The North Carolina General Assembly, in 2013, mandated that the state use test scores, academic growth measures, and other outcome-based measures to create an A-to-F performance grading system for all public schools in North Carolina. The annual results are published via the North Carolina School Report Card, which indicates specific school,…

The school years touched by the pandemic tested the mettle of school leaders in unprecedented ways. While many had weathered crises of varying magnitudes before it, COVID-19 was the longest, most widespread test of school principals and administrators' skills in managing schools in crisis conditions. When supported in gaining decision-making…

Leader self-efficacy (LSE) is associated with leader emergence and effectiveness, and is a strong predictor of both individual and group performance. While some research exists related to the connection between LSE and adult leadership, more studies are required to better understand the details surrounding LSE as it relates to adolescents. This…

School leaders play an essential role in their school's overall performance. Their leadership involves educational instruction, teacher and school staff collaboration, rapport with stakeholders and most importantly, how they shape academic growth among students. The research problem addressed the lack of leadership capacity among North Carolina…

This study focused on the impact of principal leadership strategies on student achievement in three academically challenged rural schools in Northeastern North Carolina. The problem is that some rural schools still struggle to increase student achievement in spite of the availability of leadership strategies that lead to improved academic…

Using the 2012 North Carolina Teacher Working Conditions Survey data, school demographic information, and school's urban-centric locale census designation, hierarchical linear modeling was conducted to examine the relationship between locale and teachers' perceptions of school leadership as a working condition and explore any variance in the…

The focus of practice for the study was to build and sustain a cohesive and consistent instructional leadership team by supporting the growth and development of assistant principals as instructional leaders. This study took place in a mid-sized, high school setting in rural Eastern North Carolina. The study aimed to develop assistant principals'…

Building upon the prior development of a model of turnaround principal competencies, we investigated the extent to which the identified principal competencies correlate with student achievement. Participants met rigorous selection criteria for having effectively turned around their schools during their first 2 years as principal. We conducted…

Mid-level faculty leaders need coaches to help them cope with rapid change in higher education. Too often they are unprepared to deal with the many challenges that confront them in leadership jobs. To respond, faculty developers, deans, and other senior leaders need to get creative. Institutions can leverage existing resources or affordably…

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…

As part of ongoing evaluation activities and continuous improvement, the Exceptional Children (EC) Division of the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction regularly reviews its efforts. This study was interested in documenting responsibilities, working conditions, and satisfaction of special education administrators as a basis for future…

Higher education is challenged by its lack of women leaders but perhaps more so by the lack of unique skills and perspectives that women tend to bring to leadership roles. As part of a comprehensive program portfolio, Appalachian State University has intentionally designed leadership development opportunities that support and empower women and…

This study examines the leadership efficacy amongst graduates of The North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM) for the classes of 2000 through 2007 from a neuroscientific and neuromathematic perspective. NCSSM alumni (as the primary unit of analysis) were examined using a novel neuromathematic post hoc method of analysis. This study…

The religious dynamics of higher education are changing rapidly. College campuses have become prime sites for conflicts involving religious identity. Few issues touch more broadly or more deeply on complexity, diversity, and change in the twenty-first-century world than those related to how people who orient differently around religion interact…

In North Carolina, charter schools that serve whites and non-economically disadvantaged students have doubled in the last fourteen years, whereas schools that serve economically disadvantaged students have closed at higher rates (Ladd, Clotfelter, & Holbein, 2015). Stories of school leadership that successfully promotes equity and excellence…