School Leaders' Perceptions of Their Capacity to Support High Quality Mathematics Instruction in an Era of Reform and Chang

The influence of school leaders on school reform and student achievement has been noted and is second only to teachers on student performance outcomes (Marzano, 2005; Leithwood, Louis, Anderson, and Wahlstrom, 2004). Leithwood et al. (2004) noted school reform "all depend for their success on the motivations and capacities of local leadership. The chance of any reform improving student learning is remote unless [...} school leaders agree with its purposes" (p.4). As such the purpose of this study was to examine school leaders' perceptions of their capacity to support teachers' implementation of high quality mathematics instruction in an era of reform and change. Given the influence of leaders on school reform the population for this study consisted of middle school, junior high school, and elementary school principals in the state of Missouri. Data for the investigation was collected through a survey and follow-up face-face and/or telephone interviews.;The findings of the study indicated principals' perceptions of their capacity to supervise and support teachers' implementation of high quality mathematics instruction at the middle and elementary levels in an era of reform and change was an area of concern. Based on the results of the investigation, the researcher concluded middle school and elementary school principals are not adequately prepared to supervise and support teachers' mathematics instruction. Principals' reported the course-work in their teacher preparation (prior to becoming a principal) and principal preparation programs related to mathematics could have been more robust and relevant to their work as an instructional leader. Upon gaining a principalship they also reported limited to no professional development opportunities provided by school districts regarding mathematics and supervising teachers' mathematics instruction.