<p>The Increased Flexibility for Local School Systems Act (O.C.G.A. &sect;&sect; 20-2-80-84) compels traditional Georgia public school leadership to make a choice whether to operate under a vertical hierarchical operational system compelled to adhere to all Georgia laws, rules and regulations created by state level policy makers or to increase the level of accountability in exchange for autonomy in the form of a horizontal partnership operational system as a contract or charter system. It will be important for education policymakers in these systems to have a clear understanding of the essential elements of the transition process to guide their decisions to best meet the needs of the students. </p><p> The researcher employed a three-round Delphi study to describe the elements that were part of the process of transitioning to a charter system or an IE² contract system. The researcher gathered data from a panel of 11 experts, who were directly involved in their school system's transition. The data analysis revealed 89 elements that were rated by at least 80% of the panelists, as important or essential to the transition process. </p>

Sustainable school reform efforts are needed to move schools closer toward the ideals of equity, justice and success for every student. The success or failure of a school and its students often hinges on the effectiveness of leadership. Research reveals that transformational school leaders become effective change agents by developing a shared vision for the school, building consensus around key priorities, holding high expectations, providing support, modeling appropriate values and building collaborative cultures and shared leadership. The purpose of this study is to examine the predictive relationship between the emotional and social competence and transformational leadership behaviors of school principals. / Principals participating in the study completed the five transformational subscales of the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ5x) and the Emotional and Social Competency Inventory (ESCI), while their superintendents completed the rater versions of the MLQ and ESCI. The relationship between the transformational scales on the MLQ and scores from the ESCI were calculated using Spearman's rho coefficients. A Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test was calculated to determine the significance of difference between the self-assessment and other-rater assessment of transformational leader behaviors and social and emotional competency. A multiple regression analysis was conducted to assess the predictive relationship between the dispositional skills and transformational leadership behaviors of the school principal.

This research project explored the relationship between principals' perceived leadership styles (transformational and/or transactional), teacher efficacy, and student achievement. The relationship was measured by the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire, Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale, and school-level value-added scores. Twenty-four principals and three hundred twenty-seven teachers responded to the surveys. Findings indicated factors of transformational and transactional leadership styles to have significant correlations with teacher efficacy and student achievement.

The object of this study was to investigate transformational leadership in Christian schools. The study investigated the perception of empowerment of K-12 Christian school teachers and its influence on organizational and professional commitment and job satisfaction. It explored correlations between teacher empowerment and selected demographic variables. The study also investigated how K-12 Christian school leaders and teachers perceive teacher empowerment. A combination of causal comparative and a correlational research method using a series of t-test, ANOVA, and multiple regression statistics was used for parametric statistical analyses. The research findings were mixed. While the study pointed to the prevalence of teacher empowerment in K-12 Christian schools, teachers did not feel empowered in certain dimensions or subscales of teacher empowerment.

Since traditional principal preparation programs were scrutinized for inadequately training 21st century principals, alternative principal programs were designed to prepare principals to improve the US educational system and student achievement. One particular innovative program, the Daly Leadership Program, was collaboratively developed between the Pintler School District and the Intrepid University. The Daly Leadership Program was not only designed to balance leadership theory and practice, but also to produce transformative leaders capable of to navigating a moral dimension and promoting second order change. / The purpose of this study was to investigate the leadership style of graduates from the Daly Leadership Program that were employed by the Pintler School District. First, it was determined if the program graduates identified themselves as transformative leaders or leaders who have the capacity to make second-order changes. Then it was determined if program graduates serving as school principals were perceived as transformative by the teachers on their staff. The leadership style of graduates was measured using the Multi-factor Leadership Questionnaire created by Bass & Avolio to define leadership behaviors on a Full Range Leadership continuum from Laissez-Faire to Transactional to Transformational. / The results revealed that Daly graduates perceived themselves to be transformative leaders at a higher rate than the national norms. Teachers who worked with program principals perceived their principals as transformative as well. However, principals perceived themselves more transformative than their teachers perceived them to be in the areas of intellectual stimulation (encourages innovative thinking), individual consideration (coaches people), and contingent reward (rewards achievement). In fact, teachers perceived their principals lower than national norms in these three factors, but higher than national norms for inspirational motivation (inspires others) and idealized influence (builds trust and acts with integrity). / This study indicated that there was alignment between the goals of the program and the perceived leadership style of graduates. It also indicated that the context of formal leadership roles might impact the perceptions of principals and teachers regarding leadership style.

This study investigated the relationship between two elementary building administrators and their teaching faculty with regard to leadership styles of the principal. Leadership analysis determined that one principal had a transformational leadership and one principal who had a transactional leadership style. / A survey assessed the perceptions of elementary teachers regarding each school's climate, and their own empowerment resulting in teacher efficacy. Results were not congruent with the review of literature. / The school led by the transactional principal underwent an intervention for a twelve-week period during which changes were made based on the data from the pre-tests administered. These interventions reflected a more transformational leadership approach. The results of a second administration of surveys after interventions by the principal showed limited results in improving teacher efficacy and school climate. The researcher also gained insights as to future studies and implications for practice such as replication of the study using a longer intervention period and a larger sample within one school or more schools in the study.

Utilization-focused evaluation of a STEM enrichment program

A Study of Primary Teachers Participating in Professional Learning Communities with a Focus on Brain Compatible Classrooms

<p> Principals have tremendous influence on the schools they lead (Bamburg &amp; Andrews, 1990; Marzano et al., 2005). Certain leadership behaviors impact school level factors (Cotton, 2003; Hallinger &amp; Heck, 2010; Leithwood, Begley, &amp; Cousins, 1990; Marzano et al., 2005; Orr, 2003). To affect high levels of student achievement, school principals must be responsible for uniting diverse groups under shared purposes with purposeful emphasis on others rather than on self (Cotton, 2003; Hallinger &amp; Heck, 2010; Leithwood, Begley, &amp; Cousins, 1990; Marzano et al., 2005; Orr, 2003). Effective programs in educational leadership preparation include cohort-modeled groupings, among other features (Davis et al., 2005). Because cohorts are a feature of effective programs, yet few aspiring school leaders are prepared through cohort-based programs (Browne-Ferrigno &amp; Muth, 2009), a concern regarding a problem of practice is raised. </p><p> The purpose of this study was to explore how aspirant school leaders experience the acquisition of leadership practices within their educational leadership preparation program and to contribute to the empirical understanding of how to best prepare school leaders for successful practice. This study was designed to examine: How do school leaders make meaning of their experience in a principal preparation program? In what ways do their experiences support the development of communitarian leadership? </p><p> The sample included nineteen school leaders who were alumni of a university-based educational leadership preparation program. Participants were interviewed using a basic interview protocol that followed the semi-structured approach for interview technique outlined by Moustakas (1994). The data analysis was carried out in the stepwise manner, using Atlas.ti 7.0 to code and group significant statements from the interview texts and using a basic memoing process to address any concerns of subjectivity. </p><p> Leaders who experienced preparation activities, including activities that gave them practice leading diverse individuals to shared outcomes articulated how preparation influenced the development of communitarian leadership skill, including relationship-building, communication, and values-identification. Communitarian leadership, which includes leadership actions linked to improved school-level outcomes (Marzano et al., 2005), may have utility as a framework for developing aspiring principals through formal preparation programs.</p>

<p> The knowledge that school principals acquire on the subject of leadership skills will provide them with a solid foundation for leading schools towards the success of their students, be it academic or social. The aim of this qualitative research, designed as a case study, was to determine how well prepared a school's principal is in leadership practices and in the competencies that are promoted by Emotional Intelligence to deal with the situations that take place in schools. During the investigative process the strategies that a principal uses to handle difficult situations were identified, as well as the insight that a principal has as a leader, the knowledge and mastery of leadership theories shown, and the understanding of Emotional Intelligence competencies. The data collection sources were interviews, reflexive diaries, and document reviews, which were used with the study sample. This sample was comprised of five principals of various school levels in the central area of the Island.</p><p> The findings indicate that most of the principals who participated in this study do not have a strong foundation in leadership skills and/or leadership competencies. The findings suggest coordination between the Puerto Rico Department of Education of (PRDE) and universities with the purpose of having masters programs that offer courses that strengthen the teaching of the diverse theories of leadership styles and that offer emotional intelligence courses aimed at educational environments, in a way that enables principals to be proficient in these skills and competencies when they assume their duties. Likewise, the findings recommend that PRDE continues to reinforce this foundation through professional workshops that will build upon the knowledge acquired; this will result in school principals that are well prepared in leadership skills and emotional intelligence competencies that will enable them to work effectively with the entire school community.</p>