The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) makes unprecedented demands on states, school districts, and schools to raise academic achievement and to improve low-achieving schools. Many believe that schools are only as good as the principal leading the school. There is evidence that the format and processes used in principal evaluation often vary from one state to another, and even among school districts within a state. The purpose of this study is to examine the status of principal performance evaluation in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The study reviews and compares all school divisions' descriptions of principal evaluation systems, information collection strategies, and schedules for information collection and evaluation of principals. The primary purpose of this study was to describe the evaluation process for principals in the Commonwealth of Virginia. An attempt was made to (1) find out what procedures school divisions used to evaluate principal performance, (2) determine how the evaluation process varied by divisions type (i.e., suburban, urban, and rural), size and location, (3) find out the structures in place for high-performing principals to share effective practices, (4) determine the strategies used to support principals who are evaluated as needing improvement, (5) analyze documents that cover policies and procedures governing principal evaluation, and (6) to present a summary and analysis of data with implications for further research. This study was conducted first by analyzing a questionnaire regarding assessment practices currently being used by school divisions received from 91 school divisions; second, by examining the principal evaluation documents returned by 61 of the responding school divisions in Virginia; and third, by gathering data on how principals are recognized for outstanding performance, or supported if they need improvement. The demographics of school divisions represent 1,407 principals and 812,211 students. An extensive review of literature was conducted to explore principal evaluation and its effect on the quality of education in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The information accumulated through the literature review, the questionnaire data and the document analysis resulted in findings that profile a comprehensive view of the status of principal evaluation in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The findings of the study indicated that there is agreement among researchers and policymakers that an evaluation process must be in place in order to have effective principals and thus effective schools. The data in this study showed that more than half of respondents (67%)had procedures in place for regularly reviewing and revising principal evaluation procedures. However, 33% of school divisions did not have procedures in place. This is a sizable number, and a matter of concern, since principal evaluation has been mandated by the Commonwealth of Virginia since 1972. / Ed. D.

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The purposes of this qualitative multiple case study were to determine the catalysts and pathways that caused principals to move from managers to effective leaders. Data were collected through a series of interviews with 4 principals who were selected through a purposeful sampling procedure. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using inductive coding to determine themes. Findings were presented for each theme within the context of reviewed literature. National polls indicate that 6 out of every 10 of the nation’s schools need major changes or an overhaul. Can improving the skills of their leaders make a difference in the performance of these schools? Research repeatedly supports the importance of a principal’s leadership to the overall success of a school. It also tells us that effective leadership is in short supply and that there is a need to initiate leadership development. The underlying task in this study was to determine how to help those who want or need to become better principals or how they can help themselves. Several themes emerged from data analysis, and each is important to consider when working on improving principals’ leadership abilities: the impact of mentors; university administrative certification programs; on the job experience; personal motivation; tacit knowledge; state, local, and private leadership development programs; and pathways to improvement. Specific recommendations for practices to improve principals’ overall effectiveness included incorporating more and lengthier mentoring in the early part of principals’ careers or as part of performance improvement plans; increasing study of cultural and instructional leadership in administrative certification programs; providing more field experiences in administrative certification programs; and developing individualized leadership improvement plans based on needs, interests, and learning styles of principals. The need for additional quantitative and qualitative research was also suggested.

The purpose of this research study was to understand better and reconstruct the concept of values-led principalship. In recent times, in response to constant change and uncertainty, there has been a consistent call for a new form of principalship: values-led principalship. Principals are now being urged to allow values to shape their principalship behaviour. In short, values-led behaviour is said to afford the principal the means of providing appropriate school leadership in unpredictable, and even ambiguous, times. However, the assertion that values can play a positive role in a principal’s performance needs to be substantiated. Despite their innate appeal, the nature and function of values in human endeavours remains somewhat unclear. This research study seeks to redress this lack of understanding by investigating how knowing personal values might help the principal to be led by these values and, thereby, be able to act more effectively as an educational leader. To this end, this research study is situated within the research paradigm of pragmatic constructivism and informed by the theoretical perspective of symbolic interactionism. The orchestrating perspective was case study with the boundaries of the case defined in terms of the system of secondary schools operating under the auspices of the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane. This case study included an open-ended questionnaire, two closed questionnaires, and a series of three semi-structured interviews with five principals. This research study began with a comprehensive review of literature from psychology, ethics and values theory to establish the relationship between values and behaviour. This review highlighted five important insights in respect to personal values. First, personal values are formed during the general experiences of life. Second, these personal values influence behaviour. Third, personal values are subjective inner-world phenomena that are more likely to be tacit and subliminal influences upon one’s behaviour. Fourth, having knowledge of one’s own personal values is not a natural or a common occurrence and the gaining of this particular form of self-knowledge is difficult and requires effort and appropriate processes. Finally, the appropriate process for gaining self-knowledge of one’s personal values is through self-reflection and introspection. Based on these insights, the researcher identified four research questions: How knowledgeable are the principals of their own personal values? How have the personal values of the principals been formed? Can a principal gain increased self-knowledge of his or her personal values and the relationship of these personal values to his or her educational leadership behaviour? Does an increased level of self-knowledge of personal values bring about values-led principalship? In general, the findings of this research study suggest that values-led principalship is a simplistic conceptualisation that does not reflect the complex relationships between the inner Self and behaviour. The concept of values-led principalship assumes self-knowledge of personal values and the deliberate application of this knowledge to influence personal behaviour. By not considering the formation of personal values and the inner antecedents of personal values within the Self, any self-knowledge of one’s personal values remains notional. Notional self-knowledge maintains the tacit, subliminal influence of personal values on behaviour. Thus, personal values are directing or driving behaviour resulting in values driven rather than values-led principalship. From an instrumental perspective, this finding raises a number of issues in respect to the professional development of principals. As a consequence, the following propositions are advanced: The professional development of principals should prepare them to incorporate regular self-reflective and introspective practices; The professional development of principals should challenge them to develop a rich knowledge of their inner Self; The professional development of principals should assist them to appreciate how their whole life experience is woven into their leadership behaviour; and Contemporary principals require formal professional mentoring programmes to assist them to more truly clarify and understand the antecedents of their leadership behaviours.

本研究旨為國民小學校長培育課程與校長績效管理能力之研究。研究方法為文獻分析、焦點團體座談、問卷調查、與專家訪談。焦點團體座談對象為教育行政機關主管與學者專家10位，國民小學校長10位；問卷調查之樣本為臺灣地區各縣市公立國民小學校長共600人，可用問卷462份，可用率為77%；專家訪談對象為校長培育機構領導者計5位。研究工具包含自編之「國民小學校長培育課程與校長績效管理能力之研究調查問卷」、「國民小學校長培育課程與校長績效管理能力之研究座談大綱」、「國民小學校長培育課程與校長績效管理能力之研究專家訪談大綱」。本研究統計方法為描述性統計、t考驗、單因子變異數分析與Scheffé事後比較、皮爾森積差相關、線性結構關係分析（SEM），內容分析等方法。根據研究結果與分析後歸納之研究結論如下： 壹、國民小學校長培育課程之內涵包含校長教育理念、校長專業知能、校長實務實習。 貳、國民小學校長績效管理能力之內涵包括目標執行能力、授權增能能力、敏銳覺察能力、開放對話能力、評量考核能力、省思回饋能力。 參、校長培育課程對校長績效管理能力之發展有重要影響。 肆、國民小學校長知覺校長培育課程之幫助程度，得分程度佳；並於「校長專業知能」向度得分最高；「校長教育理念」向度得分最低。 伍、國民小學校長知覺校長績效管理能力之符合程度，現況得分程度佳；並以「開放對話能力」向度得分最高；「評量考核能力」得分程度最低。 陸、背景變項之探討，國民小學校長之性別、年齡、最高學歷、校長年資及學校區域，於知覺校長培育課程之幫助程度有顯著差異。 柒、背景變項之探討，國民小學校長之年齡、校長年資及學校規模，於校長績效管理能力之符合程度有顯著差異。 捌、知覺校長培育課程之幫助程度對校長績效管理能力之符合程度上有顯著差異。 玖、國民小學校長培育課程與校長績效管理能力具相關性。 壹拾、驗證校長培育課程對校長績效管理能力關係佳。 最後，本研究依研究結果分別提出以下建議： 壹、對教育行政機關之建議 一、參酌校長培育之不同模式進行整合，以規劃統一適用之校長培育制度。 二、建構國民小學校長證照之檢定制度，以提升學校校長之專業素質。 三、建置國民小學校長專業資格檢定制度，以發展校長準則之專業指標。 四、針對現行國民小學校長遴選制度，積極思考未來可行之解決方案。 五、檢討國民小學學校績效管理制度，避免品質考核之績效制度流於形式。 貳、對校長培育機構之建議 一、探討不同校長培育機構之學習經驗，作為規劃未來課程模式之參考。 二、針對國民小學校長準則之專業指標，建構未來培育課程之模式。 三、強化國民小學校長培育之績效管理課程，進行個案研究等案例研討。 四、運用個案研究、問題導向與同儕學習之教學法，促進校長實踐智慧。 參、對校長之建議 一、瞭解不同校長培育機構之課程規劃，持續校長自我專業發展。 二、理解校長實踐學校績效管理之流程與作為，力求自我知行一致。 三、建置校長專業發展之知識分享平台，提升校長績效管理能力。 四、培養校長面對變革之自我因應能力，掌握學校多元之情境脈絡。 肆、對後續相關研究之建議 一、進行校長培育課程與校長績效管理之質性研究。 二、加入他評之研究調查方法進行多元觀點之參照與研析。 三、考量組織文化或型態等背景因素對學校實施績效管理之影響。 四、持續修訂研究量表工具。 / The main purpose of this research is to study the principal preparation curriculum for an elementary school principal and the performance management ability of an elementary school principal. The research methods used was literature analysis, focus group sessions, questionnaires investigation, and interviews. The research instrument was distributed to 600 elementary public school principals all over Taiwan and 462 valid samples were used in this study. The data obtained was interpreted using descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Scheffé posteriori comparison, Pearson’s product-moment correlation, SEM through the use of LISREL 8.71, and content analysis. The conclusions drawn from the study were as follows: 1.Principal preparation curriculum for principal in Taiwan elementary school includes: education idea, professional competency, practical training. 2.Performance management ability of an elementary school principal includes: goal setting and execution, empowerment, perceptiveness, open dialogue, performance appraisal, reflection and feedback. 3.The principal preparation curriculum had an important influence to principal performance management ability. 4.The principal preparation curriculum “principal professional competency” ranked first and “principal educational idea” ranked last. 5.All principal performance management abilities received a positive outcome and “open dialogue” ranked the first. 6.The elementary school principal’s background demography sex, age, educational background, years in service and school district incurred a significant difference with all principal preparation curriculums. 7.The elementary school principal’s background demography age, years in service and school size incurred a significant difference with all the principal performance management abilities. 8.Principals who got high score on the principal preparation curriculum also got better score in the principal performance management ability than low and middle ones. 9.The principal preparation curriculum was positively correlated with the performance management ability of elementary school principals. 10.The“model fit indices” between principal preparation curriculum and performance management ability of elementary school principals was proper. In the last, based on the research results, the researcher proposed some suggestions for educational administrative agencies, principals, researchers.