performance in northeastern Pennsylvania secondary schools. The…

Creating a dynamic educational community takes collaboration and accountability from ALL constituents. Current research on leaders sets the foundation for recognizing the need for organizations to develop wellness initiatives and enhance research. In today's transient work world, wellness initiatives may aid in retention. Targeting the emotional…

Educational leaders are tasked with many managerial responsibilities as well as instructional leadership roles. However, effective instructional leadership is a critical factor in improving student achievement. The purpose of this study was to explore how instructional leadership is distributed within a school organization, specifically examining…

This quantitative research study explored the relationship between teachers' perceptions of how their school leaders navigate change and teachers' self-reported readiness for change using a survey tool developed initially for corporate change management. The Organizational Change Questionnaire -- Climate of Change, Processes, and Readiness (OCQ)…

In 2015, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was signed into law, replacing No Child Left Behind as the statutory education policy of the federal government of the United States (US). Building on prior shifts in accountability policy at the state level, ESSA focused attention and resources on building school leadership capacities. Five years on,…

School crisis situations are increasingly prevalent, yet many educational leaders lack adequate preparation for crisis prevention and intervention upon assuming administrative roles. This gap poses severe implications for the well-being of school communities. To address this issue, a study was conducted within a university educational leadership…

Minimal research has explored the leadership experiences of private liberal arts college presidents. The work of a college president is much more challenging and complex than at any time in our modern era. A literature review defined the college president's complex role and the importance of their leadership performance to support institutional…

Purpose: This comparative case study focused on high schools in California, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia using the lens of Culturally Responsive School Leadership to investigate the actions of school leaders in implementing detracking and asks "How do school leaders' actions regarding detracking fit into the larger framework of…

This qualitative research study explored how principal efficacy influences the implementation of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). At the time of this study, the majority of literature focused on efficacy in MTSS focused on the teacher and minimal literature focused on the principal efficacy. Research has explored in-depth the principal as…

Teachers discover that their love of children draws them to teaching, or that their own love of learning makes them passionate about teaching. Both my love for children and my own love of learning are two key factors that originally persuaded me to become an educator and researcher. Being raised in a district composed of rural and suburban…

Shared leadership among school principals and teachers has been touted as a means to enhance student achievement. Using grounded theory, we interviewed six principals and 20 urban elementary school teachers, in Pennsylvania, to examine their perceptions about federal and state mandates on shared leadership. Results indicate that although teachers…

Principals play a critical role in the success of a school. However, the specific leadership characteristics that lead to successful school leadership remain unclear. Research was also lacking on the importance of emotional intelligence for successful school leadership from the perception of building principals. Additionally, school principals are…

Students can obtain formal education through many instructional methods, including those offered in online learning environments. Due to their convenience and flexibility in terms of time and place, online resources are a viable alternative for high school students, including those at-risk, struggling to progress academically in a conventional…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how educators support and describe implementation of intercultural pedagogy practices in one urban dual language elementary school in the northeastern region within the state of Pennsylvania. The overall research question focused on how the K-5th grade principal and teachers…