ABSTRACT The major purpose of the study is to explore the viewpoints about the issues related to the placement of elementary and junior high school principals in Taiwan. The issues include the advantages or defects of the principal placement system, the formation of the principal placement committee, the implementation of the principal placement action, the qualifications and the criterion of the principal placement, and the arrangement of those who fail to be principals to become teachers again. The study, based on the literature review, designed a questionnaire about these issues related to the placement of elementary and junior high school principals in Taiwan. The objects of questionnaire survey include administrators of educational department, members of education committee in the councils, principals, managers, teachers and parents of elementary and junior high schools, which are randomly selected in eight cities. There are a total of 645 respondents. According to results of the study, some suggestions are made for education administration and future studies.

This research represents a highly personalized account of the complexities, interpretations, and reflections of a principal in transition from one elementary school to another elementary school in the same district. Using myself as the subject and the researcher in the social context of an elementary school provided the impetus for this self-study. Through an insider's vantage point, I have chronicled and traced the experiences of my own administrative transition using the qualitative methodology of autoethnography. This genre of qualitative research brings the reader closer to the subculture studied through the experiences of the author. While every campus and district has its own unique culture and environment, the introspection and evaluation provided by the methodology of autoethnography greatly facilitates an understanding of the processes of transition. The experiences I have encountered, the problems I face, and the interpretations derived from them will strengthen my own practice as a public school administrator and provide insight into the ever-changing administrative position called the principalship. Data gathering consisted of a reflexive journal, my personal calendar, faculty agendas, staff memos, and reflective analysis. At the completion of the school year common strands, key attributes, and coding of the data served to provide retrospective insights. These research tools were used to capture the experiences of my administrative transition. The results of this study were expressed in a personal narrative that comprises Chapters IV through VI. Chapters I through III present a traditional dissertation model that includes the introduction, review of literature, and research methodology. Chapter VII offers recommendations, a discussion of the findings and concluding remarks.

Thesis advisor: Diana Pullin / Within the education field evaluation exists on many levels. In a school district it is routine to find superintendents evaluating principals, principals evaluating teachers, teachers evaluating student work and parents evaluating all aspects of the school community. The purpose of this study was to investigate the manner in which public school superintendents perceived that they evaluated principal performance. The eight participants in the study were Massachusetts public school superintendents. The superintendents originated from districts located in eastern Massachusetts. Participants were interviewed about their principal evaluation activities and asked to provide documents relevant to the ways in which they evaluated principals. This study was specifically focused on three research questions. The first question dealt with the types of criteria and evidence a superintendent considered when evaluating a principal. The second question dealt with the processes and practices a superintendent employed to determine the degree to which a principal met the aforementioned criteria. The final question dealt with the level of consistency between principal evaluation practices advocated in the literature and the actual practice of evaluating principals as conducted by this study’s participants. The findings of this study indicated that principal evaluation is an incredibly complex endeavor. The study also identified several areas in which the principal evaluation can be strengthened in order to enhance principal leadership. The identified areas included the articulation of principal evaluation activities that are more cognizant of the local school environment, the need to better assist beginner superintendents as the evaluate principals and the need to provide superintendents with more time to thoroughly evaluate principal performance. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2009. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Administration and Higher Education.

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.

Each year, as more school principals retire, other leaders take their place--many of them becoming principals for the first time. While this change in leadership can be disconcerting to the students, parents, teachers, and other staff members, it is most taxing for the new principal, who is immediately inundated with the various demands on his or her time. In order for the new principal to navigate these challenges effectively, it is important that he or she is ready and equipped for this transition and prepared to participate successfully in the day-to-day interactions with others. Using ethnographic qualitative methodology, this study sought to examine the first-year principal's interactions with parents and staff members. Telling the stories of two first-year principals, the study explored the issues and challenges faced by these principals as they interacted with the various institutional stakeholders. In its treatment of interpersonal interactions, the study assembled a broad archive, including oral accounts, interviews, personal journals, calendars, and emails. The data were then examined through Bolman and Deal's (2008) "frame" theory, which was offered as a comprehensive approach for looking at organizations from more than one theoretical perspective. Viewing the data through the structural, human, political, and symbolic frames provides a more in-depth examination of the principals' various interactions with parents and staff members during their first year as principal. Dissecting a first-year principal's interactions in the setting of a school, this research extends Bolman and Deal's four-frame theory (2008) by analyzing three types of principal/stakeholder interactions through each of the four frames. A problem-solving interactions protocol and a set of guiding questions are offered to assist new leaders as they prepare for various interactions of each type. / text

A number of significant changes have occurred in our public schools in recent years. These changes include shifting federal program priorities, adoption of state curriculum standards, and the implementation of site-based decision-making. These changes come at a time when schools are experiencing significant changes in the ethnic and socioeconomic composition of their student body and when many families are struggling to meet challenges arising from poverty or job requirements. Attention has been given to the impact these changes are having on teachers, parents, and students. Little attention has been given, however, to the impact these changes are having on principals. The purpose of this study was to increase understanding of a principal's worklife in an achieving urban elementary school with a large number of at-risk students. The study examined one principal's methods of dealing with everyday problems associated with leading in a school that serves children of color and 98% of the students meet low-income criteria (i.e., they qualify for free or reduced-price lunch). Over the past five years, second grade students showed increases in reading beyond those achieved by minority students in the school division. Attendance rates over the past five years show improvement. Interviews, observations, and the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (Bass & Avolio, 1995) were used to collect data. From these data, a case study was written. The report of case study findings describes the worklife of the principal, school characteristics, and school outcomes. Conclusions drawn from the case study indicate that the worklife of the principal has similarities to the worklife of other elementary principals. However, due to school characteristics and external factors elementary principals serving in urban schools with a large number of at-risk students can expect an escalated level of intensity and demand on a daily basis. Findings of this study have relevance for urban elementary school principals desiring to increase achievement. Further, findings suggest that urban elementary schools serving a large number of at-risk students can achieve successful outcomes. / Ed. D.

The study aims to explore relevant issues concerning educational personnel¡¦s and students¡¦ parents¡¦ attitudes towards the elementary school principal evaluation in Kaohsiung County and to provide a basis for municipal administrators to conduct the principal evaluation in the future. Applying the method of ¡§literature analysis¡¨, both domestic and international studies on the evaluation of the principals were collected and analyzed. These studies included the role and ability of the principal, profession characteristics and pressure, the definition, criteria and purpose of the principal evaluation, and the implementation of principal evaluation in America and Britain. Based on the literature review, a questionnaire was designed to look into the viewpoints of the educational personnel and students¡¦ parents in Kaohsiung County. The questionnaire was distributed to 858 related subjects, including administrative staff, teachers, and students¡¦ parents in 51 elementary schools which were randomly selected. The response rate was 88% (757 specimens).Based on findings of this study, conclusions are drawn as follow: 1. School administrative staff, teachers, and students¡¦ parents all approved of the criteria of the principal evaluation and they placed great value on the aspect of fund management. 2. Senior school administrative staff and teachers had more positive attitudes towards the criteria of the principal evaluation. 3. Female and male parents had significantly different viewpoints on the aspect of the teaching leadership of the evaluation criteria. Females agreed with it more than males. 4. School administrative staff, teachers, and students¡¦ parents all approved of both the internal and external evaluators and they especially thought highly of the representatives of school teachers. 5. School administrative staff and teachers of different backgrounds had significantly different views about the representative evaluators from the Teachers¡¦ Association. 6. School administrative staff, teachers, and students¡¦ parents had a tendency to approve of applying both the quantitative and qualitative analyses to report the results of the principal evaluation. 7. Concerning the principal evaluation reports, school administrative staff, teachers, and students¡¦ parents had a tendency to approve of informing the principal individually instead of in public. 8. Concerning the implementation of the evaluation results, school administrative staff, teachers and students¡¦ parents had a tendency to approve that it would provide the reference for the principal to improve his/her practice and professional growth. 9. School administrative staff, teachers, and students¡¦ parents all thought that cooperating with academic institutes and providing opportunities for principal¡¦s further study to improve his/her professional growth was the most important relevant step of the principal evaluation. 10. School administrative staff, teachers, and students¡¦ parents agreed that having interviews with school teachers was the most important means of the principal evaluation. Based on findings of this study, recommendations are made for the municipal administrators, elementary school principals and further studies.

The purpose of this research was to construct the indicators of elementary school principal evaluation by the Delphi technique. The research goals were: (1)Discussing the domestic and foreign correlation theories and the studies of principals'evaluation, to be the reference of establishin- gquestionnaire of this research. (2)Construct evaluation items that were suitable for principals'evaluat ion in Kaohsiung. (3)By Delphi technique, the questionnaire survey through the whole city principals established the appropriate evaluation indicators and dimentions. (4)This research proposed the concrete suggestions, providing refere- nces for the educational administration institute¡C This research implemented two times of Delphi questionnaire survey and a whole city elementary school principals' general survey. The first questionnaire based on the literature discussion, collecting the entire domestic and foreign studies and evaluation indicators of various counties that had implemented principals' evaluation. The content of the questionnaire divided into five dimentions, 14 evalua- tion items and 35 evaluation indicators. After consulting with Delphi committee members, the revision showed 6 dimentions, 15 evaluation items and 55 evaluation indicators, developping for the second edition questionnaire. After two times of Delphi committee mem bers' survey, the third revision developped 5 dimentions, 14 evaluation items and 42 evaluation indicators. Survey to elementary school incumbent princip- als sent out 85 questionnaires, recycled 82 questionnaires, and the returns-ratio was 96.47%. Based on analysis of the data obtained, conclusions of the study were as follows 1.Construct evaluation indicators that suitable for principals'evaluation in Kaohsiung.¡G5dimentions (A, policy execution; B, administration management; C, curriculum and teaching leadership; D, professional re sponsibility; E, public relation), 14evaluation items and 40 evaluation indicators 2.¡§A, policy execution¡¨devided into 2 evaluation items and 5 evalu- ation indicators. 3.¡§B, administration management¡¨devided into 4 evaluation items and 12 evaluation indicators. 4.¡§C, curriculum and the teaching leadership¡¨ devided into 3 evalu- ation items and 10 evaluation indicators. 5.¡§D, professional responsibility¡¨ devided into 2 evaluation items and 5 evaluation indicators. 6.¡§E, public relation¡¨devided into 3 evaluation items and 8 evalua- tion indicators. 7.The principals in Kaohsiung. expressed the general acceptance to this research . Based on the conclusions, this research proposed suggestions: First, suggestions to educational administration institute. 1.Using evaluation indicators constructed by this research to underst- and systematically the achievements of the principals. 2.Hold the public hearings and the explanation meetings, in order to improve the understanding of principal evaluation. 3.Training evaluation experts to guarantee the value of principal evaluation. Second, suggestions to elementary school principals. 1.Principal evaluation is the current educational trend, everybody should embrace the enthusiastic manner. 2.Based on evaluation indicators, the principals should regularly or non-periodically comments conduct self-evaluation. 3.Paying much attention on communication and the public relation, the principals should establish good interaction with the colleague, the students and the community. Third, suggestions to future studies. 1.The following research may simultaneously survey in weight of evaluation dimentions, items and indicators. 2.May coordinate between principal and the school background to construct the common and different evaluation indicators

In their various works, researchers, writers, and scholars regularly discuss the public school building level principal. The principal’s role and the tasks performed by the principal are generally recognized as valuable to the educational community. For the most part, the general public has little idea of what the principal’s role entails. Building level principals complete training for the principalship, but their readiness for the principalship is debatable. There is little literature that discusses the first-year principal; the principalship of small, rural schools; and the principalship as experienced by a first-year principal. This study identified what the first-year principal of a rural school encountered during his first year. The study documented events that included school stakeholders such as community members, board members, teachers, students, and central office personnel. The documented events are presented chronologically, beginning with appointment to the principalship and concluding with the final week of the first school year. Events included school finance, student discipline, and curriculum. The research was conducted as an autoethnography, which allowed documentation of the events of the first-year principal from a first-hand perspective. The intricate details provided insight to the first year of administrative duties. Findings determined that the principal’s readiness for assuming the principal’s role had little to do with prior educational training, but more to do with personal qualities and prior job experiences as a coach, teacher, and assistant principal. Discussion and recommendations include the need for preparation programs for rural administrators to recognize they cannot prepare administrators for all decisions they will make, but can prepare them to be decision-makers and leaders. Many duties of this first-year principal were learned on-the-job, including financial matters concerning the handling of school funds, the relationship with the school secretary, and the handling of athletic events.

The success of gifted learners and gifted programs in public schools depends upon principals who are well versed in the needs of gifted learners (Gallagher and Gallagher, 1994). Principal leadership in setting direction, developing people, and redesigning the organization influences teaching and student achievement in schools (Leithwood et al., 2004). Research indicated limited knowledge of the unique social-emotional and academic needs of the gifted learner contributing to underachievement and underrepresentation in gifted education (Lewis, et al., 2007; Reis and McCoach, 2000; Rimm, 2008; Siegle and McCoach 2003). The purpose of this Delphi study was to identify principal leadership practices that are effective in supporting gifted learners and gifted programs. Empirical data collection included three Delphi rounds, one open and two-structured principal leadership practices surveys, one included individual and panel ratings. Supervisors of gifted, principals, and university professors represented multiple regions across the Commonwealth of Virginia on the Delphi panel. By consensus, the Delphi panel identified 10 highly effective principal leadership practices, eight to support gifted learners and two for gifted programs. The highly effective principal leadership practices addressed social-emotional, curriculum, teacher differentiation, scheduling for staff collaboration, peer grouping, and selecting gifted cluster teachers. Implications for practice included teacher reluctance to differentiate, targeted professional development for principals and teachers of gifted students, professional learning community for teachers to analyze practices, and district and school opportunities in hiring, acceleration, and compacting curriculum (Urlik, 2017; Weber et al. 2003). Future research recommended studying implementation and impact of the 10 highly effective principal leadership practices in this study, gifted programs, and professional development in gifted education and principal and teacher preparation programs. / Doctor of Education / The purpose of this study was to identify principal leadership strategies that experts in the field of education thought were effective in supporting gifted learners and gifted programs. The experts included: school principals, supervisors of gifted programs, and university professors from three regions in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The experts in the study were from: Northern Virginia, Central Virginia, and the Tidewater Region. All the experts had knowledge and experience working with gifted students and gifted programs. Essentially, it is important for school principals to provide instructional support to all groups of students which should include gifted learners (Gallagher and Gallagher, 1994). The research technique involved the Delphi Method which used three rounds of questionnaires to receive input from the panel of experts. Yousef (2007) determined that the Delphi Method provided an opportunity for a panel of experts to handle a complex problem without being in the same location. By consensus, the expert panel identified 10 highly effective principal leadership practices, eight to support gifted learners and two for gifted programs. The eight highly effective leadership practices included practices such as: principals providing feedback to teachers, principals ensuring gifted students get their social emotional needs met, principals modeling a good attitude toward gifted students and avoiding special treatment remembering that gifted students are very sensitive in nature. Additional highly effective principal leadership practices in support of gifted learners were to have principals ensure that teachers provide something different instructionally in the classroom for gifted learners such as being able to move at a faster pace through the curriculum, work independently and or work in small groups if appropriate. The two highly effective principal leadership practices in support of gifted programs determined that principals select teachers of gifted students with the same care as they would regular education and special education teachers. The second highly effective principal leadership practice meant principals should ensure gifted learners are receiving a different curriculum and students’ strengths and areas of growth are the focus.