This study examined principals' and teachers' perceptions regarding both the importance of certain leadership skills and the ratings of principals' actual skills. There are strong theoretical bases for the use of principals' and teachers' perceptions in this study. The analysis of perceptions of leadership skills can lead to: (1) an increased awareness of principals' strengths and weaknesses; (2) greater communication between principals and teachers; and, (3) hopefully, increased productivity on the part of principals and teachers. The population for this study included a group of twenty-eight principals who participated in the Confederation of Oregon School Administrators Assessment Center, and teachers in those principals' schools. These principals represented the total number of Assessment Center participants who were promoted to their positions subsequent to their participation in the Center. Assessment Center predictions ratings of these principals' skills were compared to teachers' ratings of the same principals' skills. Research questions sought information in the following areas: (1) principals' perceptions of their own skills; (2) principals' perceptions of the importance of given skills; (3) principals' predictions of teachers' ratings of the importance of skills; (4) principals' predictions of teachers' ratings of principals' actual skills; (5) teachers' perceptions of principals' skills; (6) teachers' perceptions of the importance of given skills; and, (7) Assessment Center predictions ratings of principals' skills. The methodology for this study combined survey research with information provided by the COSA Assessment Center. Mailed surveys were used to collect data regarding principals' and teachers' perceptions of leadership skills. The results of this study suggested that there is a general agreement between principals and teachers regarding principals' leadership skills. Additionally, the predictions made regarding principals' skills by the Assessment Center accurately reflected teachers' perceptions of the same principals' skills in the field. The area of greatest difference in this study was in principals' perceptions of teachers' ratings. Principals generally predicted that teachers would rate the importance of skills lower than teachers actually rated them. Because teachers' perceptions of principals' skills are generally accurate, it can be concluded that teachers' ratings of their principals can play an important role in the total process of principals' evaluations.

This is a qualitative study which investigates the attitudes of school principals towards school guidance in the historically disadvantaged secondary schools in the township of Madadeni. The sample consists of five secondary school principals recruited from Madadeni schools. Structured interviews were used to collect data. A set of questions were drawn up by the researcher and aimed at collecting such information as the opinions of the principals on the importance of school guidance, what school guidance should provide, adherence to school guidance periods, the role of a guidance teacher, and the expected position of school guidance in the Curriculum 2005. The results indicated that although the school principals see the need for school guidance in secondary school, there seem to be problems emanating from lack of resources and insufficient personnel. There were also indications that school guidance will have an important role in the Curriculum 2005 in the form of Life Orientation learning area. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1999.

The purpose of this study was to develop a valid and reliable instrument to assess elementary school principals' in the reading program. The findings confirm that the Cramer Inventory of Principal Involvement in Reading is such an instrument.A review of the literature yielded a list of 93 behaviors principals exhibit while working with the school reading program. A questionnaire consisting of these behaviors was mailed to 199 elementary school administrators in the United States Department of Defense Dependents Schools in West Germany (DoDDS-G). The administrators were asked to indicate the level of implementation of each of the 93 behaviors. Of the 199 questionnaires mailed, 147 were returned (73.8 percent). The 30 behaviors which best correlated with the total test were retained for the final instrument, the Cramer Inventory of Principal Involvement in Reading. This instrument was mailed to the principals and fourth-grade teachers of 15 randomly-selected DoDDS-G schools. Of the 15 principal questionnaires mailed, 10 were returned (66.6 percent). Of the 34 teacher questionnaires, 16 were returned (40.7 percent). A pairwise comparison of the 7 principal responses and the corresponding 13 teacher responses from their schools indicated significant differences in the two groups' perceptions of the role of the elementary school principal in the reading program.The following conclusions were supported by the findings of this study: (1) Principals' involvement in the elementary school reading program involves interacting with three populations: students, parents, and teachers. While interacting with these three populations, the principal supervises the curriculum and the instructional practices, sets and maintains high expectations, establishes a positive school climate, and monitors and assesses student performance. (2) Of the three populations--students, teachers, and parents-elementary school administrators perceive themselves as most involved with teachers in the school reading program. Involvement with parents is rated below involvement with teachers but above involvement with students. (3) Elementary school principals perceive their involvement in the reading program as greater than the teachers' perception of that involvement. (4) Elementary school principals rate their involvement in the school reading program lower when they are aware that their ratings will be compared to the ratings of teachers in their schools. / Department of Elementary Education

School leaders are charged with responding to the challenges presented by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the education of students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment. The idea of least restrictive environment moves schools from educating students with disabilities in special education to regular education classrooms, from special education schools to neighborhood schools. Providing inclusive settings poses many obstacles and challenges to school based administrators and in their capacity school leaders can either alleviate or generate barriers for the process; they can inhibit or inspire school personnel to accept the inclusion of students with disabilities in the general education classroom. Furthermore, their attitudes are critical in the design and implementation of programs and practices in their schools. Principals' attitudes can either promote or discourage the inclusion practices in their schools. The purpose of this study was to examine the factors related to school based administrators' attitudes toward inclusive education and the relationship of these attitudes on the placement of students with disabilities. The Principals and Inclusion Survey (PIS) developed by Praisner (2000) was used to collect data from 175 school based principals in a large urban district in the southeastern part of the United States. The results of the study indicate a relationship does exist between principal's attitude toward inclusion and decisions pertaining to student placement. The study also found that those principals with positive experiences with students with disabilities also demonstrated beliefs of serving students with disabilities in less restrictive settings than those principals with negative experiences with students with disabilities.

This case study determined whether there was a difference in perceptions among principals from different quality schools about the influence desegregation, supplemental financial assistance, magnet thematic activities, and increased educational opportunities had on quality in education. Since there was no significant difference in perceptions, this study also examined how the factors influenced the principals' beliefs about educational quality. Two hundred fifty-five elementary and secondary principals from four different types of organizational structures in ten states participated in the study. The participating principals responded to the Survey of principals' Attitudes Regarding Education (SPARE) which constituted the data for this investigation. The degree of achievement, student dropout, violence, and racial balance were used to determine school quality and constituted the dependent variables. Principals' perceptions about desegregation, thematic activities, supplemental financial assistance, and increased educational opportunities constituted the independent variables. The findings of this study revealed the following conclusions: (1) There was no significant difference among principals from lower, average, and higher quality schools regarding their perceptions about the influence finance, desegregation, thematic activities, and educational opportunities had on the quality of education in a school. (2) Principals believed three of the four factors including desegregation, finance, and increased educational opportunities were necessary for a school to offer quality education. (3) Principals perceived student achievement could be increased without additional financial resources; however, educational quality could not be attained without additional funds for desegregation-related services and for programs designed to improve educational opportunities for students. Based upon information obtained from the survey instruments, principals believed a quality instructional program required a curriculum with special activities designed to improve student knowledge while increasing educational opportunities for a racially diverse student body. They believed schools should be given more funds for more specialized activities. Although magnet school thematic activities accomplished the same purpose, their costs were too high for most boards of education to finance. Regular school activities would be as effective as magnet school thematic activities with similar supplementary financial resources. / Ed. D.

No description available.

No description available.

This study looked at possible relationships which exist between three personal characteristics variables believed to be associated with effective leadership in elementary schools. The three variables were (1) Principal Vision, (2) Principal Interpersonal Orientation and, (3) Principal Personal Values. The relationship between selected teacher, principal and school demographic variables and teacher's perceptions of their principal's vision was also explored. Data were collected from 51 principals and 841 teachers in elementary schools from 10 school districts in the Portland, Salem and Vancouver metropolitan areas. Teachers were asked to score their perceptions of their principal's vision on the School Vision Inventory. The principal was also asked to complete the Mach V interpersonal orientation scale, the Profile of Life Values and, his/her predictions of teachers responses on the School Vision Inventory. Data were analyzed by using one or more of the following statistical tests: MANOVA; ANOVA; Chi-square; and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. The major conclusions are: (1) principals perceived teachers to be less positive than they in fact were in their perceptions of the principal's ability to encourage others to make personal sacrifices to accomplish the principal's vision; (2) male teachers perceive that their principals include them more in the vision building process than do female teachers; (3) teachers younger than 26 were less positive in their perceptions of their principal's Internalization and tended to be less positive on other scales; (4) principals communicate their vision more effectively with those teachers who are in their first year with their current principal than any other group for vision exchange, sacrifice and total vision; (5) school and principal demographics have little impact on teacher perceptions of principal vision; (6) principals value being sensitive to the needs of others more than any of the other personal values and they value artistic expression the least; (7) with the exception of the Artistic values, male and female principals are relatively similar in their personal values; (8) principal vision and personal values are moderately related; and (9) the relationship of interpersonal orientation of the principal to teacher perceptions of principal vision is not statistically significant.

In March, 2006 the Principal's Attitudes Toward the Knowledge, Value, and Application of Learning Styles with Students in Therapeutic Settings survey developed by the author was distributed to 120 principals belonging to the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs. Two mailings yielded a return of 68 (56.6%) usable survey instruments from which principals' self-reporting on knowledge, value and application of learning styles was examined. Focus for this study was provided through three research questions: (a) to determine to what extent principals in therapeutic settings self-reported general knowledge of learning style applications, (b) to determine to what extent principals exhibit positive attitudes toward the use of learning style theory- supported instructional methods and materials, and (c) to determine to what extent principals in therapeutic settings support the application of learning style theory. All administrators reported general knowledge of learning style theories, three basic learning styles, and matching teaching strategies with learning styles. All administrators believed that students do exhibit different learning styles, learning styles have a place in education, and teachers should receive learning style training. They also expressed the belief that learning styles impact student learning, matching teaching strategies to learning styles was important for academic success, a learning style inventory was necessary, and matching mental health disorders to learning styles was important for academic achievement. The most documented change due to learning style-based instruction was evidenced by test scores and earned grades. All administrators wanted to learn more about learning styles. Almost 90% of administrators indicated that they were providing learning style training. Almost 100% (95.6%) reported they observed improvement on academic achievement due to learning style-based instruction.

This descriptive study was undertaken for the purpose of identifying the problems, benefits, and recommendations for improving secondary substitute teaching as perceived by administrators, regular teachers, substitute teachers, and students. Participants in the study included the total populations of administrators, regular teachers, substitute teachers, and students of the four secondary schools in a southwestern school district. The objectives of the study were to identify the perceptions of these groups regarding their views of the problems and benefits associated with substitute teaching and their recommendations for the improvement of substitute teaching in their school district. A two-questionnaire modified Delphi Technique was developed and used to gather the data. The Delphi I questionnaire was open-ended and asked the participants to list five problem areas; five benefits; and five recommendations for improving substitute teaching. Items for the Delphi II questionnaire were developed from the responses gathered on the first questionnaire. The population surveyed consisted of 15 administrators, 293 regular teachers, 93 substitute teachers, and 6,401 students. The participants were asked to respond on a five point Likert-type scale as to the degree of agreement or disagreement with the 27 items identified as problems; the 23 items identified as benefits; and the 25 items identified as recommendations for improvement. The data from the Delphi II questionnaire was analyzed and the means, standard deviations, and modes were determined. An analysis of variance was computed to determine differences among groups. This study is unique in that it is the first study to determine that there are perceived benefits associated with substitute teaching. It is also unique in that it surveys all four groups that are directly involved in the substitute process. The findings of this study validate the previous research in terms of the identified problems and the recommendations suggested. The fact that all groups agreed that there were numerous benefits associated with substitute teaching gives rise to the suggestion that maybe substitute teaching is more than just a babysitting service. It is recommended that, to improve substitute teaching, all four groups must realize that they are both responsible for the existing problems, and the potential solutions as well.