| Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe and determine the degree to which elementary school, middle school, and high school principals perceive their political skill, as measured by the Political Skill Inventory (PSI). A second purpose of the study was to determine if there was a difference for the perceived political skill of principals based on gender, as measured by the PSI.;Methodology: A quantitative descriptive, comparative, and ex post facto research design was used to analyze the research questions regarding political skill of school administrators. The study used a survey method to collect data. A questionnaire was created to obtain demographic information and the use of the PSI to gather information on the four domains of political skill: social astuteness, interpersonal influence, apparent sincerity, networking ability. Of the principals in Southern California, 131 participated in the study.;Findings: Overall, the respondents perceived themselves as having high political skill. Their mean average score was a 6 on a scale of 1--7. There was no significant difference in mean scores among elementary and high school principals based on gender whether male compared to female or compared to the same gender. A statistically significant difference exists in mean scores of middle school principals based on gender and school type. Male middle school principals scored higher in political skill compared to their female peers as well as to male elementary and high school principals.;Conclusions: Based on the results, principals at all school levels of the K-12 systems scored high on political skill. These results are consistent with research that delineates the multiple roles of the principal and are supported by the ISLLC standards that emphasize the importance of the principal's ability to influence the organizational structure and culture of the school. The findings are also consistent with studies revealing that gender issues of school principals continue to persist in the 21st century, which include networking and mentoring opportunities for women.;Recommendations for Actions: The researcher recommends that school districts and principal preparation programs address the type of support that programs provide to first-year principals and aspiring principals in the area of political skill as the shift to Common Core State Standards requires a shift in the mindset of teachers, parents, students, and community on how they teach their students. Additionally, districts should provide opportunities for females to network in formal and informal settings and explicitly provide mentors that will help grow professionally. |
