Award Date

5-2011

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Executive Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership

Department

Educational Leadership

First Committee Member

Gene Hall, Chair

Second Committee Member

James Crawford

Third Committee Member

James Hager

Graduate Faculty Representative

Linda Quinn

Number of Pages

148

Abstract

At no other time in the history of American education have school principals been faced with as many challenges as today. The era of accountability has increased the daily pressures of leading a school, while responsibility for student achievement is at an all time high.

Some studies have examined a leaders’ impact on teacher behaviors. Fewer studies have examined the possible impacts that principals have on student learning. In this study, leadership research was reviewed; not only in education, but in business, sports, and other fields. The traits and styles of leaders were explored in an attempt to define the characteristics and actions of successful and effective leaders.

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between elementary school principals’ Change Facilitator Style and students’ performance on the Nevada Criterion Reference Tests, which determine schools’ Adequate Yearly Progress. Nine schools with majority minority student populations were selected. The principals had been in their schools for a minimum of three years. An expert panel developed consensus ratings of each principal’s Change Facilitator Style. Students who had attended the school for grades 3, 4 and 5 were identified as a Super Cohort. The statistical exploration of relationships between principals being more of an Initiator, Manager, or Responder and student levels of proficiency indicated that students in Responder led schools scored the lowest.

Keywords

Academic achievement; Change facilitator styles; Education; Educational accountability; Educational change; Educational leadership; Elementary school principals; Leadership; School principals

Disciplines

Educational Administration and Supervision | Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration

File Format

pdf

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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