No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

Much of the historical research that has taken place over the past 50 years regarding student absenteeism has focused on influences on students over which the principal had very little control such as student demographics, family characteristics and the student personal or psychological factors. Researchers have begun analyzing school climate and its effect on student attendance from the perspectives of students and teachers. School climate is the one aspect that influences a student attendance patterns and can be modified by the principal. This study sought to identify if there was a relationship between the high school principals‟ perspective on student absenteeism and the percentage of average daily attendance of the school. Much of the emphasis placed on improving attendance has been examined at the school level. This study, though focused on student absenteeism from the principal‟s perspective, was also approached in regard to actions within the school‟s control. It may well be, that districts need to take a stronger leadership role with respect to attendance. Providing more information to principals could contribute initially to improving principals‟ desire to be proactive in regard to attendance. District officials should examine carefully the support they provide that will result in proactive policies in the schools. It would seem appropriate that district level and building level policies would be examined by district and building leaders with a goal of establishing policies that not only support building leaders but also support individual teachers and encourage them to be proactive in their approach to attendance for every student in the class room

The traditional method of identifying students with disabilities has led to a new innovation being implemented at the school level. Response to Intervention (RTI) is an alternative approach that received federal approval with the passage of Individuals with Disabilities Educational Improvement Act (IDEIA) 2004. On July 1, 2010, RTI became the required process for determining identification of students with learning disabilities for all schools in the state of Florida. Implementation of this approach requires significant changes in how schools operate. Using a phenomenological study design, the purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the experiences of elementary school principals implementing RTI in their schools. After gaining the individual viewpoints of 16 principals through an interview process, the data was analyzed using Fullan‟s nine critical factors affecting implementation of a change project. Results indicate that principals found RTI implementation to be a difficult, but worthwhile experience.

This study sought to determine how external influences designed to improve student achievement and school performance such as No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, The Florida A+ Program, and the Differentiated Accountability model impacted Florida school superintendents’ prioritization of the Florida Principal Leadership Standards. In the study, major questions addressed concerned (a) the demographic characteristics of the school principals and superintendents involved in the removal of a school principal within the state of Florida; (b) the relationship between the problems a principal encountered and the Florida Principal Leadership Standards; (c) the Florida Principal Leadership Standards that were most often cited and rated most important by school superintendents when determining reasons to remove a school principal within Florida; (d) principal’s years of experience as a predictor of principal competence; (e) sources of information that were most important in providing awareness of principal problems; (f) interventions, if any, that were provided to principals to assist them in improving prior to the decision to remove them; and (g) principal career outcomes that were most to likely occur following a superintendent’s decision to remove a school principal. Utilizing a previously researched survey, the 67 Florida public school superintendents were asked to prioritize the Florida Principal Leadership Standards related to the removal of a single principal from the position and provide pertinent demographic information related to this individual. The following principal leadership standards were most commonly identified as important to the decision to remove a school principal: (a) human resource management, (b) decision making strategies, (c) iv instructional leadership, (d) managing the learning environment, and (e) community and stakeholder partnerships.

No description available.

No description available.

The four frames of leadership orientation outlined by Bolman and Deal (1990) included the structural, human resource, political, and symbolic leadership styles and comprised the theoretical basis for this study. In March 2001, the survey instrument, Leadership Orientations (Self) was mailed to 431 elementary principals in a 15 county region of Florida public schools. Two mailings yielded a return of249 (59.7%) useable surveys from which principals' self-ratings on leader behaviors, leadership styles, and overall effectiveness in leadership and management were examined. This study sought to develop a profile of elementary school principals and to determine the differences in their use of the four leadership orientations. Frame usage was also examined based on the selected school environmental and professional variables of school size, student socioeconomic status, parent volunteer hours, PTA membership, and principal experience. Frame analysis of the principals' self-ratings led to the following findings: (a) the human resource frame was the predominant frame used by the principals; (b) the structural frame was the second most frequently used frame; (c) the political and symbolic frames were less frequently used by principals; and (d) the use of multiple frames was reported by 60.0% of the principals. Frame use did not significantly differ based on school size, student SES, or parent volunteer hours. Principals at schools with very large PTA memberships (over 75%) used the political frame significantly more frequently than did principals at schools with small PTA memberships (less than 25%). Differences in frame use emerged in relation to principal experience, however. Principals with 8-11 years experience used multiple frames more frequently than did their counterparts with 0-3 years experience. Principals with 0 3 years experience used the structural frame more frequently than did their counterparts with 12-15 years experience. Finally, elementary principals rated themselves equally effective in overall leadership and management when compared to other principals with similar experience.

The purpose of this study was to measure the extent to which educators in Florida public high schools perceived the Florida Media Literacy Standard to be implemented within their schools. This study also identified strategies that school leaders were using to successfully implement the Florida Media Literacy Standard and any perceived barriers to the implementation process. The Florida Media Literacy Standard was designed to address decision-making and critical thinking skills with regards to research, evaluation, and communication with various types of media. The standard was introduced in Florida public schools in 2007 with its inclusion in the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards. High school principals and Language Arts Curriculum Leaders (LACLs) in the English/ Language Arts area were participants in this research because of their role in determining curriculum goals in Florida public schools. The Media Literacy Standard Questionnaire was sent to the principal and the department head of the English department in each participating school district. The results of this study suggested that those high school principals and LACLs that completed the Media Literacy Standard Questionnaire perceived the Florida Media Literacy Standard to be implemented in their schools. Over 80% of principals and LACLs reported ―strongly agree‖ or ―agree‖ with statements that reflected active implementation processes in school classrooms. Principals and LACLS reported use of the school Media Specialist, attendance at iv professional development and learning sessions, and making use of Professional Learning Communities as valuable strategies toward implementing the Florida Media Literacy Standard. Time and access to technology were two of the most commonly cited perceived barriers to the implementation process. Principals and LACLs both reported limited Media Center access for teachers due to standardized testing practices in Florida public high schools. Although many principals and LACLs reported that they perceived the Florida Media Literacy Standard to be implemented in their schools, the low response rate of 24.18% and conflicting data with regards to perceived barriers raise questions about the extent to which the results of this study can be generalized to the population of Florida public high schools. Further research is recommended to clarify the conflicting responses related to perceived barriers to implementation such as interviewing participants.