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The critical role of the principal in school leadership and school improvement, as highlighted in the research and in the plethora of national reports on education, has increased demands for principal accountability. While it is known that principals must handle many varied expectations relative to their job performance and that clear, mutually understood criteria are essential to effective evaluation, there is little evidence that the perceptions of principals and their supervisors relative to the evaluation criteria have been adequately explored. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of principals and their supervisors relative to the importance of criteria used to evaluate principals. Specifically, the study addressed the extent to which area superintendents in a large suburban school system differed in the relative importance they assigned to performance standards used to evaluate elementary versus secondary principals, the differences in relative importance principals and their supervisors (area superintendents) assigned to these standards, and the extent to which principals were able to predict the relative importance their supervisor gave to the various standards. A descriptive survey method was used in this study. The population consisted of 120 elementary principals, 41 secondary principals, and four area superintendents. Respondents were asked to assign 100 points to eight county-adopted performance standards to indicate the relative importance they attached to each. Descriptive statistics (frequencies and means) were used to report results. The major findings relative to the school system studied were: (1) that there was little variation between and among principals’ supervisors in the weights they placed on the various evaluative standards, (2) that supervisors, elementary principals, and secondary principals had similar perceptions of differences in the relative importance of the eight generic performance standards, (3) that principals and their supervisors were closer in their expectations relative to the importance of the evaluative standards than most principals thought they were, and (4) that there were few differences among principals based on any of several demographic variables studied. / Ed. D.

The Commonwealth of Virginia has implemented the Standards of Learning which are designed to ensure that students meet certain benchmarks at various points in their elementary and secondary educational careers. President George W. Busch signed into law the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) which is intended to ensure that all children succeed academically. Each of these mandates incorporates levels of accountability to which school administrators, especially the superintendent, must adhere. Recent studies indicate that the expectations for today's superintendent demand greater accountability and that the current systems, known as the standards movement, undermine the authority of the superintendency (Guthrie, 2003). These factors, according to Guthrie (2003), lead to a shortage in the profession (Guthrie, 2003). Research indicates that the average superintendent's tenure is six to seven years (Natkin, et al., 2002), that there is a national shortage of superintendent applicants (Cooper, et al., 2000), and that the quality of the applicant pool is diminishing (Glass, 2001). This study examines two independent variables, the Standards of Learning (SOL) and the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), to determine the effect these variables have on the tenure of school superintendents in Virginia. The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a relationship between the increased accountability with state and federal mandates, in particular Standards of Learning (SOLs), No Child Left Behind (NCLB), and other influences on superintendent tenure in the Commonwealth of Virginia. A survey instrument was utilized to answer the following questions: (1) What is the relationship, if any, between the Standards of Learning and the superintendent tenure? (2) What is the relationship, if any, between the No Child Left Behind Act and the tenure of the superintendent? (3) What is the relationship, if any, of other influences on the superintendent tenure? The data received from superintendents in Virginia was entered into SPSS and disaggregated by age, gender, race, years of experience as superintendent, number of years as superintendent in current district, enrollment, Adequate Yearly Progress status, and number of schools in respondent's district. The findings of this study revealed that of the superintendents who responded, 95% believe that the SOLs have had a positive impact on education in Virginia. Superintendents indicated that the SOLs are not a factor in their tenure as evidenced by 94% of the superintendents who revealed that they have not considered leaving the profession as a result of the SOLs. This study also revealed that superintendents in Virginia, 71% responding to the survey, believe that NCLB has not had a positive impact on education in Virginia. However, NCLB does not factor into superintendents' decisions to leave the profession or retire. In addition, other influences regarding superintendent tenure were revealed. This study revealed that local politics, evening responsibilities, pressure by the community to meet accreditation standards are not factors that affect superintendent tenure. However, superintendents indicated that interactions with the School Board could have an adverse affect on their tenure in the district as evidenced by 96% of the respondents. / Ed. D.

This study attempts to examine administrative programs and events in the tenure of Superintendent Dr. Larry D. Coble, who served the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School District in North Carolina from 1989-1993. The central focus of this investigation addresses four basic questions. First, were the goals set by the superintendent achieved? Specifically, were his goals of offering new leadership, providing openness in the administration, ensuring quality education for a neglected population, and addressing teachers major concerns achieved? Second, did reorganizing the system (a) enhance decision-making I and (b) improve students' test scores? Third, did the superintendent successfully deal with the controversial issues of (a) site-based management, and (b) tracking. And fourth, was the superintendent's interaction with subordinates effective? / Ed. D.

The purposes of this study were threefold. The first was to describe the policies and procedures currently in place in the Commonwealth of Virginia for evaluating the superintendent in Virginia's school divisions. The second purpose was to examine and compare the evaluation practices reported by the superintendent with those considered "best practices" nationally as developed from a review of the literature. The last purpose of the study was to determine whether Virginia school superintendent evaluation policies and procedures vary according to the selected variables of size and expenditures per pupil of the school division. This descriptive study was designed to describe the policies and procedures currently used in the Commonwealth of Virginia to evaluate public school superintendents. A questionnaire was used to survey the public school superintendents to get their perspective on the evaluation policies and procedures utilized by school boards to evaluate their performance. Data were reported in frequencies and percentages. / Ed. D.

This study describes the strategies that were employed by the Frederick County Public Schools Superintendent and the School Board to maintain instructional programming while assuring continued support for schools by the local governing body during the economic recession of 2007-2009. Despite reductions in state appropriations beginning in 2008 and continuing through 2011, division leaders worked closely with the county Board of Supervisors to support public schools and local governmental services, even as the local economy faltered. While other local governments annually reduced appropriations to schools, effort by the Frederick County School Board and its administrative leadership to foster a positive relationship with the Board of Supervisors led to only one operating fund reduction in fiscal year 2010, as the schools' share of the projected local revenue shortfall. This study describes those actions that promoted and improved trust between the School Board and the Board of Supervisors. This study addresses the following research questions: 1. What political and relationship factors contributed to maintaining level local funding in fiscal year 2010 and beyond by the local Board of Supervisors? 2. What strategies were employed by the School Board and division leadership to reduce operating expenditures and maintain quality education programs for all students? 3. How did State Fiscal Stabilization Funds provided under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act influence decision making for fiscal year 2010? Some of the actions taken by the School Board and the Board of Supervisors may be representative of those steps taken to address revenue shortfalls by other Virginia local governments. However, each community has had unique financial challenges to overcome. Not all actions described will be generalizable to other communities. As economic uncertainty continues at the time of this study, the findings may foreshadow how public education will be supported in the future. / Ed. D.

ABSTRACT District Superintendent and School Board President Perceptions regarding Leadership Characteristics for Superintendents of Texas Schools. (December 2009) Kenneth Lee Groholski, B.S., Sam Houston State University M.Ed., Tarleton State University Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. John R. Hoyle The purpose of this study was to compare the perceptions of Texas Public School superintendents and school board presidents on the importance of leadership characteristics of the superintendency. The questionnaire used in this study was developed by Dr. Douglas D. Wilson and modified by the researcher. Responses to a Likert Scale instrument and a nominal ranking of ten leadership characteristics were solicited from superintendents and school board presidents of Texas public schools. The population was superintendents and school board presidents from Texas Public Schools. The population was divided into large school districts (>10,000 students) and small school districts (<10,000 students). Data was then generated regarding the respondent’s perceptions of leadership characteristics. Descriptive statistics and Mann-Whitney Tests for differences were used to determine if possible significant differences exist in the data. Results were reported using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 14.0). Major findings of the study suggest: 1. Superintendents may view the importance of instructional leadership, prior work experience in education, and effective school board relations significantly higher than school board presidents. 2. Superintendents of small schools may view the importance of instructional leadership, prior work experience in education, and effective school board relations significantly higher than school board presidents of small schools. Conversely, school board presidents of small schools may view the focus on professional development significantly higher than superintendents of small schools. 3. Superintendents of large schools may view the importance of instructional leadership, comfort with media relations and politics, and effective school board relations significantly higher than school board presidents of large schools. 4. Regardless of school size, superintendents and school board presidents appeared to be in agreement concerning the three least important superintendent leadership characteristics.

The purpose of this study is to determine the factors that influence the work satisfaction of inspectors of education in the Northern Cape. This aim is achieved by firstly conducting a literature study on the nature of work satisfaction and factors responsible for inspector work satisfaction and/or work dissatisfaction. Secondly an empirical investigation is conducted on the perceptions of inspectors about factors influencing their work satisfaction. Finally, recommendations are made through which inspectors of education can achieve optimal work satisfaction for themselves. Findings from the literature study indicate that work context and work contents factors influence inspector work satisfaction. Work context factors mainly concern supervision and working conditions. Working conditions include aspects such as physical working conditions, leadership, interpersonal relationships, policy, participation in decision-making, salary, work safety, work security and the organizational climate. Work context factors relate to inspectors' needs for psychological growth and self-fulfilment viz., the needs for responsibility, recognition, promotion, the work itself and professional development. Findings from the empirical investigation indicate that the respondents are less satisfied in their jobs than is generally reported. Inspectors regard the satisfaction of work context factors as very important and are partly contended that these needs are satisfied. However there are numerous work context factors from which they derive relatively little work satisfaction, inter alia, working conditions with regard to some supervisory activities, participation in decision-making and strategic planning in the department of education, work security and work safety. The factors within the work context are experienced as mostly satisfying. The recommendations of this study emphasise the necessity of an effective line of communication between the Education Department and the regional office, and the Education Department should launch a penetrating investigation into the filling of vacancies at the level of inspectors. With the aim on participatory management as many as possible role-players should be involved at provincial level. With the aim of professional development of both newly appointed inspectors of education and more experienced inspectors of education a professional inclusion program must be developed regarding better role and task fulfilment. / Thesis (MEd)--PU for CHE, 1999

The purpose of this study is to determine the factors that influence the work satisfaction of inspectors of education in the Northern Cape. This aim is achieved by firstly conducting a literature study on the nature of work satisfaction and factors responsible for inspector work satisfaction and/or work dissatisfaction. Secondly an empirical investigation is conducted on the perceptions of inspectors about factors influencing their work satisfaction. Finally, recommendations are made through which inspectors of education can achieve optimal work satisfaction for themselves. Findings from the literature study indicate that work context and work contents factors influence inspector work satisfaction. Work context factors mainly concern supervision and working conditions. Working conditions include aspects such as physical working conditions, leadership, interpersonal relationships, policy, participation in decision-making, salary, work safety, work security and the organizational climate. Work context factors relate to inspectors' needs for psychological growth and self-fulfilment viz., the needs for responsibility, recognition, promotion, the work itself and professional development. Findings from the empirical investigation indicate that the respondents are less satisfied in their jobs than is generally reported. Inspectors regard the satisfaction of work context factors as very important and are partly contended that these needs are satisfied. However there are numerous work context factors from which they derive relatively little work satisfaction, inter alia, working conditions with regard to some supervisory activities, participation in decision-making and strategic planning in the department of education, work security and work safety. The factors within the work context are experienced as mostly satisfying. The recommendations of this study emphasise the necessity of an effective line of communication between the Education Department and the regional office, and the Education Department should launch a penetrating investigation into the filling of vacancies at the level of inspectors. With the aim on participatory management as many as possible role-players should be involved at provincial level. With the aim of professional development of both newly appointed inspectors of education and more experienced inspectors of education a professional inclusion program must be developed regarding better role and task fulfilment. / Thesis (MEd)--PU for CHE, 1999