This quantitative dissertation examined the leadership practices of educational leaders in South Georgia schools, with the purpose of identifying effective strategies that contribute to student success and a conducive school environment. Utilizing the Leadership Practices Inventory self-survey, the researcher meticulously examined the practices of…

New teachers are leaving the profession at steadily increasing rates at a substantial cost to Georgia taxpayers who support local school districts and the state department of education (Pelfrey, 2020). Recruitment, training, and hiring efforts are examples of these cost burdens. Teacher turnover causes educational losses for students and financial…

With the adoption of such initiatives as No Child Left Behind (NCLB), Common Core State Standards (CCSS), and the College and Career Readiness Performance Index (CCRPI), there is increasing pressure for students to meet and exceed performance expectations. This is easier said than done, especially given that not all organizational structures are…

Leadership development is a viable solution to equipping Extension employees for administrative responsibilities at earlier career stages. Extend Advanced Leadership Training Program (Extend) is a University of Georgia Cooperative Extension cohort-based initiative proving to be a catalyst for enhancing the leadership skills of Extension personnel.…

School leadership is a key component of successful school environments and academic performance strategies. Among school-related factors, school leadership is second to teaching in its impact on student learning. In addition, research shows that strong leaders contribute significantly to successful school turnaround. To ensure that school leaders…

No longer is the central office a place for educators' careers to meet a dead end. Nor can it be where ineffective leaders are transferred to lessen impact. It cannot be "the blob," as coined by William Bennett (Walker, 1987). The Wallace Foundation notes that the central office has never been more important for system and individual…

Guided by the research questions, this study utilized a sequential explanatory mixed methods research design to examine senior executive leadership succession planning at four-year, predominately white, doctoral universities in the state of Georgia. Utilizing the Representative Bureaucracy theory and the Mateso SPM conceptual model, this study…

Teacher turnover continues to perpetuate shortages in U.S. schools, particularly within settings that serve students with disabilities, economic disadvantages, or other obstacles to their education. Recent studies suggest high teacher turnover in high-need settings is not reflective of problems associated with the needs of their students, but…

Effective leadership is essential to circumnavigating the numerous obstacles confronting the healthcare industry. In addition, the current health system is suffering from a proficient leadership gap. However, identifying and developing executives with the greatest potential to become strong, up-and-coming healthcare C-level executive leaders can…

The purpose of this article is to present how one university incorporates immersive simulations through platforms which employ avatars to enhance graduate student understanding and learning in educational leadership programs. While using simulations and immersive virtual environments continues to grow, the literature suggests limited evidence of…

Laurie Barron, the principal of Smokey Road Middle School in Newnan, GA, is the 2013 MetLife/NASSP National Middle Level Principal of the Year. This article presents a conversation with Barron on her passion for teaching and learning. She shares her biggest motivator as a school leader and how she motivates her students and staff members to fully…

Our nation's k-12 schools are faced with numerous critical challenges: elevating academic achievement, recruitment and retention of high-caliber teachers, improving teacher quality, and meeting the mandates of the "No Child Left Behind" ("NCLB") legislation and state standards (Simpson, Lacava, & Graner, 2004; &…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine how district leaders of two school systems in the USA describe an effective principal. Membership categorisation analysis revealed that district leaders believed an effective principal had four major categories of characteristics: (1) documented characteristics (having a track record and being a…

This qualitative phenomenological study examined the impact of shared leadership committees on school improvement efforts. The research identified which leadership factors lead to successful shared leadership committees and which supports and structures were needed for the committees to be meaningful in regards to school improvement. Certified…

The goal of this publication is to provide a snapshot of some of the publicly available resources describing efforts across Race to the Top States to ensure that turnaround schools have effective leaders. It is based on a review of Race to the Top State Annual Performance Reports, including State reports of Year 1 accomplishments and second year…