VTechWorks Repository :: Browsing by Author "Byers, Larry"

Browsing by Author "Byers, Larry"

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A Case Study Of: A Principal Preparation Program in One School District
Robertson, Donald (Virginia Tech, 2007-03-21)
The primary role of the principal has expanded over the past two decades from one of manager to one of manager and instructional leader. With the expanded role of instructional leader, the principal of the twenty-first century is faced with increased levels of accountability for student achievement as evidenced by national legislation, revised state standards, and an ever-increasing scrutiny by shareholders. Six years ago research indicated that approximately one fourth of practicing principals were eligible for retirement in the next three to four years (Lauder, 2000). School districts across the country are finding it more and more difficult to attract qualified candidates with the requisite instructional leadership skills for available principal positions and have chosen to address this crisis by creating principal preparation programs aligned with current needs and based on key practices. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to determine whether school personnel who participate in AAA Public School's leadership training program are better prepared for the principalship than those school personnel who did not participate in this leadership training program. Data collection included (a) focus group interview comprised of a random sample of assistant principals and principals who had participated in the leadership training program (N = 6), (b) focus group interview comprised of a random sample of assistant principals and principals who had not participated in the leadership training program (N = 6), (c) focus group interview with the population of assistant superintendents who evaluate principals (N = 4), (d) leadership academy training documents, and (e) observations. Study results found that administrators who participated in this leadership training program were better prepared, more confident in their leadership, and were more knowledgeable in the roles and responsibilities which principals face.
A Comparative Study of Principal Performance Evaluation in the Commonwealth of Virginia
Toler, Benita Burke (Virginia Tech, 2006-08-31)
The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) makes unprecedented demands on states, school districts, and schools to raise academic achievement and to improve low-achieving schools. Many believe that schools are only as good as the principal leading the school. There is evidence that the format and processes used in principal evaluation often vary from one state to another, and even among school districts within a state. The purpose of this study is to examine the status of principal performance evaluation in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The study reviews and compares all school divisions' descriptions of principal evaluation systems, information collection strategies, and schedules for information collection and evaluation of principals. The primary purpose of this study was to describe the evaluation process for principals in the Commonwealth of Virginia. An attempt was made to (1) find out what procedures school divisions used to evaluate principal performance, (2) determine how the evaluation process varied by divisions type (i.e., suburban, urban, and rural), size and location, (3) find out the structures in place for high-performing principals to share effective practices, (4) determine the strategies used to support principals who are evaluated as needing improvement, (5) analyze documents that cover policies and procedures governing principal evaluation, and (6) to present a summary and analysis of data with implications for further research. This study was conducted first by analyzing a questionnaire regarding assessment practices currently being used by school divisions received from 91 school divisions; second, by examining the principal evaluation documents returned by 61 of the responding school divisions in Virginia; and third, by gathering data on how principals are recognized for outstanding performance, or supported if they need improvement. The demographics of school divisions represent 1,407 principals and 812,211 students. An extensive review of literature was conducted to explore principal evaluation and its effect on the quality of education in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The information accumulated through the literature review, the questionnaire data and the document analysis resulted in findings that profile a comprehensive view of the status of principal evaluation in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The findings of the study indicated that there is agreement among researchers and policymakers that an evaluation process must be in place in order to have effective principals and thus effective schools. The data in this study showed that more than half of respondents (67%)had procedures in place for regularly reviewing and revising principal evaluation procedures. However, 33% of school divisions did not have procedures in place. This is a sizable number, and a matter of concern, since principal evaluation has been mandated by the Commonwealth of Virginia since 1972.
Examining the Layers of Beginning Teacher Retention: A Cross-Case Analysis at the Elementary Level
Alexander, Rebecca Jean (Virginia Tech, 2008-03-28)
The cross-case analysis described in this study examined the patterns of practice that support the beginning teacher in the elementary school environment of a large suburban school district. Bronfenbrenner’s (1976) systemic model of the educational environment as a series of nested, interacting sub-systems was used as a compass for this study. Data were collected beginning in the exo-system and continued through the meso-system and micro-system of the educational environment. Interviews with central office staff at the exo-system level, with the school administrator at the meso-system level, and with beginning elementary teachers at the micro-system were the primary means of data collection. Interview data were collected from three beginning teachers in the elementary school with the largest number of beginning teachers in the district, the principal of the school, and central office personnel. Evolving display matrices were the primary strategy for data analysis. Themes were identified at each level of the educational environment. Findings reveal consistent themes within the levels of the elementary school environment.
First Fellowship Then Followership: Training for a New Generation of Teacher Leaders
Danello, Rebecca Davis (Virginia Tech, 2008-03-28)
The teachers' lounge was once the only oasis of camaraderie among teachers engaged in the rigors of public education. Today, fellowship among teachers looks quite different and is no longer relegated to the teachers' lounge. Indeed, in a successful school it is pervasive, and so are the teachers who become leaders of their fellow colleagues and play a significant role in school improvement and renewal. Operating in a variety of roles and possessed of personal and professional traits that have earned them the respect of their colleagues, principals, and district leaders, these teacher leaders have enriched the instructional landscape and the cultures of their schools. However, the research suggests that, in general, teacher leaders themselves have received little, if any, formal training for their jobs as leaders among their peers. As principals rely more on the expertise of these teachers, as the complexities of public education continue to multiply, and as the demographics of the teaching profession change, an obligation exists to investigate the professional development needs of teacher leaders. Teacher leaders must be skilled in building trusting, respectful relationships, a professional fellowship, among their peers if they wish for them to follow their lead down the path to self-improvement, student achievement, and school excellence. A mission of this importance deserves the best teacher leaders that training can produce. An examination of the necessary knowledge, skills, and dispositions and how teacher leaders develop them will help school districts provide specialized training for them.
Forces Affecting Beginning Teacher/Mentor Relationships in a Large Suburban School System
Smith, Judith (Virginia Tech, 2003-02-26)
According to the U. S. Department of Education (National Commission on Teaching and America's Future, 1996), U.S. public schools will hire an estimated two million teachers within the decade. The experience of the beginning teacher is a stressful one with more than 40% of new teachers choosing to leave the profession during the first three years. One promising practice to address this problem is mentoring, an expert teacher helping the beginner one-on-one. The heart of mentoring is the mentor/mentee relationship. This study investigated the nature of the beginning teacher/mentor relationship and the forces that affected that relationship. The methodology was a cross-case analysis of three pairs of mentor/mentees at the elementary level. The data were collected from focus groups, teacher interviews, observations, email responses, and document review. Data were analyzed using a constant comparative method examining emerging themes across all three cases. Trustworthiness of the research was fostered through multiple sources of data, practice interviews, oversight by peers and committee, participant review, and description of themes in the participants' own words. The data revealed that the mentor/mentee pairs developed very strong relationships grounded on reassurance, collaboration, reciprocity, friendship, problem solving, multi-layered support, and informal structures for getting together. Positive forces affecting the relationships included personality of the participants, perception of mentor role, closeness of age, proximity of classrooms, and common teaching assignment. Time constraints acted as a negative force that presented many challenges addressed by mentors and their mentees in very unique ways.
Formative Reading Program Assessment: An Interim Tool for Improvement
Tavernier, Mark D. (Virginia Tech, 2005-04-05)
The purpose of this study was to develop and test a classroom observation inventory as a formative program implementation tool. This formative study of a district's primary (kindergarten through second grade) literacy program implementation was conducted in an effort to provide information that will improve and hopefully strengthen the program and serve as a tool for other districts that are implementing similar programs. The passage of the No Child Left Behind Act by Congress in 2002 (Public Law 107-110) signaled the beginning of a renewed emphasis on the impact of educational programs, specifically literacy instruction and assessment. All states that accept NCLB monies must create standards and design an assessment system that will measure adequate yearly progress (AYP) for all students, with the goal of all students being proficient in reading by the 2014 fiscal year. In an effort to meet this federal mandate, school districts will continue to pour even more money into programs that promise to escalate the literacy achievement of all students. The general concepts of program evaluation are reviewed as they relate to the context of this study as well as several studies that have been designed to determine the effective components of specific literacy programs that focus instruction and ultimately improve student achievement. The classroom observation tool that was used in this study, while unobtrusive, is highly structured with protocols for recording specific attributes focused around five domains of effective literacy instruction. A quantitative rating for each item on the instrument was assigned. Results of the observation are reported using descriptive and inferential statistics that compare the observation instrument elements by grade level and school type within each of the instrument's domains.
Infuences on Teacher Selection
Mondak, Michael Joseph (Virginia Tech, 2004-10-29)
With increasing emphasis being placed on the selection of highly qualified teachers as mandated by the No Child Left Behind legislation (NCLB) of 2001, growing numbers of student populations, and the decreasing numbers of teachers entering the profession, it is evident that the teacher selection process must assume a more scientific path. In order to improve the selection process it is necessary to look at many aspects of this procedure. Specifically, what characteristics do teacher candidates possess that would qualify them for a particular position and, to what degree do the school identifiers play in this process? This is a study of the affects various school characteristics have on the selection process of elementary school teachers in one Virginia school district. Through a literature review conducted on the teacher selection process, a common group of thirty teacher characteristics grouped into four domains have been identified that if associated with teachers, have positive effects on instruction. The four domains that have been identified are Instruction, Personality, Orientation to Students, and Qualifications. A survey was utilized to determine the degree to which school administrators and teachers involved in the interview process place on the identified teacher characteristics and domains. Descriptive factors that reflect the differences in the schools for this study have been identified and an impact challenge index has been developed for each school. Descriptive factors utilized to determine the impact challenge index included minority and special population percentages of students, mobility indexes, and free and reduced price lunch percentages. In addition, data distinctive to each school's accreditation status and Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) have been determined. ANOVAs were performed to determine if there were significance between variables presented in this study of challenge impact levels, AYP performance, and position. Results of this study are mixed and revealed only a few significant differences and/or substantive meaningful results between variables.
Leadership Behaviors and Practices of Principals in Predominantly Minority Elementary Schools
Felder, Monique Therese (Virginia Tech, 2006-09-11)
The academic performance of African-American, Hispanic and low-income students is an ongoing national problem, as these students are not making the same academic gains as their White, Asian, and more socio-economically privileged peers. Schools across the country are striving to close this achievement gap, especially in light of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 2002 (more commonly known as the No Child Left Behind Act), which states as its main objective "to close the achievement gap with accountability, flexibility and choices so that no child is left behind" (Public Law 107-110, 107th Congress, 2002). Research on effective schools shows that schools can positively impact student achievement--especially the achievement of minority and poor students (Andrews & Sonder, 1987; Edmonds, 1981). Moreover, research shows that very few elements account for more inconsistency in student achievement than school leadership (Leithwood, 1994). Principals' behaviors and practices impact student achievement (Edsource et al., 2005; Powell, 2004; Waters, Marzano & McNulty, 2003). Hence, the purpose of this study was to use Powell's (2004) five domains of effective principal leadership behaviors and practices (e.g., vision, mission and culture; curriculum and classroom instruction; collaboration and shared leadership; family and community involvement; and effective management) as a lens to identify, compare and contrast, from the perspective of teachers, the leadership behaviors and practices of principals in predominantly minority elementary schools deemed effective and principals in predominantly minority elementary schools deemed marginally effective. The sample consisted of 20 schools (e.g., 10 effective and 10 marginally effective) in a mid-Atlantic state. Data were collected using a 76-item survey questionnaire developed by Powell (2004).
Leadership for Co-teaching: A Distributed Perspective
Sheehy, Lauren Elizabeth (Virginia Tech, 2007-02-07)
Educational leadership is challenged with meeting the requirements of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) legislation which mandates an education for all students. The focus on accessibility and accountability has resulted in more students with disabilities being served in the general education setting. The co-teaching service delivery model is offered in the school environment to provide an education for all students and is intended to include instruction that is specially designed for students with disabilities. Instructional leadership is essential to a successful implementation and maintenance of inclusive practices. This study sought to provide a better understanding of instructional leadership practices of the co-teaching service delivery model. The purpose of the study was to describe and explain how leaders support co-teaching. A distributed perspective based on the combination of activity and distributed cognition theories has been developed to study school leadership. This distributed perspective views leadership practice as an interaction between leaders, followers, and the situation (Spillane, Halverson, and Diamond 2004). This study examined instructional leadership practices of the co-teaching service delivery model at the elementary level. Data were collected through a qualitative design, using interviews, observations, and review of documents. Interviews were conducted with administrators responsible for the direct supervision of the co-teaching model and with co-teachers, both general and special educators. Observations occurred in the school setting and related documents were collected and analyzed. The distributed leadership perspective guided the data collection focusing on leadership tasks and functions, task-enactment, and social and situational distribution of leadership practice. The data revealed leadership tasks that included forming the team, scheduling, assigning instructional roles, allocating resources, and developing the co-teacher relationship. Leadership was shared between the administrators and teachers with both providing leadership. School environment, organizational arrangements with available resources, and participants' profile were identified as factors influencing the leadership practice of co-teaching. It is hoped by understanding the leadership roles and responsibilities of co-teaching, educators may better understand and nurture a co-teaching model that supports students in an inclusive environment.
Mesosystem Variables and Schools' Learning Disabilities Prevalence Rates
Marshall, Maureen Elizabeth (Virginia Tech, 2006-05-05)
Since the inception of the 1974 Education for all Handicapped Children legislation, the number of students referred and placed in special education has been steadily rising. The largest increase is in the learning disabilities category. With the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 and the federal requirements for schools under the No Child Left Behind law, schools are required to take a closer look at their rising special education numbers and identify alternative solutions for children's needs other than a certain placement in special education. There are different levels of variables that influence a teacher's decision to refer a student to special education. This study aimed to understand the mesosystem school variables that influence this process. Using two scales, the Organizational Health Inventory for Elementary Schools (OHI-E) and the Collective Efficacy Scale (CE-Scale) this study used purposive sampling to survey ten elementary school faculties in a large suburban district in Virginia. LD prevalence rates were collected for all elementary schools in the district. Data was analyzed to answer the following questions: (a) How does school organizational health correlate with the number of students referred to special education in a given school? (b) How does collective teacher efficacy correlate to the number of students referred for special education services? The overall return rate for the survey was 87% with 490 teacher surveys completed. Teachers did not have many teaching years in their buildings. Teachers with twelve or more teaching years experience were more likely to refer students to special education. Collective teacher efficacy scores were correlated to school health scores but not to LD prevalence rates. Higher institutional integrity was seen in smaller schools. Title I schools did not correlate with higher LD prevalence rates. Two variables predicted referrals to special education; years teaching in combination with teacher efficacy resulted in greater referrals to special education. The findings of this study may aid educational leaders in making sound changes within school environments to affect the school's LD prevalence rate, addressing particularly teacher efficacy and referral habits of more experienced teachers.
No Child Left Behind: Is it About Time? Elementary Scheduling Practices in the Commonwealth of Virginia Since the Authorization of NCLB
Carroll, Ritchie Graham (Virginia Tech, 2008-05-01)
Time, the one educational resource educators desire most, is so often in short supply in America 's schools. The ability of the school administrator to schedule teachers' and students' time so that both groups can maximize opportunities for teaching and learning each day has become an essential skill. Changing the structure of the school day to extend learning opportunities requires that administrators, teachers, and students have a firm commitment and clear understanding of the educational resources and processes of time. Successful practices regarding the use of time include: (a) careful planning and design, (b) adequate staff preparation and training, (c) effective use of extended time, and (d) a focus on equal access for students to multiple learning opportunities. Schools are under enormous pressure to show, through improved test scores, that they are providing every student with a thorough and efficient education. A review of the literature on alternative scheduling practices that use specified and structured blocks of learning time, focuses, overwhelmingly, on high school alternative scheduling models. However, there is a paucity of current research on the effects of alternative scheduling practices on elementary school cultures even though the elements of one particular method, parallel block scheduling, have been employed for over 30 years in elementary schools. This lack of research points to the necessity of exploring the benefits of alternative scheduling practices for delivery of instruction as well as changes in elementary school scheduling since the implementation of the No Child Left Behind mandate.
Opinions, Beliefs, and Attitudes, Including Perceived Value, that Virginia Principals and Assistant Principals Have Towards Mentoring for Their Job Assignment
Cramp, Ashley McCrary (Virginia Tech, 2006-08-28)
There is ample research (Bova & Phillips, 1994; Cordeiro & Smith-Sloan, 1995; Daresh, 2002; Ginty & Gaskill, 1993; Playko, 1995; Riche, 1979) to demonstrate the need for and benefits of mentoring both in the business world and with first year teachers. Mentoring allows a more experienced person to work directly with a less experienced person. Some benefits of such a relationship can include knowledge transfer, increased learning, creation of a support network, a decrease in job stress and anxiety, and an opportunity for the protégé to learn the big picture. School administrators face an increasing number of challenges in a job where new responsibilities are created almost on a daily basis. Many states will experience a shortage of qualified administrative applicants for open positions. This shortage is due to the retirement in the next several years of many existing administrators in addition to a larger number of positions accompanying increased school enrollment. Many states are exploring ways to address this concern. The first is through a reevaluation of certification criteria (training). The second is through the development of mentoring programs for new administrators (keeping the administrators we have). However, there is little research available on the mentoring of new administrators. This study identified the existing opinions, beliefs, and attitudes, including perceived value that administrators have towards mentoring for their job assignment. Statistical significance was determined at alpha < .01 for each analysis of variance between the groups. There was one item on the survey where a statistically significant difference was found between gender; assessment and grading (p(F) = .007). There was one item on the survey where a statistically significant difference was found between principals and assistant principals; school management (p(F) = .008). There was one item on the survey where a statistically significant difference was found between administrators who have and have not served as a formal mentor; time for discussion together (p(F) = .003). There was one item on the survey where a statistically significant difference was found between administrators who have and have not served as an informal mentor; mentor at same school level (p(F) = .005). However, the final two items of statistical significance are from Section B of the survey. Section B had a reliability of Cronbach's alpha = .50 (see Table 1). Therefore, results of these items must be viewed with caution. It is important to note that 400 out of 414 (96.7%) individual item analyses found no statistically significant differences between the various groups.
Planning for Technology in School Facilities
Eshelman, David (Virginia Tech, 2007-02-08)
The purpose of this study is to examine the issue of planning for technology in existing, new, or renovated school facilities. The focus is to provide educators a technology profile to help with planning issues regarding school design and the integration of technology in school facilities. Very few counties in the Commonwealth of Virginia have a facility planner on staff. It is the intent of this author to provide support for those involved with planning for technology in school facilities. Principals can use this tool to help align school technology goals with the division long-term plan as well as the technology standards. Reviewing the components of the Virginia Educational Technology Alignment Report, the CEO Forum STAR indicators, the Florida Technology Resource Survey, as well as the TAGLIT survey tool provided insight to the technology profile. This tool was used throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia to assess current conditions and the perceptions of principals, teachers and division support staff in an attempt to assess current and long-range planning for technology in school facilities. The literature reviewed clearly identifies that a continued commitment to long-range planning and effective statewide integration of educational technology into teaching and learning is essential. A close examination of the results of this study will assist those planning for and assessing schools readiness for technology and its impact on school design to ensure the accommodation of future technological needs of school facilities. As a result of the data collected a user technology profile can be created for each participating school. This tool can help in a variety of ways. Possibilities include setting benchmarks and goals, applying for technology grants, determining funding priorities, and creating individualized assessment tools. The intent here is to provide a technology user profile for each school by participant. This would enable the principal to review the data separately or by comparison of principal and teacher.
The Relationship between the Percentage of Students Passing the Standards of Learning examinations and the Condition of the Educational Facilities in the High Schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia
Crook, Jeffrey Ray (Virginia Tech, 2006-03-30)
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the percentages of students passing the Standards of Learning (SOL) examinations and current building condition of the high schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The first research question examined the relationship between the percentages of students passing the SOL examinations in school buildings that are assessed as substandard and standard. The second research question examined the difference between the percentages of students passing the SOL examinations in school buildings that are assessed structurally as substandard or standard. The third research question examined the difference in the percentages of students passing the SOL examinations in school buildings that are assessed as cosmetically substandard and standard. This study consisted of three major data components. The first component was the percentages of students passing the SOL examinations in the high schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The second component was the responses of principals to the Commonwealth Assessment of Physical Environment (CAPE) assessment. This instrument required an assessment of the condition of the school building. The final data was the percentage of students participating in the free and reduced lunch program which served as a measure of control for the socioeconomic status of each student body. The CAPE responses were used to compile descriptive statistics, pair-wise comparisons, and correlations. Schools were given a rating and placed into either standard or substandard condition based on the principals' responses on the CAPE. Once the two categories were identified, the percentages of students passing specific subtests of the SOL examinations were compared in standard and substandard condition to determine the relationship. The findings in this study indicate there is a significant relationship between building conditions and the percentages of students passing the English writing and reading SOL examinations. This study supports previous research studies that found that building condition does have a relationship with student achievement. As the need for high quality educational experiences increases, school boards should examine the available research relating to the condition of the educational facility and its impact on student achievement.
The Role of Leaders in AVID Schools and the Impact on Student Achievement
Noone, Colleen Callahan (Virginia Tech, 2010-11-29)
The Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program is designed to provide resources and strategies to enable underrepresented minority students to attend four-year colleges. Research indicates that the success of the students enrolled in AVID depends on the strict adherence to the AVID components. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the principal and administrator's understanding of, commitment to and involvement in AVID accounted for the difference in student achievement between a successful school and one that is not. AVID is a program with demonstrated results, however it is costly. Building principals have to be willing to use a teaching position to staff the AVID coordinator/teacher position, and school districts have to employ tutors for the twice-weekly tutorial sessions. In these difficult fiscal times, districts are looking for places to make adjustments. AVID's demonstrated effectiveness for students in an individual building, as well as district-wide, will be the key to keeping AVID from falling subject to budget cuts. Some of AVID's 11 essentials are instructionally based, such as Cornell Notes and WICR, which directly impact what occurs within the walls of the classroom. Others are more leadership-based, such as staffing and policies for student selection. Yet a third set consists of things which are not actually essentials or may be less tangible, but still have a great impact on AVID, such as the perception of AVID students by peers, the perception of AVID students by the school community in general, and the understanding and oversight of the program within the building. This study focused on the essentials that are leadership based as well as those which are less tangible. It is essential to know what factors in a school make AVID implementation meet with the greatest success. A comparative case study methodology was used. The study used Grade Point Averages to determine two focus schools, and then interviews with principals and AVID administrators was conducted and analyzed. This study demonstrated that the key person in any site is the administrator who directly oversees the program. This individual must be thoroughly trained in all aspects of AVID so that program essentials can by implemented according to AVID guidelines and decisions regarding student success are based on accurate information. Assessment of program implementation is a multi-level process. In order to get an accurate picture of a program implemented in multiple schools, it is essential to first be sure that implementation is uniform within a specific building. Schools that have more than one teacher implementing a program must be monitored to be sure that there is a uniform practice within the building. Those involved with program oversight need to start there, especially if grades are being used as a basis of comparison.
The Role of the School Superintendent as a Technology Leader: A Delphi Study
Mirra, David R. (Virginia Tech, 2004-04-26)
School superintendents have been thrust into the complex world of technology leadership often armed with little technology related training or expertise. District and school leaders are often faced with purchase decisions of costly equipment and software with minimum knowledge of what impact it will have on their organization or specific knowledge of how it will be used to meet curriculum goals. With continued local, state, and federal support and rapid advances in technology, school superintendents are expected to provide leadership in this fast-changing arena. The purpose of this study was to define the role of the school superintendent as an effective technology leader in terms of knowledge, performances, and dispositions. The research questions guiding this study were: • What does a superintendent need to know about technology to be an effective technology leader? • What actions should be performed by a superintendent to be an effective technology leader? • What are indicators of a superintendent's disposition as an effective technology leader? The study was conducted using a three-round Delphi with an expert panel composed of 29 stakeholders with diverse perspectives in the area of school technology leadership. The findings in this study showed a group consensus on 27 knowledge items, 27 performance actions, and 35 dispositional indicators of school superintendents as effective technology leaders. The study contains criteria that may be useful in the development of technology related preparation practices for school superintendents. The findings may also be of interest to those concerned with professional development for superintendents or to those involved in the selection of superintendents for technology leadership positions.
A Study of the Relationship between Building Conditions and Student Academic Achievement in Pennsylvania's High School
O'Sullivan, Sean (Virginia Tech, 2006-08-28)
This study investigated the relationship between school building conditions and student academic achievement in Pennsylvania's high schools. Research questions analyzed by step-wise multiple regression were: (a) Is there a relationship between overall school building conditions and student academic achievement in Pennsylvania's high schools when socio-economic status (SES) is held constant?; (b) Is there a relationship between the cosmetic conditions of school facilities and student academic achievement in Pennsylvania's high schools when socio-economic status (SES) is held constant?; and (c) Is there a relationship between the structural conditions of school facilities and student academic achievement in Pennsylvania's high schools when socio-economic status (SES) is held constant? Two hundred and five randomly selected high schools in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania were identified as the population for this study. Selected high school principals or principal designees were sent an on-line version of a modified Commonwealth Assessment of Physical Environment (CAPE) survey to ascertain information regarding the building conditions of their respective high schools. Student academic achievement data was measured by a three year scale score average of students' performance on the writing, reading and mathematics sections of the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) exams. Socio-economic status (SES) was identified as the percentage of students eligible for free or reduced lunch. This factor was used as a covariant to control academic achievement variance related to SES. A step-wise regression analysis identified that a relationship exists between high school building conditions and student academic achievement in Pennsylvania's high schools. As the building conditions in the participant high schools surveyed improved, a corresponding increase in the academic achievement of its students was noted. It did not appear to matter if the improvement in a school buildings condition was cosmetic or structural; any improvement in a school buildings condition was associated with an increase in student academic achievement. This would seem to indicate that a relationship exists between student academic achievement and school building conditions in Pennsylvania high schools.
Teacher Selection: A Delphi Study
Tottossy, Andrea Perry (Virginia Tech, 2005-03-14)
The hiring of teachers is one of the most important responsibilities of principals (Emley & Ebmeier, 1997; Place & Drake, 1994). When errors in hiring occur, consequences are felt by staff, students, parents, community, and the overall operation and functioning of the school (Emley & Ebmeier, 1997). Unfortunately, not much empirical research has been conducted to date to support how to hire quality teachers effectively. "The research to date has not sufficiently addressed questions such as (1) what criteria need to be assessed; (2) which of those criteria are judged to be the most important by those using them in the process; and (3) what variables influence principal priorities." (Place & Drake, p. 87) The implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB, 2002) has mandated that all teachers meet the definition of being highly qualified. This mandate poses unique challenges to principals in the identification of teachers who possess the characteristics considered essential in the teacher selection process. The purpose of this study was to develop consensus among nationally recognized principals regarding the traits considered essential for teachers, the best interview questions to target these traits, and other sources utilized to identify these essential traits. The research methodology that was used to develop consensus consists of a three-round Delphi study. By definition, the Delphi technique is "a group process involving an interaction between the researcher and a group of identified experts on a specified topic, usually through a series of questionnaires" (Skutsch & Hall, 1973). The knowledge and experiences of the panel of expert principals provided the underlying premise from which group consensus was built.
Teacher's Perceptions of Leadership Characteristics of Public High School Principals Associated with Student Socioeconomic Status, Community Type, Race, and Student Achievement
Turner, Scot Bruce (Virginia Tech, 2008-01-22)
This causal comparative study examined the relationship of the school demographic factors of ethnicity, socioeconomic percentages, academic performance, and school location (urban versus rural) on principal leadership with data analyzed when schools were placed into groups ex-post-facto. One-Hundred and sixty-nine teachers representing six public high schools located in Virginia were surveyed using Powell's (2004) survey. Five areas, or domains of leadership were analyzed, (I) Vision, Mission, and Culture; (II) Curriculum and Classroom Instruction; (III) Collaboration and Shared Leadership; (IV) Family and Community Involvement; (V) Effective Management. Quantitative data were analyzed (means, frequency, ANOVA, Tukey-Kramer HSD) with school results placed into demographic groups and locations to examine group differences in perceptions of principal leadership. Significant differences were found when schools were grouped according to location and demographic factors. A model of the contextual elements on the role of principal leadership was developed, and implications for research and future studies were presented.
Training school staffs in concepts of participatory management in the Fairfax County public schools: an evaluation study
Byers, Larry (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1984)
The Fairfax County, Virginia, Public Schools made a commitment in 1981 to involve teacher leaders and principals in all schools in the improvement of school-based facilitation of instruction. It was decided that this school-based management emphasis would best be achieved through a training program that focused on concepts of participatory management. Therefore, beginning in the fall of 1981 (and for three successive semesters), principals, assistant principals, department chairpersons, and team leaders were selected to participate in a one-semester university credit course entitled “Distributed Management of Instructional Environments." The course provided a forum for the presentation of alternative decision-making models to the instructional leadership within each school. Leadership theories based on the writings of Herzberg, Maslow, Levinson, et al., and models such as Likert's linking-pin structure and Hersey and Blanchard's situational leadership were presented in large group sessions followed by small group discussions. Each school was required to prepare a planning document detailing the management processes and structures to be used to facilitate instruction. This study evaluates the success of the program in achieving its objectives. The CIPP evaluation model proposed by Stufflebeam provided the overall design for the study.

Browsing by Author "Byers, Larry"

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