Publication Date

2008

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Degree Name

Ed.D. (Doctor of Education)

Legacy Department

Department of Leadership, Educational Psychology and Foundations

LCSH

Elementary school principals--Rating of--Illinois; Rural schools--Illinois--Administration--Evaluation

Abstract

This study extended and expanded upon the research of Sebright-Smith's research, which analyzed the Illinois Content Area Standards and determined that elementary school principals in a rural setting do not utilize the performance indicators to guide their practice. The purpose of this research was to identify the key performance practices of elementary school principals and determine whether the practice of suburban elementary school principals reflects the performance indicators of the Illinois Content Area standards for Principals. The six standards that were adopted by the state of Illinois and titled the Illinois Content Area Standards for Principals cover the following areas: Standard 1: Facilitating a Vision of Learning; Standard 2: School Culture and Instructional Program; Standard 3: Management; Standard 4: Collaboration with Families and Communities; Standard 5: Acting with Integrity, Fairness, and in an Ethical Manner; and Standard 6: The Political, Social, Economic, Legal and Cultural Context. This study utilized qualitative methods in an effort to provide an in-depth description of the extent to which principals utilize the Illinois Content Area Standards performance indicators to guide their practice in an era of accountability. For the purpose of this study, the researcher utilized a series of interview questions that were created by Sebright-Smith. The six interview questions were focused on the major components of the ISLLC standards. This investigation showed if suburban elementary school principals' practices reflect the performance indicators of the Illinois Content Area standards for Principals. Through the discussions on the principalship, 56 of the 66 performance indicators were referenced by one or more of the participants either directly or indirectly. Of the 56 performance indicators referenced by the participants, 31 of the indicators were mentioned by at least six of the seven principals. Finally, of the seven principals who participated in this study, Principal Hancock was the only principal to state that he utilizes the performance indicators of the Illinois Content Area Standards for Principals for guidance as a suburban elementary school principal. This reflects the tension that exists at a national level between those for and those against standards in school leadership.

Comments

Includes bibliographical references (pages [93]-98).

Extent

vi, 113 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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