In March 2020, school leaders' roles were unexpectedly and dramatically challenged as a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in overnight school closures across the United States and an unexpected and expedited transition to online learning. What role might emotional intelligence (EI) have played in the leadership…

This study explores the perceived preparedness of elementary school building leaders in special education leadership and its implications for school administrative preparation programs. This study aimed to address this problem by examining two research questions. The first was to investigate course offerings in administrative preparation programs…

There is an increasing number of students from traditionally underrepresented racial groups enrolled in United States public schools (Frey, 2014). However, racially and ethnically diverse students "struggle with a range of academic and personal issues…in a culture that disproportionately disciplines them and questions their intelligence"…

As the population of ELLs continues to increase, so do the mandates to address the achievement gap of this diverse population. While there is a consensus on the importance of improving the academic achievement of ELLs (Elfers & Stritikus, 2014; Russell, 2018; Sua´rez-Orozco et al., 2008) and there is growing research reinforcing the needs for…

With the growing population of English Language Learners, there is a need to focus on ELL education from a new perspective as principals' school priorities and practices directly influence teacher priorities and practices (Dufour & Marzano, 2011; Walker et al., 2004). Elmore (2000) stated that "leadership is the guidance and direction of…

Little research has focused on the extent to which community school principals approach family engagement efforts, specifically from an equity-centered perspective. This study examined how community school principals' leadership practices exhibited tenets of Community Equity Literacy. Results from interviews with 13 administrators and 19…

This paper explores ideas about the role of the school principal embedded in New York State education policy. Many public schools across the state fail to deliver equitable opportunities and outcomes for an increasingly diverse student population and improving school leadership offers the potential for substantial returns. Drawing on concepts of…

Due to educational policy, data use in schools is a widespread method of school improvement, yet results remain inconsistent. Across the literature, the school leader is a key determinant of the effectiveness of data use. This study sought to shed light on the role of the school leader in data use through a mixed methods case study. The study…

Most research focuses on principal mobility generally, but little assesses charter leadership specifically. This exploratory study examines how leaders in stand-alone and charter management affiliated schools in New York and New Jersey made their decisions to lead, stay, and transition to different roles. Leaders cited excitement about autonomy…

Research has consistently shown that the quality of teachers working with students has a greater impact on academic achievement than any other school-related factor. However, close to a third of new teachers continue to leave the profession within their first 5 years of employment. In particular, hard-to-staff rural schools have struggled to…

Public school principals are challenged with educating students effectively in the midst of frequent educational policy changes and increasing institutional demands. Principals also face mounting pressures within their communities such as poverty, racial divides, cultural barriers, and educational disparities. Building cultures of respect,…

For more than forty years, the United States' public education system's "zero-tolerance" policies, and disciplinary practices rooted in those policies, have negatively impacted and marginalized minority students far greater than the general student body population. Over the years, nationwide studies have identified complex multifaceted…

The recent changes to school accountability under the "Every Student Succeeds Act" (2015) have highlighted the negative effects of chronic absenteeism on student achievement. For many students, poor attendance habits begin as early as kindergarten and continue through high school. Resulting in literacy and math gaps, the impacts of…

School leadership is a key component of successful school environments and academic performance strategies. Among school-related factors, school leadership is second to teaching in its impact on student learning. In addition, research shows that strong leaders contribute significantly to successful school turnaround. To ensure that school leaders…

We live in a country with a long history of settler colonialism and we understand that our educational institutions, structures, and ideologies are part of that history. Our perceptions as educators of how students learn and how we should lead can be grounded in implicit biases that may dehumanize learners and perpetuate systems of oppression.…