Download or read book An Exploratory Study of Florida High School Principal Practices that Improve Student Achievement written by Donna Michelle Reynolds and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 169 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The primary purpose of this study was to examine the leadership practices of high school principals in the state of Florida who improved student achievement in schools with a 30% or greater economically disadvantaged student rate. The secondary purpose of this study was to examine principal and student demographics of the identified schools and determine what relationship existed between student demographics, principal demographics, and principal practices. The results of this study offered guidance for principals across the state of Florida who struggled to close the achievement gap between economically advantaged and disadvantaged students. To achieve the purpose of the study, a 53 item survey instrument was distributed to principals in high schools that met the characteristics of a 30% economically disadvantaged student population that had shown growth on the 10th grade FCAT Reading test over three years from 2007 - 2009. 50 principals in 10 school districts were contacted. 18 of those principals responded to the online survey, and 5 principals participated in a follow-up phone interview. The survey instrument gathered quantitative data in four subdomains of principal practices: Implementing a Standards Based Coherent Instructional Program; Providing Teacher Support and Encouraging Teacher Collaboration; Engaging Families; and Using Assessment to Improve Student Achievement and Instruction. Quantitative data regarding principal demographics was also collected through the survey instrument. Qualitative data concerning principal practices was gathered through three open-ended response questions on the survey instrument as well as through follow-up phone interviews. The descriptive statistics gathered from responses to the survey instrument showed the highest mean averages for principal practices associated with the following items: Clear vision on student learning outcomes; Set high standards for student learning; Expect teachers to take responsibility for student achievement; and Expect staff to adjust instruction based on various data. The lowest mean averages for principal practices were associated with the following practices: Model exemplary instructional practices; Remove teachers not committed to improving student achievement; Ensure families are engaged in subject-area events; and Use assessment data to determine professional development. In addition to the survey responses, research question one was addressed through the open-ended survey responses and the follow-up phone interviews. The qualitative data collected found the most self-reported best practices under the subdomain of Providing Teacher Support and Encouraging Teacher Collaboration. The most prevalent practices that emerged as a result of the interviews were fostering personal relationships with students and celebrating student success; conducting classroom walkthroughs in a meaningful and purposeful manner; implementing Professional Learning Communities; and reviewing assessment data with teachers to inform instruction. The results of the Mann-Whitney statistical procedure found a significant difference between male and female respondents in the subdomain of Providing Teacher Support and Encouraging Teacher Collaboration. Males scored significantly lower than females. The Spearman correlations found a significant negative correlation between practices in the Teacher Support subdomain and the percentage of disadvantaged students at a school. In other words, the lower the percentage of disadvantaged students in a school, the higher the principal rated Teacher Support as an important practice. The low number of respondents in this study (N = 18) limited the findings as well as the generalizability to schools with similar populations inside and outside of Florida. However, the results may provide guidance for principals in Florida high schools with high economically disadvantaged student populations. The results of this study placed emphasis on the need for principals to have a clear vision for their school and communicate high expectations for their students. According to the results of this study, principals should also find ways to connect with students and celebrate their successes, create avenues for teacher collaboration, and use assessment data to work with teachers in order to inform instructional decisions.
Download or read book The Principal as a Learning leader written by M. Scott Norton and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2012 with total page 173 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Expanding a principal's formal education and training, The Principal as Learning-Leader is a administrator's guide to improving student achievement, showing practitioners how to focus on the individual academic performance of each and every student and to work with the school staff and community to develop a learning culture that supports student success. Norton and Kelly show current principals how to assess their present behaviors relative to learning leadership. Providing a clear definition of learning leadership and identifying successful practices most commonly implemented by true learning leaders, this book features the administrative tools and accountability strategies that will allow principals to create a culture of learning leadership among all school personnel, which is key to engaging students, and the community, in the learning process.
Download or read book The Relationship Between the Average Number of Principal Walkthroughs and School Accountability Grade of Florida High Schools written by Robert Bennet and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 107 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This quantitative correlational study sought to determine if the administrative time and financial investment in administrative walkthroughs is an effective practice that leads to improved student achievement. This study sought to determine if a predictive relationship existed between the predictor variable mean of principal school-wide walkthroughs, and the criterion variable school grade in Florida high schools. This study was designed to determine if the principal walkthrough is an effective tool to improve teaching practice to improve student achievement to meet accountability measures. The sample include 72 high school principals in Florida. Data was collected through a self-report survey in which the respondents answered three questions. Archival data from the Florida Department of Education was used to determine school grade by percent. A bivariate regression was used to determine the relationship between predictor variable mean of walkthroughs and criterion variable school achievement grade.
Download or read book An Analysis of the Aspiring Principal Preparation Programs Provided by Florida School Districts written by Deborah E. Lawrence and published by Universal-Publishers. This book was released on 2010-03 with total page 223 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of the study was to identify the basis of the aspiring principal preparation program (APPP) components Florida school districts provide to their aspiring principals and their relationship, if any, to the state and ISLLC Standards. A total of 50 school districts in Florida participated in this study. The research was guided by the following questions: To what extent do the Florida school districts provide a formal APPP to their current assistant principals? (b) Upon what are the formal APPPs for current assistant principals based: the Florida Principal Competencies (FPCs), the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) Standards, or another source? (c) To what extent do the school district APPPs in the 67 Florida districts have component requirements that include professional development, mentoring, and a performance-based experience? and (d) Are there differences among the APPP components provided by Florida school districts of various sizes? The findings of the study were found through an examination of quantitative and qualitative data that were collected from the Florida Aspiring Principal Program Assessment (FLAPPA) survey and the school districts' APPP brochures located on their websites. This study supported the following conclusions: (a) 75% of the school districts in Florida do provide an APPP for their aspiring principals, (b) the FPCs and the ISLLC Standards are a part of the bases of the components found in APPPs provided by Florida school districts, (c) Florida school districts do provide APPPs that include components of a mentor principal, a performance-based experience, and professional development, (d) very large-sized school districts with a population over 100 thousand students contained the largest percentage of standards-based components in the APPP; small-sized school districts with a population of under 7 thousand students contained the least percentage of standards-based components in the APPP, (e) school districts in Florida recognized the need to modify and were in the process of modifying their APPPs according to the new Florida leadership standards, especially the component of technology, and (f) a lack of funding, time, and assessment were identified as APPP weaknesses and components in need of improvement. Recommendations of this study included: (a) further research on Florida school districts redesign of their APPP components to identify whether or not the components are based upon the new Florida Leadership Standards, especially technology; and the ISLLC educational standards; and (b) further research on Florida school districts providing a mentor principal and support team; professional development, and a performance-based experience to their current assistant principals who participate in an APPP, thus ensuring best practices in the APPP and improving the quality of their future principals.
Download or read book High School Principals and School Capacity written by Shelby A. Cosner and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book An Exploration of Connections Between a Principal s Leadership Style and the Academic Achievement Gap written by Khalid Almasnaah and published by . This book was released on 2021 with total page 149 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This qualitative study explored possible connections between school principals' leadership styles and behaviors and closing the student achievement gap at three schools serving high poverty student populations. Two of the three schools were high schools designated as Priority Schools in 2012 as a result of student achievement that ranked in the bottom 5% of all Michigan schools. The two schools managed to exit the Priority designation in 2017 after implementing school culture and instruction reforms that improved student achievement. The third school was a K-8, which was not designated as a Priority School. It had the same student demographics as the Priority Schools, and it is located in the same district as one of them. It was added to the study to reinforce the data. The researcher conducted 17 interviews. A bottom-up inductive coding approach was adopted for the qualitative data analysis. The researcher assigned emerging themes specific and meaningful codes relevant to the topic and purpose of the study. Based on the data from the three schools, a possible connection between school leadership and closing the student achievement gap was found. The three principals adopted practices and behaviors relevant to multiple leadership styles. They did not limit themselves to only one leadership style or a set of behaviors. The two Priority School principals had to undo the negative impact of the former toxic culture. The three principals instituted a positive school culture based on trust, respect, collaboration, and accountability. They indirectly impacted student achievement by improving the schools' culture and climate and enhancing the curriculum, instruction, assessment, and data-driven interventions. They worked with all the stakeholders to align and streamline all the efforts and programs into well-coordinated plans and established common language and practices regarding teaching and learning. They involved all the teachers in the decision making about teaching and learning.
Download or read book Florida Superintendents Views Related to the Involuntary Removal of School Principals written by Christopher S. Bernier and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 217 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study sought to determine how external influences designed to improve student achievement and school performance such as No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, The Florida A+ Program, and the Differentiated Accountability model impacted Florida school superintendents' prioritization of the Florida Principal Leadership Standards. In the study, major questions addressed concerned (a) the demographic characteristics of the school principals and superintendents involved in the removal of a school principal within the state of Florida; (b) the relationship between the problems a principal encountered and the Florida Principal Leadership Standards; (c) the Florida Principal Leadership Standards that were most often cited and rated most important by school superintendents when determining reasons to remove a school principal within Florida; (d) principal's years of experience as a predictor of principal competence; (e) sources of information that were most important in providing awareness of principal problems; (f) interventions, if any, that were provided to principals to assist them in improving prior to the decision to remove them; and (g) principal career outcomes that were most to likely occur following a superintendent's decision to remove a school principal. Utilizing a previously researched survey, the 67 Florida public school superintendents were asked to prioritize the Florida Principal Leadership Standards related to the removal of a single principal from the position and provide pertinent demographic information related to this individual. The following principal leadership standards were most commonly identified as important to the decision to remove a school principal: (a) human resource management, (b) decision making strategies, (c) instructional leadership, (d) managing the learning environment, and (e) community and stakeholder partnerships.
Download or read book The Factors Effecting Student Achievement written by Engin Karadağ and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-05-14 with total page 333 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book focuses on the effect of psychological, social and demographic variables on student achievement and summarizes the current research findings in the field. It addresses the need for inclusive and interpretive studies in the field in order to interpret student achievement literature and suggests new pathways for further studies. Appropriately, a meta-analysis approach is used by the contributors to show the big picture to the researchers by analyzing and combining the findings from different independent studies. In particular, the authors compile various studies examining the relationship between student achievement and 21 psychological, social and demographic variables separately. The philosophy behind this book is to direct future research and practices rather than addressing the limits of current studies.
Download or read book Best Practices of High School Principals for Improving Student Achievement in Urban Schools written by Anthony Wayne Smith and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 100 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Author's abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the best practices of high school principals for improving student achievement in eight urban high schools in the Metro Atlanta area. Specifically, the best practices of urban Georgia high school principals in the areas of vision, risk-taking, human development, belief in others and integrity were explored through an interview process. Each participant was asked five open-ended questions since these allow for participants to answer questions in a more complete manner. The qualitative, phenomenological research design was employed. Qualitative analysis was used to determine recurring themes related to the research questions. The recurring emerging themes from the data collection and data analysis were: (1) a strong vision that is clearly and concisely communicated with action, (2) the need for a strong and coordinated curriculum, (3) strong support system for teachers and staff members, (4) a safe and positive school climate, (5) incorporate teachers as leaders philoshophy, (6) collaborative decision-making process, (7) strong relationships with teachers build on trust and belief in others, (8) calculated risk-taking.
Download or read book High School Principal Beliefs on Data Driven Decision Making and Its Effect on Student Achievement in Florida written by Michael Kyle Dresback and published by . This book was released on 2023 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: gains, math achievement, and math gains on the Florida Standards Assessment (FSA). Several multiple regression analyses were performed to ascertain any relationship between the antecedent, mediator, and outcome variables. The bootstrapping method of analysis designed by Preacher and Hayes was also performed. Principals continue to believe in DDDM. Principal beliefs regarding data driven decision-making does not mediate the effect of school demographics and principal characteristics on student achievement. Specifically, principal beliefs regarding collaboration among teachers using data driven decision-making has an indirect correlation to student achievement. Principals should lean into teacher collaboration and develop teacher teams that focus on improving instruction through data driven decision-making strategies. In addition to belief in data driven decision-making, principals need to find ways, such as work closely with teachers to improve instructional strategies, to reduce the effects of school demographics and principal characteristics on student achievement.
Download or read book Identifying and Understanding Practices that Help Principals Create Cultures of Student Achievement written by Kristyn Marie Klei and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 374 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book An Assessment of Leadership Practice in High Schools written by Maria Eugenia Osorio and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 181 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This research was based on a multi-case study design focused on the leadership practice of high school principals and assistant principals and their roles in improving graduation rates. The study sought to answer one overarching research questions: In schools that demonstrate an increase in graduation rates what leadership practices are evidenced in principals and assistant principals and teacher leaders. One sub-question addressed the tools and interventions that the leadership team practices in relation to improving graduation rates and the second sub-question addressed the accountability of changing standards with respect to graduation rates. A third sub-question sought to answer how interactions of principals and assistant principals relevant to improvement in student performance are interpreted by faculty and staff. The purposeful sample from each of the three high schools consisted of one principal, four assistant principals and one teacher leader. Data collection methods included interviews, observations and qualitative document review of high school graduation rates. The study reveals six major findings: (a) school leaders establish a clear vision, mission or goal to increase graduation rates, (b) identification, management and evaluation of academic enrichment programs are necessary interventions for student success, (c) school leaders build a culture of student learning and achievement through a system of processes, programs and support initiatives, (d) the leadership team is knowledgeable, strongly motivated and devoted to their role as leaders in serving all students, (e) school leaders use data as guiding variables in making decisions regarding at-risk student achievement and success, and (f) school leaders develop and foster positive relationships with students and teachers.
Download or read book Principal Instructional Leadership Effect on High School Students Literacy Achievement written by Kimberly Joyce Pinkney Kelly and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 171 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of this applied study was to further understand the problem of poor literacy achievement among high school students and to design interventions for school leaders to impact and improve high school students’ literacy. Fifteen Florida secondary principals’ self-perceived instructional leadership behaviors were scored using the three dimensions of the Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (PIMRS). The independent variables were the principal’s instructional behaviors, and the dependent variable was sophomore students’ Florida Standards Assessment English Language Arts school level scores for the 2016–2017 school year. In addition, semi-structured interviews were conducted using four open-ended questions to gather further information about instructional leadership behaviors that contributed to students’ literacy achievement. The study is grounded in the research of Bandura’s social cognitive theory. The survey, demographic, and student achievement data were analyzed through the use of Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficient. Interviews were transcribed resulting in six common themes to all participants. Results revealed no significant relationship between the instructional leadership behaviors of Florida high principals and student reading achievement levels.
Download or read book Case Study written by Maritza Olivarez Braxton and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A school principal is a critical asset to the success of a campus, teachers, and students. Their role is and will continue to be complex with many responsibilities and challenges. Researchers have implied a disconnect between the level of a principal’s practice to their knowledge in the production of student success. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to reveal a deeper understanding of the theory-to practice gap between the professional practices of high school principals and their knowledge. This study attempted to answer the what, how, and why to help establish foundational information for improving and creating ongoing leadership training and development for both principals and those aspiring to be principals. In this case study, the researcher conducted one-on-one semistructured interviews via Zoom, gathered researchgenerated documents from the state educational websites, and collected leadership survey results for two mid-Atlantic high school principals. Framing the case with the SLII® model, the findings indicated a presence of situational awareness to overlap with building professional capacity through relationships and reflective practices. With observation, feedback, and reflection, the participants were able to engage in a situational approach to address the needs present. The findings suggest that the human element holds the influence on the gap of principal knowledge, practices, and student outcomes while illuminating the importance on relationships and reflective practices. Keywords: high school principals, leadership styles, student achievement, situational leadership, professional development, professional standards for educational leaders
Download or read book Florida s Principals Perceptions of Their Principal Preparation Program written by Justin Faulkner and published by . This book was released on 2023 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 2020, the National Association of Secondary School Principals revealed that a staggering 42 percent of principals plan on leaving the profession and that compounds the already alarming rate of teachers leaving the field (National Association of Secondary School Principals, 2020). More locally in Florida, the landscape of educational leadership has changed quickly also adding to this problematic exodus of principals. In order to better understand the principal experience in Florida, particularly with principal preparation, this study seeks to understand how principal preparation, specifically Level II certification preparation, influences efficacy once at the helm of a school. This research uses a modified version of Megan Tschannen-Moran's Principal Sense of Efficacy Scale survey to gauge the perceptions of current principals to inform practice of preparation for leaders of tomorrow. Results reveal that descriptive statistics provided valuable insights into how principals across Florida perceive the impact of their preparation program on their effectiveness. Notably, the utilization of independent-samples t-tests uncovered a significant correlation between gender, particularly female gender, and principal perception. However, when examining the relationship between race and years of service through one-way ANOVA statistics, no significant connections were found, suggesting that these factors did not strongly influence principal perception of their preparation. In a conclusive manner, regression analysis indicated that gender, race, and years of service did not serve as significant influencers on principals' perceptions of their preparation program's efficacy impact. Overall, findings from this study indicate additional research is needed to better understand how efficacy can increase in not just all principals as the result of preparation but also specifically with female principals. Research consistently indicates that principals have the second greatest impact on student outcomes, just behind teachers. When Florida principals express only moderate confidence in their leadership abilities, it raises concerns about their performance in schools. This gap between theoretical knowledge and practical implementation negatively affects students, who deserve better. To address this issue, more attention should be given to developing robust preparation programs that are meaningful and impactful in shaping and sustaining effective principals. By doing so, we can ensure that students receive the best possible educational leadership and support for their academic journey.
Download or read book The Role of the High School Principal Regarding Change in Classroom Practice written by Richard James Merrill and published by . This book was released on 1960 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
