The relationship of teachers' perceptions of their elementary school principals' professional practices and their own professional practices in implementing a learning community with economically disadvantaged students

The purpose of this study was to examine teachers' perceptions of their elementary school principals' professional practices and their own professional practices in implementing a learning community as defined by the National Association of Elementary School Principals.; For the purpose of this study, The Principal and Teacher Learning Community Scale was developed. Statistically significant findings of this study indicated that teachers perceived the principal usually implemented four of the six characteristics of a school learning community including leadership, adult learning, data driven decision making, and community engagement.; Teachers stated that they usually implemented four of the six characteristics of a school learning community including leadership, student Learning, data driven decision making, and community engagement.; Teachers perceived a difference in learning responsibilities: the principal was responsible for adult learning and the teacher was responsible for student learning.; Teachers' perceptions of their implementation of data driven decision making exceeded their view of the principals' implementation of data driven decision making and were statistically significant. In addition, teachers' perceptions of their implementation of community engagement exceeded their view of the principals' implementation of community engagement and was statistically significant.; A grade level analysis revealed no significant difference between grade levels taught and degree of perceived implementation of the characteristics of a learning community.