The aim of this applied dissertation was to develop a better understanding of how elementary principals in a large school district in the southeastern United States perceive their self-efficacy as instructional leaders and administrators. The pressures of high accountability play an impactful role in how principals view their roles and their…

As stakeholders in education reflect on best practices to support the constantly evolving field of education, a strong national interest in school climate has emerged. The problem addressed in this study is that unsupportive administrator-teacher relationships negatively impact school climate. Poor administrator-teacher relationships can lead to…

This was a case study of the principal succession planning practices of a large school district in Oregon. For the study, the researcher interviewed nine principals and nine central office administrators and surveyed 17, K-12 assistant principals within the studied school district. The findings from this study reveal many strengths and weaknesses…

There is a need for school leaders to be able to address barriers that prevent historically marginalized students from being successful in school while also preparing them to be democratic citizens. There is evidence that many school leaders enter the profession underprepared to be able to provide the needed support for equity. This qualitative…

School principals are moved from one school to another because of retirements, resignations, or school divisions' rotation policies. Leadership transitions can be challenging for the principal and the school community given that the leaders have little to no knowledge of the new school, its culture, and its staff and no established relationships.…

This mixed methods research study explores superintendents' beliefs about and engagement in state education policymaking processes. Through interviews with 58 superintendents and a national survey of superintendents, I find that many superintendents feel that their voices have value in state policymaking spaces; however, superintendents' actual…

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenographical article was to explore the different ways that elementary assistant principals experienced mentoring from their elementary principals as a way to provide the requisite leadership development that would lead them to become a principal. This research study was conducted using in-depth…

Teacher turnover, or those teachers who either move between schools or leave the profession entirely, is a growing problem in today's education system. Though education research is flush with studies about turnover's causes and the success of certain policy initiatives, little attention has been paid to the perspectives of those policymakers often…

The purpose of this process evaluation was to evaluate how classroom teachers, campus administrators, and instructional staff differ in their perception of data usage for educational improvement in a large suburban Independent School District (ISD) in Southeast Texas. The researcher was granted permission by the superintendent of the school…

Access to technology has increased significantly in K-12 classrooms in recent years, with many districts and schools achieving a 1:1 device-to-student ratio. Considering this increased access to technology, blended learning has become more commonplace as an instructional approach. However, the advancement of blended learning has outpaced the…

School leaders need research-based strategies to focus school improvement efforts. Collective teacher efficacy (CTE), the shared belief that a faculty has the power to affect student achievement, is a construct based on locus of control theory and social cognitive theory. Empirical research showed that CTE strongly and positively correlated with…

School leaders need research-based strategies to focus school improvement efforts. Collective teacher efficacy (CTE), the shared belief that a faculty has the power to affect student achievement, is a construct based on locus of control theory and social cognitive theory. Empirical research showed that CTE strongly and positively correlated with…

The purpose of this study was to explore administrators' and teachers' experiences and perceptions of how restorative practice strategies impact the execution of school discipline in an urban middle school. This study included a review of data collected from interviews with middle school administrators and teachers in a large school district. A…

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to gain an understanding of the personal and occupational stressors experienced by public school administrators, the self-care practices that are available through school district employment, and the utilized self-care practices to address those stressors. This study further investigated the differences…

The primary purpose of this study was to determine if a difference exists among small and large Texas public school district superintendents regarding which personal characteristics and professional skills are perceived to define effective superintendents. Superintendent personal characteristics and professional skills were assessed using a…