Journal of the Effective Schools Project, Volume 17, 2010 Page: 42
60 p. : ill. ; 28 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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ger, Bickman, and Davis (1996)
report that parents and teachers
believe principals make a differ-
ence in the achievement of stu-
dents and the learning environ-
ment.
Findings from these studies sug-
gest that even when it is difficult to
discern which skills are requisite to
effective leadership, there is little
doubt among researchers or stake-
holders that effective leadership
positively affects student achieve-
ment.
Challenges to Rural Principal
Leadership and Campus Student
Achievement
Research related to the rural prin-
cipalship focuses on three chal-
lenges (Winn, Erwin, Gentry, &
Cauble, 2009a): retention of effec-
tive principals, community rela-
tions, and pressure to meet stan-
dards with limited resources.
While there is a great need for ef-
fective, skilled leaders in rural
schools, recruiting and retaining
quality principals is a challenge.
Administrative stability, a factor
related to student achievement
(Partlow & Ridenor 2008), might
account for lower academic
achievement in rural and urban
schools (Provasnik, Kewal, Ra-
mani, Coleman, Gilbertson, Her-
ring, & Xie, 2007). Principal
turnover rates in rural schools are
comparable to those of urban
schools (Bainbridge, Lassley, &
Sundre, 2003; Balfanz & MacIver,
2000). However, rural principals
are generally paid less, asked to
assume a greater number of re-
sponsibilities, and face greater
community scrutiny than their ur-
ban and suburban counterparts
(Winn et al., 2009a, 2009b; Ar-
nold, Gaddy, & Dean, 2004).
Community resistance, geographicisolation, and economic shortages
also create difficulties when rural
principals implement special edu-
cation services (Cruzeiro & Mor-
gan, 2006). The demands of find-
ing and retaining highly qualified
teachers (HQT), who can teach
multiple subjects and assure ade-
quate yearly progress (AYP) for
students in special education, add
to the challenges of rural adminis-
trators (Mitchem, Kossar, & Lud-
low 2006; Jimerson, 2005). Fur-
thermore, community resistance
and lack of population diversity
often impede the efforts to imple-
ment multicultural education in
rural schools (McCray, Wright, &
Beachum, 2004).
Principal Skill Assessment
Findings from research confirm
that principal effectiveness is im-
portant, yet there is no consistent
or formalized method for identify-
ing the most highly skilled princi-
pals (Winn, et al., 2009a, 2009b).
As noted in Rammer's (2007)
study for example, superinten-
dents' belief in the value of par-
ticular leadership characteristic
does not guarantee that they have
available tools to correctly assess
these skills in potential employees.
Adding to the complexity of as-
sessment, findings from a study of
new principals (Daresh, 2007) sug-
gest it is not until principals be-
come comfortable with the man-
agement of the school that they
begin to consider critical instruc-
tional issues. Furthermore, new
principals are likely to assess their
own performance primarily in
terms of management skills. Bax-
ter (2008) posits this may result
from university-based principal
preparation programs that apply a
business manager metaphor to
public school administration rather
than one of community leader andFindings from research
confirm that principal
effectiveness is important,
yet there is no consistent
or formalized method for
identifying the most
highly skilled principals.42
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Tarleton State University. Effective Schools Project. Journal of the Effective Schools Project, Volume 17, 2010, periodical, 2010; Stephenville, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth201693/m1/44/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Tarleton State University.