Session Information
26 SES 08 B, Leading Low Preforming Schools
Symposium
Contribution
In this paper, we present results of a case study examining leadership of an underperforming school where students have a relatively high level of educational advantages. The principal has led this school for four years with a primary focus on building leadership capacity for school improvement. Research on leadership in underperforming schools extends scholarship on effective schools primarily conducted on high performing schools in challenging contexts (e.g. Purkey & Smith, 1993; Day, 2005; Ylimaki et al., 2009). Key research questions are: a) What are the characteristics and practices of a principal leading an underperforming school and what influences these? b) Who else contributes to the leadership of this school and what are their contributions? c) How does the context influence the performance of this school? Conforming to ISSPP protocols, a multiple perspective, observational case study was conducted and included: administration of an internationally validated survey; individual interviews with the principal (three interviews), superintendent, assistant superintendent, assistant principal, 20% of the teaching staff, and 20% of the support staff; focus group interviews with the leadership team, parents, and students; observation of the principal’s work and the life of the school; and document collection. Survey results and interviews identified limited capacities as barriers to school development. Although both the survey and interviews revealed strong trust and relationships among the staff and the principal and a safe and orderly school environment, there were clear barriers to school effectiveness. In particular, participants highlighted deficit thinking, lack of shared direction, and limited principal-teacher collaboration as inhibiting school development. Follow-up data collection revealed that the principal’s efforts to build capacity and direction around curriculum, instruction and assessment has leveraged school improvements as evidenced by state performance labels as well as the perceptions among stakeholders. Alignment across all levels of leadership (district, school, classroom, community) is evident.
References
Ylimaki, R., Gurr, D., Bennett, J., & Drysdale, L. (2009). Successful school principals in Australia and US: Findings from an international study. In Wiseman, A. & Silova, I. (Eds.), Educational leadership: Global contexts and international comparisons. Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publ. Day, C. (2005). Sustaining success in challenging contexts: Leadership in English schools. Journal of Educational Administration, 43(6), 573-583. Purkey, S. & Smith, M. (1993). Effective schools: A review. Elementary School Journal, 83, 427-452.
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