Date of Award

5-10-2024

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Educational Policy Studies

First Advisor

Dr. Nicholas J. Sauers

Second Advisor

Dr. Susan Ogletree

Third Advisor

Dr. Will Rumbaugh

Abstract

The role of the school leader is critical to school success and has been identified as second in impact only to the classroom teacher. School leaders face many challenges in this role, including stakeholder concerns, instructional leadership issues, and difficulties balancing work and personal life due to stress and excessive work hours. These concerns, combined with a lack of ongoing support, can lead to issues of burnout and turnover. These issues have a negative impact on schools and create concerns with maintaining an adequate supply of school leaders.

Guided by three research questions, purposive sampling was utilized to select a leadership development program for aspiring principals in a large suburban school district in the southeast. A qualitative, single case study was conducted framed by Malcolm Knowles' (2005) six assumptions of the andragogical adult learning theory model. Nine participants from the 2022-2023 leadership development program were interviewed and document analysis was conducted. Virtual, semi-structured interviews were audio recorded and transcribed through NVivo transcription, followed by open, axial, and selective coding data analysis. Through this process, three themes emerged: building a collegial network, developing knowledge, and contributing to self-growth. This study highlights school and district leadership's critical role in developing and supporting the next generation of educational leaders.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.57709/36942397

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