The purpose of this study was to identify issues that are considered important to the legislators and higher education leaders of Tennessee in making decisions that affect the funding of higher education. A further purpose was to identify actions that such individuals believe should be taken by higher education leaders to ensure that higher education is accountable and worthy of continued or increased financial support. Using a qualitative research design, interviews were held with 10 legislators and 6 higher education leaders selected in accordance with the concept of purposeful sampling. Legislative participants included five members from the Senate and five members from the House of Representatives. All participants served on either the Education Committee or Finance Ways and Means Committee within their chamber. Higher education leaders consisted of a university president, the President of the University of Tennessee System, Chancellor of the Tennessee Board of Regents, Executive Director of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, Comptroller of the Treasury, and a member of the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees. Issues identified from the interviews were reduced to eight categories: (a) issues affecting higher education and (b) findings regarding the accountability of higher education. The issues category was divided into eight categories: (a) financial issues that was further subdivided into funding issues, accountability issues, capital expenditures, taxes, fees, and other general financial issues; (b) administrative structure and costs; (c) quality outcomes; (d) faculty issues; (e) technology; (f) program duplication; (g) relationship to K-12 education; and (h) other general issues. Issues that emerged related to accountability included the measurement of educational outcomes and the communication of those results to legislators and the public. Based on the findings of this study, three recommendations are offered: (1) a committee consisting of appropriate representatives should be established to study the issue of accountability and determine appropriate measurements that will provide relevant information; (2) leaders in higher education should make a concerted effort to improve communication with legislators and their staffs; and (3) those in higher education must improve their communication with the public.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the success of the School Leadership Response Team Development Process in helping school personnel move toward shared leadership and to determine if it was an appropriate model for the adoption of shared leadership within Tennessee's public schools. This descriptive study systematically reviewed documents related to the project and used a questionnaire to elicit information from training participants. The population was the 196 school personnel and others from 31 schools across the State of Tennessee who obtained leadership training in 1991 as part of this grant. The follow-up questionnaire was responded to by 124 (63%) of the trainees who represented 28 (90%) of the schools that participated. Six criteria derived from the literature on shared leadership served as guides for the study. According to the literature, shared leadership within schools was indicated by; use of shared decision making, existence of leadership teams, increased self-esteem among teachers and students, increased participation in leadership activities by school personnel, improved communication between involved parties, and better identification of needs. It was evident from the data that shared leadership was being adopted more within the schools that participated. There were indications of expansion of teams, development of new mini-leadership teams, increased self-esteem among some teachers and students, improved communications between all parties, and better needs assessment. The major conclusion was that the School Leadership Response Team Development Process was successful in helping schools move toward shared leadership and that it was an appropriate model to use in Tennessee schools.

The problem related to this study was to develop a clearer understanding of the impact of Tennessee's Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS) on school superintendents' decision-making responsibilities in view of school reform efforts at both the national and state levels during the last decade. The purpose of this study was to identify relationships between three independent variables (superintendents' years of experience, superintendents' perceived degree of personnel acceptance, and superintendents' perceived technical assistance availability for data analysis and interpretation of results) and superintendents perceptions of the system on eight aspects (student learning; teacher performance; school system success; educational accountability; educational equality; assessment decisions; personnel decisions; and, curriculum and professional development decisions). Superintendents in the 139 Tennessee school systems were surveyed using an instrument containing 51 response items. The return rate was 81% (N = 112). Six research questions were answered by analyzing 24 null hypotheses using the chi square test, with Kendall's Tau-B for determining strength of relationships. Hypotheses were tested at the.05 level of significance. All null hypotheses related to superintendents' perceived degree of school personnel acceptance were rejected, with the exception of personnel decisions. All null hypotheses related to superintendents' years of experience were retained. The null hypothesis related to superintendents' perceived TVAAS technical assistance received and educational accountability was rejected. All other null hypotheses related to superintendents' perceived technical assistance availability regarding data analysis and interpretation of value-added assessment results were retained. Results indicated the practice of participatory leadership among Tennessee superintendents. Recommendations included further research to determine possible differences between rural and urban school systems and between elected and appointed superintendents across Tennessee.

The researcher examined beginning teacher induction programs in large and small districts in Tennessee for the 1997-1998 school year. Types of induction, formal and informal, were examined. The study looked at the teacher attitudes of job satisfaction, job adjustment, and socialization into the profession of teaching. The research design included five questions with two hypotheses used for testing differences between teacher attitudes in large and small systems. Beginning first-year teachers were surveyed and asked to rate their induction program as to best practices. Teachers rated the occurrence of activities in seven areas and how supportive activities were in their roles as beginning teachers. The questions were tested and statistically analyzed using chi-square and analysis of variance procedures. No differences were found in the occurrence of induction activities in large and small systems. No differences were found in how supportive an event was in large and small systems. A difference was found in job adjustment between large and small systems, but not in job satisfaction or socialization into the profession. Recommendations for further research were made to augment the study.

The purpose of this study was to determine if Career Ladder I, Career Ladder II, and Career Ladder III Tennessee Elementary Principals perceived differently their role as instructional leaders. The amount of time principals spent in six identified dimensions of instructional leadership was examined. The study examined selected independent variables, such as, grade level configuration of the school, years of experience as a principal, number of years of classroom experience, and gender for any effect on the Career Ladder I, Career Ladder II, and Career Ladder III elementary principals' perceptions of their instructional leadership role. The research design included three research questions with 16 null hypotheses testing for differences among Career Ladder I, Career Ladder II, and Career Ladder III elementary principals' perceptions of their instructional leadership role. Data were obtained using the Instructional Leadership Survey of Elementary School Principals, a 48-item instrument, administered to 125 elementary principals in the First Tennessee Development District. Both Career Ladder I and Career Ladder III elementary principals indicated significantly greater importance than Career Ladder II elementary principals in their perceptions of their instructional leadership role in the instructional leadership dimensions of observing teachers and classrooms, evaluating and supervising teachers, instructional problem-solving, and planning and developing instructional programs. Female principals indicated greater importance than did male principals in their perceptions of their instructional leadership role in all six identified dimensions of instructional leadership.

Business organizations are decreasing funding for training. The problem investigated in this study was to determine if there was a relationship among the leadership behavior of training leaders, the use of newer methods of training, and organizational profitability. A sample of 57 organizations from the Fortune 500 was surveyed to determine leadership behavior and the use of newer methods of training. The Leadership Practices Inventory was used to measure leadership and the Affective Communication Test was used to measure charisma. Profitability data were obtained from the literature. Return on assets, return on equity, the Moody's Corporate Bond Rating, and the Standard and Poor's Opinion were used as profitability measures. Correlation and regression analyses were used to analyze the data. No relationships were shown between leadership behaviors and training methods or between leadership behaviors and profitability. A positive relationship was shown between the number of newer training methods used and organization profitability as measured by return on assets. The following were the newer training methods: (a) accelerated learning, (b) case study methods, (c) computer-based training, (d) experiential exercises/games/simulations, (e) interactive video instruction, (f) multimedia, (g) non-computerized self-study, (h) problem-based learning, and (i) video teleconferencing.

There were two major purposes of this study. The first purpose was to obtain information from all principals in Tennessee's First District concerning their beliefs about the use of corporal punishment in public schools in Tennessee. Generalizations could be made in areas of similar geographic and cultural makeup. The second purpose of this study was to generate reflective thought in Tennessee's First District to clarify administrators' beliefs as to the use of corporal punishment as a deterrent. Demographic findings of the study revealed a predominately male population of principals. The majority of the population surveyed was male Caucasian. There was a normal distribution among education levels for principals in the First District, ranging from Bachelor degrees to Doctoral degrees. Subgroups that were tested using the Mann-Whitney U test for significance were: principals with 0-10 years experience and those with more than 10 years experience, principals who used corporal punishment in their schools and those who did not, and principals who experienced corporal punishment as children and those who did not. The review of literature in regard to corporal punishment revealed four constructs that proponents used when explaining why it was used: religious beliefs, legal perspectives, cultural beliefs, and effectual beliefs as a disciplinary measure. Principals in the First District of Tennessee had similar religious beliefs regarding the use of corporal punishment. In comparison, principals who used corporal punishment had significantly different belief scores relative to legal perspectives, culture, and effectiveness than those who did not use corporal punishment. Principals who experienced corporal punishment as children scored significantly higher in beliefs of its effectiveness than those who had never experienced it.

This study sought to answer research questions designed to determine principals' perceptions of the effect of year-round education (YRE) on students, teachers, and parents. These perceptions were then used to determine if YRE is fulfilling the recommendations of the National Commission on Excellence in Education and Goals 2000. There were 27 null hypotheses used to answer eight research questions that guided the study. Analysis of the data revealed that year-round principals perceive YRE as having a significantly positive impact on 25 variables in areas relating to educational opportunities/content, standards and expectations, time/flexibility and operational costs, teaching, and school/parent relations. Analysis of data also revealed principals' initial involvement in a year-round program showed a significant difference in eight of the 25 variables. The null hypothesis used to answer research question 8, does the organizational design of a multiple-track versus single-track plan have an effect on the perceptions of year-round school principals, was not rejected. Based on statistical analysis of the data collected of principals' perceptions, YRE is effective in fulfilling the Commission's recommendations and Goals 2000 for more rigorous and measurable standards with higher expectations for academic performance; improving student competency; preparing all children to come to school ready to learn; strengthening graduation requirements; increasing graduation rates; using school time more effectively; improving teacher preparation and salaries; providing drug-free, violence free schools; and increase parental involvement in schools.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of the mandatory in-service training in Tennessee for all local board of education members. The primary focus of this study was to determine if the board members' or superintendents' responses about the training agencies, content, or applicability of any Academy indicated any continuing (long-term) impact on the actions of board members when they returned to their local boards of education. The secondary concern of this study was to determine if the responses were significantly differentiated between the positions of board member and superintendent or among the demographic characteristics defined in the study. All 959 board of education members and 136 superintendents of schools were mailed a questionnaire to return anonymously to evaluate the legislatively mandated School Board Training Academies conducted over the past 4 years. Six research questions were answered and 23 null hypotheses were tested at the.05 level of significance. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov Two-Sample Test or the Chi-Square Comparison was used to analyze the comparison between board members' and superintendents' scores or among the demographic strata. All nine Academies were compared according to each of the nine demographic characteristics. The average demographic characteristics of Tennessee board members are very similar to the average demographic characteristics of board members in the nation as a whole. There are significant differences among board members' evaluation scores stratified by six of the demographic characteristics. There were only two demographic characteristics for which there were any significant rating differences among superintendents. The Academies were rated positively for their effectiveness and their continuance was recommended. Specific improvements, expansion, and enhancement of the process were suggested.

The purpose of this study was to examine the variables that are apparently affecting the incorporation of computer technology in Northeast Tennessee rural K-12 public schools. Therefore, the present study investigated the relationship between the independent variables--gender, age, and prior experience, and the dependent variables--knowledge about, attitude toward, and use of computer technology among Northeast Tennessee teachers and principals. This study utilized a survey methodology seeking responses from teachers and administrators in Sullivan, Hawkins, Johnson, Washington, Carter, and Unicoi counties. The findings were based on the return of 208 completed surveys which represented a 52% return rate. Based on the findings of the study the following conclusions were reached: First, the overall level of access to computer hardware and software in individual schools is not adequate if computer technology is to become part of the students' learning. Second, schools are providing little or no teacher training in using computer technology for lesson planning, delivery of instruction, research, or to promote hands-on student learning. Third, teachers and administrators believe that computer technology would be extremely helpful in their work now, and in the near future (5 years from now). Fourth, teachers and administrators believe that computer technology will be almost indispensable in the schools of the near future. Fifth, male and female educators report similar attitudes toward, knowledge about, and use of computer technology. Sixth, educators of different ages report similar attitudes toward and use of computer technology. Educators of different ages, however, do not report similar knowledge of computer technology. Seventh, teachers and principals with different levels of prior education experiences report similar attitudes toward, knowledge about, and use of computer technology. Eighth, in planning future training computer training programs, it is probably not necessary to differentiate groups according to personal attributes such as gender, age, and prior experience. Ninth, the potential for the instructional use of computer technology has not yet been realized. The following recommendations were suggested: (1) there should be enough computer technology for teachers and principals to have unrestricted access, (2) there should be sufficient and adequate computer technology training for teachers and principals offered at the local level, (3) there should be adequate support and time for teachers and principals to learn how to use technology and plan for its use in the school setting, (4) this study should be expanded and replicated to include a larger sample size of educators from all across the state of Tennessee, (5) the relationship between age and knowledge of computer technology should be further investigated, (6) teachers and principals who are proficient in computer technology should serve as role models and peer tutors for those who want to learn how to use computer technology, and (7) district and building administrators should provide computer technology training and planning during the school day.