Background/purpose: This study explores the different ways in which critical friend roles are conceptualized. The critical friend role is adaptive by nature, with significant ambiguity surrounding it, which has resulted in disjointed and fragmented literature. This study sought to provide insights into the varied and potentially boundary-spanning…

This qualitative case study explored K-8 principals' perception of the contribution of job-embedded professional learning on skills and efficacy in instructional leadership, guided by Experiential Learning and Self-Efficacy Theory. The study addressed two research questions: the first explored how principals perceived the contribution of…

The exploration of leadership within the educational domain has been a longstanding pursuit. Research consistently establishes a connection between the effectiveness of schools and the quality of leadership. This qualitative study aimed to delve into the experiences of secondary school principals, particularly in the context of a volatile,…

Principals can have a positive impact on student achievement by employing specific actions targeted at improving teaching and learning. District offices can have a positive impact by helping principals develop and grow as leaders, but how and under what conditions? While growth and development are entwined with relationships, little is understood…

Policy makers increasingly acknowledge that problems and challenges arising at the school level should be resolved on site. At the same time, the political expectation to delegate more responsibility to the individual school is rather heavily contrasted with the weak knowledge about how this new public management approach can be translated into…

School leaders, specifically principals, play a pivotal role in shaping student learning outcomes. The benefits of strong leaders extend beyond academic achievement, such as reductions in absenteeism and exclusionary discipline. While quality principals are critical for creating and sustaining quality schools, the staffing pipeline is facing…

Since 2013, most states have passed laws or implemented policies related to evidence-based reading instruction, with many doing so just in the past few years. Most of these laws and policies focus on integrating phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension into high-quality reading curriculum, teacher preparation standards,…

In these challenging times, it is essential that principals serve as equity-oriented, antiracist, culturally competent leaders accountable for students' performance, school improvement, and policy requirements. Many studies focus on professional development (PD) for teachers but not school leaders, thus the value of the present analysis is that…

There are many accomplished school leaders in Australia, but the profession has yet to develop credible systems for recognising their impact. This article provides a progress report on research initiated by professional associations of school principals, to provide school leaders with authentic and feasible methods for documenting their practice…

As the world of education has changed, so have the roles and expectations of the evaluating administrators. Public schools have begun to insist that principals take much of the responsibility for teachers' instructional development and support. Some principals use a managerial approach, and others use a coaching style of motivating their…

The purpose of this systematic review is to explore the literature on emotional intelligence related to school leadership using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. The authors searched the electronic databases of Eric education, PsycINFO, Scopus and Psychology Database to find relevant articles.…

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…

The role of school leader is increasingly complex, and the impact of the pandemic made these jobs almost impossible at times. Principal burnout is often high, and morale is often low. Retaining and supporting strong principals, who have a measurable impact on the success of their students, is a priority for the field. This case study describes how…

The school principal has long been recognized as a critical driver for school improvement and student success, but new research supported by The Wallace Foundation has found that principals have an even greater impact than previously stated. A synthesis of two decades of studies builds on previous research about how principals impact student…

Principals are essential in any institution of learning. Great schools do not exist in the absence of a great principal, which demonstrates the importance of strong leadership. However, due to complexities and the demanding nature of their jobs, there has been an increasing deficiency in the supply of these professionals. Schools have recorded…