The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to examine the co-teaching experiences of secondary choir teachers in associate director positions in the state of Texas. We interviewed 12 participants, who had held an associate director position for at least 3 years, two times across a 4-month period. Three themes emerged from the data:…

Assistant principals typically begin their careers as teachers and transition to the role of assistant principal after completing a certification program that characteristically focuses on the principalship. Once they move into the role of assistant principal, many feel unprepared as the job responsibilities, assigned by the principal, usually…

The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to examine how mentoring support systems, race and gender intersectional challenges shape the pathway for five African-American women principals in a South Texas urban school district. The researcher used a semi-structured interview question protocol, audio-recorded, and professionally transcribed…

This phenomenological research study was based on elementary school teachers who felt unsupported by their principals, due to lack of frequent reviews and pertinent evaluations. In previous research studies, researchers stated that many elementary teachers were frustrated, changed schools frequently, retired early, or left the teaching profession…

Vice-principals' (VPs) work is intensifying in its complexity and volume but the changing nature of their work is not thoroughly documented. This article focuses on the often-overlooked VP's role and records the factors that evidence the intensifying work conditions for VPs. The data for this article come from a large-scale online survey that has…

Effective recruitment and retention strategies of teachers remain elusive for school districts. This study examines the pilot implementation of a year-long teacher residency program throughout four high-needs districts. This program embeds eight residents in these schools and provides various teacher preparation supports to support these beginning…

Research has shown that school leaders' engagement in teacher induction is vital for establishing supportive school structures and conditions that are conducive to successful socialization and long-term sustenance of newly qualified teachers (NQTs). In Malta, the problem of teacher recruitment and a growing attrition rate is becoming very acute.…

The purpose of this case is to illuminate the nuances of one of the most important roles on a school campus--the role of the assistant principal; with a focus on Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) women assistant principals. This case is for educational leaders interested in understanding the power dynamics between an assistant principal…

The purpose of this study was to understand the extent to which novice department leaders believe they have been supported in their roles. Previous research has suggested that department leaders have unique needs due to the lack of clarity in their roles and responsibilities. The literature further reflected the inconsistent support provided to…

The 21st century places significant demands on our educational system. It is an opportune time to re-imagine the mission, operations, and skills expected of school district offices. The focus of this study was on the school district's role in strengthening principals' instructional leadership capacity for improving educational outcomes. Using a…

A full academic career encompasses both successes and failures. The purpose of this study was to delve into academic successes and failures, going beyond the conventional focus on objective measures, such as performance, rankings, and funding. Through semi-structured interviews with twelve senior academics from seven countries, we explored…

School administrators contribute to the macro and micro environmental factors that challenge the sustainability of African American teachers. Retaining African American teachers is a particular challenge for schools that serve high proportions of students of color living in households with low-income. Although some research focuses on the…

As more colleges and universities are designated as Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), examining the pathways of HSI presidents is critical as their leadership sets an example of what it means to support the success of students from Latinx/Hispanic backgrounds. Given that these students have traditionally been underserved -- not just due to…

Problem of Practice: School principals have a powerful effect on student achievement, school culture, and teacher turnover. According to the National Association of Secondary School Principals (2020), the average career of a school principal is four years, and one in five school principals leave their schools annually. These numbers are even…

A formal induction and mentoring (I&M) program is critical for supporting and developing novice teachers as they enter the K-12 classroom and has been found to improve teacher retention, teaching practice, and student outcomes. Districts across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts are required to offer induction and mentoring programming to their…