| The purpose of this study was to identify effective leadership practices common among principals in high achieving schools, and to identify the leadership practices as they appeared in the literature, as well as leadership standards accepted by the National Policy Board for Educational Administration. Case studies of three principals of schools located within the midlands geographical area of the State of South Carolina were used to investigate the research questions. The principals identified for these case studies were selected because they were recognized for making the greatest impact on turning their schools around while promoting student excellence, and they earned high honors from the State Department of Education in South Carolina. A survey was given to teachers in each school to determine if the principals at the selected schools exhibited the leadership behaviors outlined in the survey. Other methods of data collection included document analysis, observations, and teacher interviews.; In addressing the issue of leaders' practices, the conceptual framework identified the competencies of school leadership. The competencies were extracted from the research and represented one way of describing effective school leadership. The framework identified the competencies of the principal as a visionary, a believer of student learning, a developer of teacher leadership, a facilitator of shared decision-making, and as a builder of culture and community. Findings supported the competencies identified in the conceptual framework and revealed the principals demonstrated success in their practices within each dimension.; Several conclusions were derived from this study, however the most prevalent was that the principals placed the needs of students in the center of all their decision-making. This appeared to be the prime transformational behavior that awakened intrinsic motivation among staff members. Specific recommendations were made to better prepare school leaders to be the transformational leaders that researchers believe are necessary to successfully lead schools. |
