HOW DO ELEMENTARY PRINCIPALS NAVIGATE COMPETING DEMANDS TO FOCUS ON INSTRUCTIONAL PRIORITIES?

Abstract

The research on high-poverty, high-performing schools, suggests instructional leadership is an essential component for principals to be effective school leaders. Unfortunately, in spite of themes in the research, and shifts in principal preparation initiatives, practice suggests principals struggle to hold to instructional priorities. Given the significant costs of education reform this challenge to prioritize instructional leadership needs to be understood, particularly in the area of leading the improvement of high-poverty, lower performing schools. The gap between research and practice, and the causes for these differences in principal leadership, were the subject of this study. Qualitative methods were used to study eight instructionally-centered principals in their schools to identify "how" they navigate the competing demands to focus on instructional priorities. Common themes emerged from the interview, observation, and calendar study data providing strategies for how these principals navigate demands to remain focused on instruction. Findings affirmed the research from effective school reform and school leadership research. Themes also emerged for practices aligned with the research on organizational leadership; for example, principals delegated purposefully, served as relatable "lead learners," and used data to create a sense of urgency and leverage improvements to instruction. Principals were also found to be "kid-centered" in their decision making. Most interesting in the themes that emerged; however, was the unanimous belief that all students can learn. Principals demonstrated evidence of self-efficacy about their leadership, and perhaps more importantly, the belief that the "locus of causality" for learning lies within the school and teachers. This set of beliefs appeared to drive their planning towards creating a data-centered environment in their schools. Implications for further research and principal professional development are discussed.