Understanding the Challenge:The Worklife of a Principal in an Achieving Urban Elementary School with a Large Number of At-risk Students

Lovett, Marilyn Price

Understanding the Challenge:The Worklife of a Principal in an Achieving Urban Elementary School with a Large Number of At-risk Students

dc.contributor.author	Lovett, Marilyn Price	en
dc.contributor.committeechair	Parson, Stephen R.	en
dc.contributor.committeecochair	Richards, Robert R.	en
dc.contributor.committeemember	Earthman, Glen I.	en
dc.contributor.committeemember	Rehnback, Vikki Y.	en
dc.contributor.committeemember	Parks, David J.	en
dc.contributor.department	Educational Leadership and Policy Studies	en
dc.date.accessioned	2014-03-14T20:12:54Z	en
dc.date.adate	2000-07-07	en
dc.date.available	2014-03-14T20:12:54Z	en
dc.date.issued	2000-05-03	en
dc.date.rdate	2001-07-07	en
dc.date.sdate	2000-06-09	en
dc.description.abstract	A number of significant changes have occurred in our public schools in recent years. These changes include shifting federal program priorities, adoption of state curriculum standards, and the implementation of site-based decision-making. These changes come at a time when schools are experiencing significant changes in the ethnic and socioeconomic composition of their student body and when many families are struggling to meet challenges arising from poverty or job requirements. Attention has been given to the impact these changes are having on teachers, parents, and students. Little attention has been given, however, to the impact these changes are having on principals. The purpose of this study was to increase understanding of a principal's worklife in an achieving urban elementary school with a large number of at-risk students. The study examined one principal's methods of dealing with everyday problems associated with leading in a school that serves children of color and 98% of the students meet low-income criteria (i.e., they qualify for free or reduced-price lunch). Over the past five years, second grade students showed increases in reading beyond those achieved by minority students in the school division. Attendance rates over the past five years show improvement. Interviews, observations, and the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (Bass & Avolio, 1995) were used to collect data. From these data, a case study was written. The report of case study findings describes the worklife of the principal, school characteristics, and school outcomes. Conclusions drawn from the case study indicate that the worklife of the principal has similarities to the worklife of other elementary principals. However, due to school characteristics and external factors elementary principals serving in urban schools with a large number of at-risk students can expect an escalated level of intensity and demand on a daily basis. Findings of this study have relevance for urban elementary school principals desiring to increase achievement. Further, findings suggest that urban elementary schools serving a large number of at-risk students can achieve successful outcomes.	en
dc.description.degree	Ed. D.	en
dc.identifier.other	etd-06092000-14590056	en
dc.identifier.sourceurl	http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-06092000-14590056/	en
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10919/27999	en
dc.publisher	Virginia Tech	en
dc.relation.haspart	Backmatter1.pdf	en
dc.relation.haspart	FrontMatter.1.pdf	en
dc.relation.haspart	Section1.PDF	en
dc.rights	In Copyright	en
dc.rights.uri	http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/	en
dc.subject	Elementary Principal	en
dc.subject	Principal Leadership Behavior	en
dc.subject	Principal Worklife	en
dc.subject	Urban Elementary School	en
dc.title	Understanding the Challenge:The Worklife of a Principal in an Achieving Urban Elementary School with a Large Number of At-risk Students	en
dc.type	Dissertation	en
thesis.degree.discipline	Educational Leadership and Policy Studies	en
thesis.degree.grantor	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University	en
thesis.degree.level	doctoral	en
thesis.degree.name	Doctor of Education	en