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Sammanfattning Skolan i Sverige ska vara likvärdig, men det är den inte idag. Det finns skolor i utanförskapsområden som har stora utmaningar och som har haft låg måluppfyllelse under en längre tid. Men det finns också skolledare som har tagit över ledningsrollen på lågpresterande skolor i utanförskapsområden och lyckats omvandla dem. Vi har intervjuat några av dem som har berättat om deras upplevelser och erfarenheter. Skolledarna beskriver att de har lyckats omvandla skolorna genom transparent och tydlig kommunikation, och en förändringsprocess som genomsyras av tydlig och inkluderande ledarskap. De har även berättat hur de har aktivt arbetat med att förändra elevers inställning till skolan och även krävt att skolpersonalen ställt högre krav både på sig själva och eleverna. Skolledarna har skildrat en stegvis förändringsprocess som förespråkas av skolforskningen.    Nyckelord Skolomvandling,  Skolledarskap, Skolförbättring, / The school in Sweden should be equal, but it is not today. There are schools in outlying areas in the cities that have major challenges and that have had low goal fulfillment for a long time. But there are also school leaders who have taken over the leadership role of low-performing schools in areas of exclusion and managed to transform them into better schools. We have interviewed some of those who have told us about their experiences. The school leaders describe that they have succeeded in transforming the schools through transparent and clear communication, and a process of change that is permeated by clear and inclusive leadership. They have also told how they have actively worked to change the students attitude towards the school and also demanded that the school staff make higher demands on both themselves and the students. The school leaders have described a step-by-step process of change that is advocated by school research.  Keywords School Turnaround, School Leadership, School Improvement.

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There were several purposes to this study using a Spearman Rho correlation mixed method design. The first aim of this study was to address notable themes about science engagement from school leaders and science writing. The second purpose was to determine how postsecondary students' description of student engagement in elementary K-6 science classrooms correlate with students' writing quality. The final purpose of this study focused on a call for guidance to determine how students’ ratings of engagement from various teaching models, strategies, and techniques during elementary K-6 science activities correlate with students’ writing quality. Data were collected in the study using two instruments consisting of a survey and writing quality samples. The participants completed the Post-Secondary Survey of Science Engagement-Elementary Version (PSSSE-EV) survey and a college writing sample assignment from an introductory biochemistry course. The results of this study demonstrated postsecondary biochemistry students' memories of their elementary science engagement and college writing quality sample had no significant correlation between students' K-6 science engagement. Results also indicate the principals and assistant principals have no direct involvement in leading the students to engage in elementary K-6 science classroom engagement. Finally, results from the themes that emerged from the participants’ writing samples indicated students' inspiration and motivation to further their education in a science related field emerged. It also revealed that students who became involved in science did so because of their own efforts and encouragement of great teachers as leaders.

The purpose of this study was to determine if the teachers in Sullivan County perceive that principals used the same leadership practices as the principals reported they use. The researcher used the survey method of data collection in which 897 teachers were given the opportunity to participate and 576 teachers returned completed surveys (63.2%). In addition, 29 out of 29 principals participated in the research (100%). The Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) (Kouzes & Posner, 2003a) was used to gather information regarding the principals' leadership practices. Principals self-reported their perception of their leadership practices, whereas teachers reported their perceptions of their principals' leadership practices. Two major findings of this study were that principals reported significantly higher levels of each leadership practice than both the Kouzes-Posner norms and their teachers' perceptions of their principals' leadership practices. In addition, there was no difference between male and female teachers' perceptions of their male principals' leadership practices. However, there were significant differences between male and female teachers' perceptions of their female principals' leadership practices for all five behaviors. In each case, male teachers evaluated their female principals' leadership practices higher than did female teachers.

The purpose of this study was to measure the extent to which school leaders who completed the preparing new principals program in School District A perceived the program’s effectiveness in preparing them to demonstrate Florida’s principal leadership standards as adopted in November 2011. This study also identified the components of the preparing new principals program that influenced the professional practice of the program completers in their current leadership roles within School District A. This study was conducted at the request of the professional development services designee in School District A and is a companion study to research conducted by Eddie Ruiz and Wesley Trimble. The Preparing New Principals Program Completer Survey was sent to 90 administrators in School District A who completed the preparing new principals program between 2008 and 2011. Follow-up interviews were conducted with six volunteers in order to further clarify responses to the survey and to gather additional input from program completers. Survey results as well as interview data were analyzed in order to give the professional development services designee information for designing a new principal preparation program for School District A. The literature review and the results of this study supported the premise that preparing principals for school leadership in 2013 involves more than developing management skills and knowledge of the functions of a school. Principals must be instructional leaders with an unwavering focus on student achievement. Overall, results of the study found the PNPP in the urban school district supported the participant’s awareness of the FPLS and also showed they perceived they were prepared to demonstrate the majority of the standards. However, the individual requirements and experiences of the PNPP had varying levels of perceived value to iii the professional practice of the participants. Results of the study recommended the PNPP experiences perceived to be invaluable or not practical should be evaluated for applicability, revised accordingly or possibly eliminated to improve the effectiveness of the PNPP. Although the structure of principal preparation programs in the state of Florida are unique due to laws that created a two leveled principal certification process, the findings and conclusions of this research study could be useful to any school district working to develop future principals. Suggested improvements to the PNPP included a longer principal internship, a strengthened mentor relationship, an application process for initial program entry, differentiated experiences, and an emphasis on increasing teacher effectiveness

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For more than a decade, teacher accountability and teacher effectiveness as defined by student achievement have been the focus of the teacher evaluation process (Close et al., 2018; Danielson, 2007; Virginia Department of Education, [VDOE], 2011, 2015, 2021). Throughout the teacher evaluation process, principals observe teaching skills and gather instructional and assessment data to provide feedback and follow-up to teachers to improve instructional strategies that increase student achievement (VDOE, 2021). Specific and meaningful feedback can positively impact teacher confidence, reflection, and improved instructional practices (Blase and Blase, 2000). Uncertainty remains, however, in knowing precisely what feedback and follow-up motivates a teacher to adjust or change instruction for improved student learning (Hattie and Timperley, 2007; Khachatryan, 2015; Shute, 2008). The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe teacher perceptions regarding the usefulness of principal feedback and subsequent follow-up through the teacher evaluation process that resulted in implementing instructional changes in the classroom and increasing student achievement. Qualitative data were collected through one-to-one interviews conducted with eight teachers, four from each of two rural south central Virginia school districts. The data were coded using constant comparison analysis to determine common categories and themes related to principal observation feedback and teachers' perceptions of its usefulness to change instructional habits and increase student achievement. An analysis of the data collected revealed that teachers perceived principal feedback as it related to teacher evaluation to be useful when the feedback was timely, specific, and supportive; however, the usefulness did not necessarily extend to instructional changes resulting in changes in student achievement. Teachers also perceived that principal feedback addressed teacher strengths more often than teacher weaknesses. The data further revealed that teachers perceived that collaboration with colleagues was key to making changes in instructional practices that led to student achievement gains. While principal feedback is an important component of the teacher evaluation process, the data suggest that teacher collaboration also plays a vital role in a teacher's professional growth and students' success. / Doctor of Education / For more than a decade, there has been an increased focus on teacher accountability and effectiveness related to the teacher evaluation process and student achievement. School principals oversee the teacher evaluation process in the school and are responsible for providing feedback to teachers to improve instructional skills, student learning, and professional growth. This study explored teacher perceptions of principal feedback and subsequent follow-up teachers received through the evaluation process that resulted in changes to classroom instruction, leading to increases in student learning and achievement. Eight teachers, four from each of two rural south central Virginia school districts, were interviewed. The teacher interviews revealed that principal feedback through the evaluation process was useful to the teacher when the feedback was timely, specific, and supportive. The teacher interviews also revealed that principals provided feedback on teacher strengths more often than on teacher weaknesses. Additionally, teacher interviews revealed that collaboration with colleagues was beneficial to increasing teacher effectiveness in the classroom leading to student achievement gains. In order to have a greater impact on teacher effectiveness and student learning, it is vital that teachers receive high-quality feedback from principals as well as encouragement and support for teacher collaboration.