Date of Award

2014

Document Type

Open Access Dissertation

Department

Educational Leadership and Policies

Sub-Department

Educational Administration

First Advisor

Ed Cox

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the leadership practice differences in positive climate schools when grouping for school size, poverty index, and gender of the principal. This study utilized Kouzes and Posner's Leadership Practice-Self inventories as a tool for measuring perceptions of leadership practice.

The researcher surveyed 47 South Carolina elementary principals to measure leadership practices in schools with documented positive climate. Principals self assessed their leadership practices on the inventories, measuring 30 behaviors on a ten point Likert scale. The 30 behaviors are categorized into five leadership practices: 1) Model the Way, 2) Inspire a Shared Vision, 3) Challenge the Process, 4) Enable Others to Act, 5) Encourage the Heart. Six questions address each of the five leadership practices (Kouzes and Posner, 2003). Results were grouped by school size, poverty index, and gender of the principal and then analyzed to find leadership practice differences.

Based on the findings of this study, positive climate is not a factor in leadership behavior because there were few differences found in leadership practices among study participants when grouped for school size, poverty index, and gender of the principal.

Rights

© 2014, Latoya Nicole Dixon

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