Date of Award

2006

Degree Name

Educational Leadership

College

College of Education

Type of Degree

Ed.D.

Document Type

Dissertation

First Advisor

Teresa R. Eagle

Second Advisor

Ronald B. Childress

Third Advisor

Michael L. Cunningham

Fourth Advisor

Steven L. Paine

Abstract

This study sought to determine if a significant relationship existed between the leadership practices of school principals and student achievement in mathematics and reading. The leadership practices of principals were measured using Kouzes’and Posner’s Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) which measures leadership practices in five distinct areas: modeling the way, inspiring a shared vision, challenging the process, enabling others to act and encouraging the heart. Student achievement in reading and mathematics was determined using the percentage of students proficient in reading and mathematics as measured by the state of West Virginia’s standardized exam, the West Virginia Educational Standards Test (WESTEST) for the 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 school years. This study also considered the relationship of four selected demographic variables (per-pupil expenditure, principals’ years of experience, school size and socioeconomic status) and the interaction of the leadership practices of principals and student achievement in both mathematics and reading.

The study’s population consisted of West Virginia’s school principals who had served as the principal of their schools for a minimum period of three years and whose schools contained some portion of grades three through eight (N=350). When examining the relationship between the leadership practices of principals and student achievement, a significant relationship was found between the leadership practice modeling the way and individual cases of student achievement in reading. Seven additional significant relationships were found when considering the relationship between selected demographic variables and the interaction of the leadership practices of principals and student achievement in mathematics and reading. The seven significant relationships existed when principals’ years of experience, school size and socioeconomic status were considered. No significant relationships were found when examining per-pupil expenditure.

Subject(s)

Academic achievement.

School principals.

Educational leadership.

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