Although the position of the assistant principal is crucial in providing experiences necessary to become an effective school leader, the research on the leadership development of the assistant principal has been largely understudied. This study examines the skills, characteristics, and leadership development of assistant principals within an…

Previous research identifies instructional program coherence as a school condition that has positive effects on student performance. This study investigates how instructional program coherence (IPC) operates as a social mechanism that supports teachers' psychological needs. We hypothesized that IPC would be positively related to teacher perceived…

In this article, we look in general at the nature of a profession, how the teaching profession has become deprofessionalized, and various ways in which teachers perceive their profession. We continue by examining ways that teachers can regain a sense of professionalism--through the application of action research and other forms of teacher…

The purpose of this study was to explore novice teachers' perceptions of professional agency in facilitating their development of a teacher leadership stance during the initial years of their work. Participants were thirteen novice teachers who had less than three years of teaching experience in Qatari government schools. Analysis of interview…

The "purpose" of this study was to understand the perspectives of recently retired principals who were mentors to new school leaders in a high-need urban school district. Mentors reflected on the mentoring needs and challenges faced by new school leaders while also reflecting on their own careers as school principals. This study was…

In this article, we report findings from two cases of rural, high-needs elementary schools in the Southeastern United States that successfully improved learning outcomes for their students. As illustrated by our findings, a combination of effective teacher professional development, focused student learning initiatives, and enhanced community and…

This article is based on a case study to explore a model of teacher governance and illustrate the distinct challenges of entrepreneurship in public education. In the Sedona Charter School, each classroom principal educator serves as instructional leader and resource leader. Principal educators adjust curricula, hire their teachers, determine…

This study examined the relationships between principals' leadership, school climate, and teachers' sense of self-efficacy. Drawing on existing scales, this study examined six aspects of principal leadership (professional interaction, participatory decision-making, individual support, intellectual stimulation and moral perspective) and four school…

This study examines the perspectives of Wyoming instructional facilitators, concerning three coaching constructs--namely, their instructional leadership roles, teachers' instructional practices, and the support that they receive from principals and teachers. Findings suggest that instructional facilitators were positive about their instructional…

Teachers hold the key to school reform. Professional learning communities--as well as other related strategies, including collaborative and distributive models of leadership--offer much that is promising. Yet, weaknesses documented in research require attention. We conducted a study of teachers in two elementary schools identified as exemplary…

Despite the importance of job satisfaction, little research exists about this factor as it relates to teachers working in a school reform environment. This study addressed teacher characteristics, job dimensions, and work-related psychological states that predict public school teacher job satisfaction in a school reform state. Teachers (N = 578)…

Examines the perceptions of 3,067 teachers of the effectiveness of successors to 73 prior principals. Effective successors inspired teacher confidence early. Results further indicate that teachers assess succession in terms of its effect on organizational factors that allow teachers to maintain predictability and control over their work. (SLD)

A case study demonstrates how urban school board members resolved a community crisis precipitated by the board's critical evaluation of the superintendent. Issues are analyzed through symbolic, political, human resources, and structural frameworks. The importance of establishing evaluation procedures when the superintendent is first hired is…

Examines empowerment issues involved in pursuing shared administrator/teacher professionalism. Arguing that all educators have role expectations grounded in moral ideals and commitments external to their current and historic roles, substantiates the call for greater teacher autonomy and empowerment, while establishing the need for and authority of…

Comparison of tasks, job control, and work-related personality traits of 255 British headteachers and 20 elementary school principals in Texas showed that context factors of the jobs were similar, but that British headteachers presided over smaller school organizations and functioned more like executive officers than did Texas counterparts. (SLD)