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Education Sciences
Special Issues
Educational Leadership in School Improvement
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Educational Leadership in School Improvement

A special issue of Education Sciences (ISSN 2227-7102).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (2 February 2024) | Viewed by 24882

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Timothy A. Drake

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Educational Leadership, Policy, and Human Development, NC State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA
Interests: education leadership; principal development; data use for school leadership; early grades leadership; leadership for school turnaround; education policy
Dr. Seth B. Hunter

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Education and Human Development, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA
Interests: practices and policies concerning educator evaluation and observation; instructional coaching for school improvement; measurement properties of observations; education policy; instructional leadership

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The global pandemic and its aftermath have underscored the critical role school leaders play in shaping student outcomes and improving schools. School leaders working during the pandemic experienced increased pressure, stress, conflict, managerial demands, and equity challenges at a scale and depth previously unknown. Yet, across the world, school leaders responded to these challenges by implementing innovative instructional models, distributing and diversifying leadership, engaging in partnerships with school and community stakeholders, and acquiring resources and professional supports to address disparities and respond to physical, academic, and social–emotional needs. Their efforts have come at a cost too, with school leader stress, burnout, and turnover on the rise.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to bring together scholarship that explores, examines, and evaluates leadership for school improvement. We define leadership for school improvement in terms of the role leaders play in developing organizational capacity to increase school effectiveness over time, with a particular focus on improved organizational effectiveness and student outcomes (broadly defined). In line with the aims of Education Sciences, we welcome high quality, timely research findings across a broad range of topics in education leadership for school improvement. In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome.

Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  1. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method research studies of innovative leadership approaches, practices, and programs for school improvement.
  2. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method research studies or longitudinal studies on the impact of school leadership on school and student outcomes, broadly defined.
  3. Review of research on school leadership practices and approaches in the context of the post-pandemic era.
  4. Comparative studies of different approaches to leadership for school improvement.
  5. Policy studies on innovative national, regional, or local approaches to influencing school leadership.
  6. International studies are strongly encouraged.
  7. Measurement tools, methods, and models for evaluating leadership for school improvement.

ABSTRACT SUBMISSIONS: 16 September, 2023
MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSION: 2 February, 2024

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Timothy A. Drake
Dr. Seth B. Hunter
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Education Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • school leadership
  • superintendency
  • principals
  • school improvement
  • equity
  • pandemic
  • instruction
  • school climate
  • school culture
  • community partnerships

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

26 pages, 2481 KiB  
Article
The Use of Research in Schools: Principals’ Capacity and Contributions
by Elizabeth N. Farley-Ripple
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(6), 561; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14060561 - 23 May 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3621
Abstract
Policy expectations for the role of research evidence in educational decision-making have grown exponentially in the U.S. and globally, yet there has been limited attention to school capacity to engage in evidence-informed improvement. In this paper, I address this gap by first conceptualizing [...] Read more.
Policy expectations for the role of research evidence in educational decision-making have grown exponentially in the U.S. and globally, yet there has been limited attention to school capacity to engage in evidence-informed improvement. In this paper, I address this gap by first conceptualizing principal leadership for evidence use and, second, use this conceptual lens to examine large-scale survey data about school evidence use practices and capacity. Drawing on data from a national survey of more than 4000 educators in 134 schools in the US, I explore school practices and capacity to use research and surface opportunities and needs for principal leadership in evidence-informed improvement. Findings suggest that there is an opportunity to improve the role of research in school improvement decision-making, and that principals may contribute to school capacity in specific ways that relate to developing human capital, influencing culture, leveraging resources, and shaping decision-making. Data reveal moderate evidence of research use in agenda setting and of organizational routines that support research use, but lack of uptake of those routines for research use as well as limited investment in resources (e.g., time). Further, decision-making was distributed across a wide range of improvement initiatives, with evidence of a lack of clarity about goals. Although principals report confidence and experience with using research, overall school staff also reported limited experience with prior research, including coursework or participation in research, and low confidence in critically consuming research. Implications point to the need to strengthen principals’ own evidence use capacity as well as focus on dimensions school capacity as part of evidence use initiatives. Recommendations suggest strategies for developing principals’ knowledge and skills around leadership for evidence-informed improvement. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Educational Leadership in School Improvement)
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23 pages, 279 KiB  
Article
Understanding School Leadership’s Influence on Teacher Retention in High-Poverty Settings: An Exploratory Study in the U.S.
by Chad R. Lochmiller, Frank Perrone and Chris Finley
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(5), 545; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14050545 - 17 May 2024
Viewed by 4962
Abstract
Research has identified principal leadership as one of the most salient school-level predictors of teacher retention. However, the survey-based quantitative nature and specific survey questions used in this research make it difficult to discern which leadership behaviors or approaches contribute most to teacher [...] Read more.
Research has identified principal leadership as one of the most salient school-level predictors of teacher retention. However, the survey-based quantitative nature and specific survey questions used in this research make it difficult to discern which leadership behaviors or approaches contribute most to teacher retention. As a result, school leaders and those responsible for preparing and/or employing them lack clear, research-based information about specific practices that could be effectively utilized, particularly in high-poverty schools. This qualitative case study, set in a high-poverty U. S. elementary school with high retention rates, utilized Simon and Johnson’s (2015) framework of how principal behaviors that increase teacher retention in the quantitative research are exhibited in under-resourced schools. The study generates qualitative understandings of how a principal’s actions contributed to retention by reaffirming a mission to serve high-poverty students, recognizing teachers for their work, developing and fostering within-faculty relationships, strengthening relationships with families, and providing disciplinary support. In doing so, the study also provides support for an existing framework for leading for retention and insights into how these actions may influence or be seen in survey responses used in survey-based research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Educational Leadership in School Improvement)
16 pages, 530 KiB  
Article
Effective Principal Leadership Behaviors That Enhance Teacher Collective Efficacy
by Robert H. Voelkel, Jr., Kyla J. Prusak and Frances Van Tassell
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(4), 431; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14040431 - 20 Apr 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3443
Abstract
This qualitative case study explored teachers’ perceptions regarding the impact of principal leadership behaviors that helped to enhance teacher collective efficacy (TCE). Through analysis of focus group and individual, in-depth interviews, four leadership behaviors supporting enhanced TCE emerged: (1) relationship building, (2) trust, [...] Read more.
This qualitative case study explored teachers’ perceptions regarding the impact of principal leadership behaviors that helped to enhance teacher collective efficacy (TCE). Through analysis of focus group and individual, in-depth interviews, four leadership behaviors supporting enhanced TCE emerged: (1) relationship building, (2) trust, (3) collaboration, and (4) empowerment. The findings suggest that site and district leaders should focus on these four leadership behaviors to enhance TCE. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Educational Leadership in School Improvement)
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17 pages, 759 KiB  
Article
Culturally Responsive Middle Leadership for Equitable Student Outcomes
by Camilla Highfield, Melinda Webber and Rachel Woods
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(3), 327; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14030327 - 19 Mar 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2005
Abstract
Middle leaders are important conduits for school policy and are often required to lead, champion and monitor change initiatives in their departments. This paper examines secondary school middle leaders’ self-reported theories, promotion and leadership of culturally responsive teaching approaches for student equity. The [...] Read more.
Middle leaders are important conduits for school policy and are often required to lead, champion and monitor change initiatives in their departments. This paper examines secondary school middle leaders’ self-reported theories, promotion and leadership of culturally responsive teaching approaches for student equity. The study participants (n = 170) are curriculum leaders in state secondary schools throughout New Zealand, serving a range of diverse populations, including Indigenous Māori students. The quantitative and qualitative data for this project were thematically analysed to inquire into middle leaders’ articulation of their culturally responsive theories, practices, and pedagogical and curriculum leadership to assist members of their departments in supporting Māori student educational success. The study found that although middle leaders could clearly articulate culturally responsive, sustaining and revitalising pedagogies and leadership in alignment with government policies and expectations, they were less clear about the measures they used to evidence these practices. In addition, less than 30% of the middle leader participants mentioned academic achievement as an element of Māori student success, and few mentioned the importance of systematic monitoring of achievement data, or using them to support better learning outcomes for Māori students (184). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Educational Leadership in School Improvement)
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14 pages, 913 KiB  
Article
Distributed Leadership: School Principals’ Practices to Promote Teachers’ Professional Development for School Improvement
by Marisol Galdames-Calderón
Educ. Sci. 2023, 13(7), 715; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13070715 - 14 Jul 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 9471
Abstract
Distributed leadership is based on increasing the knowledge and skills of those who play the role of leaders at schools. The objectives of this study are (a) to analyze school principals’ practices aimed at creating professional development opportunities to promote teacher leadership for [...] Read more.
Distributed leadership is based on increasing the knowledge and skills of those who play the role of leaders at schools. The objectives of this study are (a) to analyze school principals’ practices aimed at creating professional development opportunities to promote teacher leadership for school improvement and (b) to relate the perceptions of teacher leaders regarding the professional development opportunities granted by principals. The methods were based on an examination of 21 interviews, including individual semi-structured interviews with school principals and group interviews with teacher leaders at six public schools in Chile, as well as a documentary analysis of institutional educational projects using thematic analysis and NVivo 12 software. The results are presented in three categories: management of principals regarding school organization, development of the professional capacities of teacher leaders, and management of principals regarding school coexistence and the participation of teacher leaders. The discussion and conclusions detailing school principals’ practices show that distributed leadership helps develop teachers’ leadership competencies. Furthermore, this study suggests that training amplifies the beneficial effects of distributed leadership on teachers’ development. Finally, the findings imply that school principals should regularly fulfill their responsibilities and pay attention to teachers’ professional development to improve their schools. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Educational Leadership in School Improvement)
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