International Journal of Education Policy and Leadership (IJEPL)
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Looking for Competent School Leaders for Indigenous Schools: The New System to Appoint School Leaders in Mexico
Get PDFThe understanding that leadership matters is well regarded in many types of organizations not only in education. In 2015 Mexico implemented a new system to appoint school leaders updating the previous, which was applied for more than four decades. This system aims to appoint the most competent candidate as school principal based on the scores they get on two tests. This study explored how the new system enhances or hinders preparation and readiness for leadership positions, and the effectiveness of tutoring and in-service professional development. Five newly appointed school leaders to Indigenous schools were followed throughout their first year of service. They were interviewed at the beginning, after six months, and at then end of their first year. Thematic analysis was used to process the data gathered from semi-structured interviews using a selective coding approach. Two main predefined themes were explored in this study: Leadership Preparation and Tutoring and Professional Development. Findings indicate that for schools located in remote Indigenous communities, isolation and the lack of communication infrastructure, such as internet and phone signal, hinder the possibility of effective training and tutoring.This study concludes that even though the new system seems to have made progress in appointing better school leaders, it is only partial since aspiring leaders are neither required to make specific preparation for their new post nor offered these opportunities, hindering their readiness to enact headship effectively
Gender differences in participatory leadership: An examination of principals’ time spent working with others
Get PDFThe purpose of this study was to examine whether female principals have a more participatory style compared to their male counterparts by examining principals’ daily time allocation patterns. The study analyzed data from End of Day (EOD) survey logs from principals in an urban school district. Results from hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) results showed that female principals, when compare to male principals, spent a higher proportion of their time working with others in planning/setting goals. At the same time, there were no differences in how principals allocated their time total working alone or working with others and their time distribution in other leadership domains. The findings suggest that gender differences in leadership style depend on specific activity domains and that there are significant differences in the key domain of strategic planning
Implementation of the Teacher Professional Growth and Effectiveness System in Rural Kentucky High Schools
Get PDFA focus on improving teacher quality and student achievement led many states to implement teacher effectiveness systems. The Charlotte Danielson Framework for Teaching was adapted by Kentucky as the Teacher Professional Growth and Effectiveness System (TPGES). This study examined educator viewpoints concerning the impact of TPGES on improving teacher quality and student achievement, educator attitude for implementation, time requirement, and the potential to impact teacher growth and student learning.Teacher and principal triangulated data indicated mixed viewpoints concerning the impact of TPGES implementation on improving teacher quality and improving student learning. The data did not indicate positive educator attitudes for the implementation and time requirement for TPGES. Study implications focused on five identified dispositions relevant for all educators striving to implement innovative change initiatives
Assistant Principals’ Perceptions of the Principalship
Get PDFEducation research has established a significant relationship between school leadership and students’ achievement. This study considered the leadership self-efficacy and practice of public school assistant principals (AP) in the domains of facilitating a supportive collaborative learning environment, instructional leadership, school improvement, management, and family and community relations, as perceived by APs' self-report. Findings of this study suggest that, in addition to the strengths in the domain of facilitating a collaborative learning environment and efficacy around family and community engagement, there were explicit gaps in the instructional leadership and school improvement practices of APs that need to be addressed. The study also confirmed that there continues to be a proliferation of duties and a lack of consistent set of practices
Declining Morale, Diminishing Autonomy, and Decreasing Value: Principal Reflections on a High-Stakes Teacher Evaluation System
Get PDFSince the adoption of teacher evaluation systems that rely, at least in part, on controversial student achievement measures, little research has been conducted that focuses on stakeholders’ perceptions of systems in practice, specifically the perceptions of school principals. This study was conducted in a large urban school district to better understand principals’ perceptions of evaluating teachers based on professional and instructional practices as well as student achievement (i.e., value-added scores). Principals in this study strongly expressed concerns regarding: (a) the negative impact of the teacher evaluation system on district culture and morale; (b) their lack of autonomy in evaluating teachers and making staffing decisions; and (c) their perceived lack of value as professionals in the district. Examining the implications of teacher evaluation systems, per the experiences of principals as practitioners, is increasingly important if state and local policymakers as well as the general public are to better understand the intended and unintended consequences of these systems in practice
Caught on Camera
Get PDFIn Texas, state policy anticipates that installing video cameras in special education classrooms will decrease student abuse inflicted by teachers. Lawmakers assume that collecting video footage will prevent teachers from engaging in malicious actions and prosecute those who choose to harm children. At the request of a parent, Section 29.022 of the Texas Education Code (2015) will protect students who are unable to speak for themselves from bullying and abuse by installing video surveillance cameras in special education classrooms. The purpose of this article is to describe the law in Texas, the impact of the bill on classrooms, to raise questions about the implementation of the law, and to provide recommendations for school administrators
International Students in American Higher Education: A Quantitative Study Comparing Their Distribution from Both Synchronic and Diachronic Perspectives and the Implications on Policy Making
No full textThis study examined the distribution of international students in American higher education in each region of America. Non-parametric tests, Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Kruskal-Wallis test, were employed to explore the significant differences of international student population among the five American regions from both synchronic and diachronic perspectives. The results of the study show that 1) there is significant difference of international student population among the five American regions in 2016; 2) Northeastern, Southeastern, and Midwestern regions have significantly larger international student population in 2016 than that in 2015; however, Western and Southwestern regions do not have significantly larger international student population in 2016 than that in 2015; 3) climate and geographic location, and the population of immigrants are the reasons of the current distribution of international students; and 4) there are four potential strategies that can be applied to promote the internationalization of higher education and the enrollment of international students. Two future research directions were proposed at the end of the paper
Educational Decentralization Efforts in a Centralized Country: Saudi Tatweer Principal Perceptions of New Authorities Granted
No full textThis study captured the perspectives of school principals in Saudi Arabia regarding the new authorizes granted to them as part of their country’s education decentralization efforts. Specifically, this study explored these principals’ perceived ability to implement the new authorities, levels of support, effectiveness, and additional desired authorities. This study provided an opportunity to analyze the early efforts of a country with a very centralized educational system to implement more significant decentralization efforts.A total of 173 Tatweer school principals completed an online survey, and findings suggest these Saudi principals perceived limited ability, low to moderate support in implementing the new authorities, and only slight agreement that the authorities were likely to achieve desired outcomes. Multiple regression analysis revealed that beliefs on the effectiveness of the authorities at achieving MOE outcomes were predicted by perceived ability to implement administrative authorities, perceived support to implement technical authorities, and years of experience
Examining the Value Aspiring Principals Place on Various Instructional Strategies in Principal Preparation
Get PDFAbstract: This article reports on a study of the value master’s students in a principal preparation program placed on a variety of instructional strategies. The aspiring principals completed a survey with fixed-response and open-ended items. The students’ most valued class discussions were about how their personal experiences related to the class topic and how to apply the topic to practice. Class activities valued most highly by the aspiring principals were problem solving, simulations, small-group discussions, and whole-group discussions. Out-of-class assignments rated most highly included writing reflective papers, conducting interviews and observations, and performing leadership activities in schools. The types of readings the master’s students most appreciated were case studies and journal articles. In describing their “outstanding professor,” the aspiring principals focused on the professor’s personal qualities, creation of a positive learning environment, and constructivist teaching. Â
An Exploratory Analysis of the Prevalence of Quantitative Research Concepts in Journal Articles
No full textThe purpose of this study is to explore the prevalence of quantitative researchmethodologies in published journal articles to better understand the knowledge andskills necessary for school leaders to meet the expectations of applying research findingsto practice. It examines research articles published between 2008 and 2013 inthe American Educational Research Journal, the Educational Administration Quarterly,and the NASSP Bulletin. Empirical articles comprise 91 percent of the 449 identifiedresearch articles, with 58 percent reporting the use of quantitative methodolog