{"title":"Agentic Leadership: Principals’ Agency During the COVID-19 Crisis","authors":"Gonny Gordin Yoskovitz, Chen Schechter","doi":"10.1080/15700763.2023.2261039","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15700763.2023.2261039","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACTThis research aimed to examine school principals’ perceptions and practices during the COVID-19 period through the perspective of school leaders’ agency and proactive coping role when facing adversity and crisis. For this purpose, we interviewed 60 principals of elementary, middle, and high schools. Interview analysis yielded five categories of leaders’ agency during the COVID-19 crisis pertaining to principals’ proactive creation of opportunities in the following fields: (1) principalship; (2) pedagogy; (3) professional development; (4) role autonomy; and (5) relationships and connections with various communities. The study expands knowledge identifying the perceptions and practices embodied in leadership agency. Disclosure StatementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Notes1. https://edu.gov.il/minhalpedagogy/mop/Pages/home-page-agaf.aspx (Hebrew).","PeriodicalId":46638,"journal":{"name":"Leadership and Policy in Schools","volume":" 24","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135242129","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Timothy A. Drake, Michael Little, Lora Cohen-Vogel, Austin Gragson, Victor Cadilla
{"title":"What Shapes Principals’ Early Education Leadership Practices? A Mixed-Methods Study of North Carolina School Leaders","authors":"Timothy A. Drake, Michael Little, Lora Cohen-Vogel, Austin Gragson, Victor Cadilla","doi":"10.1080/15700763.2023.2277270","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15700763.2023.2277270","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACTPrincipals can play an important role in the effectiveness of early education programs and early grade levels in their school. The purpose of this study is to describe the relationship between principals’ backgrounds and their self-assessed early education leadership practices. Using a mixed-methods approach that draws on surveys and interviews from school leaders in North Carolina, we found that principals often lacked experience or training in early education. We also identified factors (e.g., training in early education) that predicted higher self-assessed early education leadership practices. We conclude by discussing the implication of these findings for research, policy, and practice. Disclosure StatementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Notes1. Throughout this paper, we use the term “early education leadership” to refer to educational leadership focused on Pre-K and the early elementary grades K through 3.Additional informationFundingThis work was supported by the Belk Foundation.","PeriodicalId":46638,"journal":{"name":"Leadership and Policy in Schools","volume":"24 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135634598","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"When Crisis Meets Crisis: Sensemaking of Third Grade Retention Policy and Crisis Management of COVID-19","authors":"Yujin Oh","doi":"10.1080/15700763.2023.2275206","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15700763.2023.2275206","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACTThrough 13 in-depth interviews conducted before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, this qualitative study investigates how policy actors make sense of Michigan’s third grade retention policy as a smothering crisis, what factors influenced variations in their sensemaking, and how sensemaking has evolved to address difficulties imposed by the pandemic as a sudden crisis. Drawing upon sensemaking and crisis management frameworks, the findings reveal different meaning makings due to contextual challenges: 1) information filtering, 2) principals’ instructional leadership, and 3) parent involvement. The pandemic catalyzed collaboration among policy actors to respond to, recover from, and learn from the crisis. AcknowledgmentsI would like to express special thanks to Dr. Kristy Cooper Stein for her insightful feedback and suggestions on this article.Disclosure StatementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Additional informationFundingThe study was supported by the Summer Research Development Fellowship from the College of Education at Michigan State University.","PeriodicalId":46638,"journal":{"name":"Leadership and Policy in Schools","volume":"40 16","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135819473","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Approaching Burnout: The Work and Wellbeing of Saskatchewan School Administrators During COVID-19","authors":"Donna H. Swapp, Pamela Osmond-Johnson","doi":"10.1080/15700763.2023.2265457","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15700763.2023.2265457","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACTThis article examines school administrators’ wellbeing amidst heightening work intensification during the COVID-19 pandemic. The article draws on the concepts “stress” and “burnout” within an overarching conceptual framework of wellbeing to highlight the substance and scope of wellbeing issues these administrators experienced in their work. The article concludes that strengthening leadership capacity to inspire future confidence in the school principalship requires a reorientation of our understanding of what it means to be a leader and the creation of an environment in which incumbents and aspiring administrators feel secure in demonstrating vulnerability and advocating for their own needs. Disclosure StatementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Additional informationFundingThis work was supported by the The Centre for Educational Research, Collaboration, and Development (CERCD).","PeriodicalId":46638,"journal":{"name":"Leadership and Policy in Schools","volume":"14 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136032615","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Improvement Science and the Every Student Succeeds Act: An Analysis of the Consolidated State Plans","authors":"Kathleen M. W. Cunningham, David Osworth","doi":"10.1080/15700763.2023.2264924","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15700763.2023.2264924","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to examine the presence of continuous improvement and improvement science in the Consolidated State Plans required by ESSA. Through an exploratory qualitative content analysis, we examined 52 state plans to determine the extent education policies encourage professional educators to use a continuous improvement and improvement science approach to meet educational goals. Our analysis yielded four themes: (a) state plans included continuous improvement, (b) improvement was framed as an outcome to be achieved or a process, (c) plans prioritized the what not the how, and (d) measurement was used for accountability more than improving processes. Disclosure StatementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).","PeriodicalId":46638,"journal":{"name":"Leadership and Policy in Schools","volume":"237 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136063656","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Preparing School Boards for Sustainable Leadership: How Does Your State’s Policy Equip School Board Members?","authors":"Robin Henrikson","doi":"10.1080/15700763.2023.2265449","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15700763.2023.2265449","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACTIn an era of increasing political and social divisiveness, school boards across the country face pressure to maintain effective governance amongst relentless pressure. Most school board members lack the experience to know how to effectively serve, thus, training is a necessary resource to ensure effective board governance and retain board members. This study provides an overview of states that have policies dictating professional learning requirements of new and veteran board members. Results indicate many states have no requirements for time or topics. State agencies should consider requiring professional development for school boards and superintendents on effective governance and evaluation. Disclosure StatementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).","PeriodicalId":46638,"journal":{"name":"Leadership and Policy in Schools","volume":"79 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"134976203","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rosário Serrão, Maria Conceição Andrade E. Silva, Luísa Mota Ribeiro, Marisa Carvalho, Maria Luísa Vital
{"title":"Teachers’ and Parents’ Perceptions on Desired and Practised School Mission: Alignments and Misalignments","authors":"Rosário Serrão, Maria Conceição Andrade E. Silva, Luísa Mota Ribeiro, Marisa Carvalho, Maria Luísa Vital","doi":"10.1080/15700763.2023.2263785","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15700763.2023.2263785","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACTSchool leadership models emphasize the importance of leadership devoting time to the creation of a shared school mission, as a strategy for school effectiveness. This paper focuses on teachers’ and parents’ perceptions of the desired and practised school mission, considering the following dimensions: i) scientific and technological; ii) civic; iii) social and emotional; iv) vocational; v) physical. 3284 teachers and 3258 parents participated. All dimensions were highly valued as part of the desired school mission, mostly civic and social and emotional. However, the averages were lower in all dimensions of the practised school mission. Implications for school leadership are discussed. AcknowledgmentsWe would like to acknowledge all participants who contributed for this research, and the initiative Escola Amiga da Criança – Editora Leya for this research proposal and support in data collection and dissemination. The authors are grateful to the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) for the support to CEDH – Research Centre for Human Development (Ref. UIDB/04872/2020); and financial support from the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (through project UIDB/00731/2020) is also gratefully acknowledged.Disclosure StatementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Additional informationFundingThe work was supported by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia [UIDB/00731/2020].","PeriodicalId":46638,"journal":{"name":"Leadership and Policy in Schools","volume":"6 5 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135739677","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Reviewer Acknowledgements","authors":"","doi":"10.1080/15700763.2023.2268977","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15700763.2023.2268977","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":46638,"journal":{"name":"Leadership and Policy in Schools","volume":"11 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135901815","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Who is the Principal Here? Understanding the Social Conditions of Collective Bargaining Agency and Implementation in Schools","authors":"Bradley D. Marianno, Stefani R. Relles","doi":"10.1080/15700763.2023.2259966","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15700763.2023.2259966","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACTThis study examines school leaders’ implementation of collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) negotiated between teachers’ unions and school district administration. Using interviews with school leaders and drawing on a structure-agency perspective, the research highlights the interplay between school leader decision-making, union power, and school social dynamics in CBA implementation. The findings demonstrate that school leaders employed diverse strategies to manage collective bargaining work rules that varied based on school leaders’ tenure. Experienced leaders defrayed CBA disputes, while less experienced leaders deferred to teachers’ interpretations. Our findings further illustrate how leaders leveraged CBA provisions in ways that privileged efficient school functioning. Disclosure StatementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Supplementary materialSupplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/15700763.2023.2259966.","PeriodicalId":46638,"journal":{"name":"Leadership and Policy in Schools","volume":"11 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135816641","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kristy Cooper Stein, Yujin Oh, Melissa Marie Usiak
{"title":"Elementary Principals’ Learning Trajectories for Developing and Enacting Leadership for Literacy","authors":"Kristy Cooper Stein, Yujin Oh, Melissa Marie Usiak","doi":"10.1080/15700763.2023.2257789","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15700763.2023.2257789","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACTEffective elementary principals enact leadership for literacy to support high quality literacy instruction. Yet not all elementary principals possess strong literacy knowledge. This study examines how principals with different professional backgrounds learn about and enact leadership for literacy and how the embedded systems of principals’ work impact literacy leadership. We use interview, survey, and observation data to identify five learning trajectories for elementary principals. Across the trajectories, principals enact leadership for literacy differently depending on their level of literacy expertise. Principals with less expertise compensate by working with teacher leaders or fellow principals, acquiring more expertise, or emulating other principals. Disclosure StatementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).","PeriodicalId":46638,"journal":{"name":"Leadership and Policy in Schools","volume":"37 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136236216","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}