In this qualitative study, we examined the perspectives of four urban K-12 principals on what hinders and helps their vitality. Grounded in 60 minute interviews, 10 monthly, full-day observations, and document analysis with each participant, we identified three themes hindering their vitality: (a) illusion of control of productivity strategies and…

Steady school leadership can support student achievement and equity-related outcomes, but the principalship is becoming more stressful with increasing demands, duties, and expectations. Burnout is one of several factors that contribute to principal turnover which often destabilizes a school community. Individual and organizational factors…

Principals play a critical role in improving schools, but high rates of principal turnover threaten improvement gains. In this study we used a mixed-methods design to examine school, district, and community factors associated with greater principal turnover, and explore how these factors differ for rural schools. We found that rural districts tend…

Most research focuses on principal mobility generally, but little assesses charter leadership specifically. This exploratory study examines how leaders in stand-alone and charter management affiliated schools in New York and New Jersey made their decisions to lead, stay, and transition to different roles. Leaders cited excitement about autonomy…

The very nature of contemporary principals' work depends on the effective management and regulation of emotions. This study uses data derived from 13 interviews to provide insight into how secondary school principals manage their emotions. Findings indicate that principals use several strategies to manage their emotions, including those associated…

Research suggests that diversifying the educator workforce has a strong positive influence on students, particularly vulnerable and historically underserved groups. This article presents an intrinsic case study of a Leaders of Color Network that provided promising design elements to reduce professional and racial isolation, promote collective…

The article analyzes the recent evolution of school leadership in Chile between 2009 and 2019, a decade of significant intensification in the country's school leadership policies, comparing principals' characteristics, working conditions and leadership practices, as reported by school principals and teachers. Data comes from a survey applied in…

This qualitative study explores how 60 Israeli high school principals vary in their perceptions and enactments of shared sense-making processes while engaging in strategic activities to gain teachers' support during a national reform implementation. Data analysis has yielded three major themes: (a) a common language; (b) a collaborative learning…

The current study aimed to examine the perceptions of principals on aspects of the ecological school culture that contribute to novice teachers' retention. Narratives of 16 Israeli middle-schools and high schools principals were analyzed based on the social-ecological model. This model considers the different environments related to the…

This paper explores and charts the reasons why some primary school headteachers in "disadvantaged" London schools remain in post at a time of rising rates of attrition of school leaders and headteachers. Instead of exploring the reasons why headteachers are quitting their posts in urban schools, this study examines the retention issue…

The darker side of leadership is unexplored. To help fill this gap, this study focuses on the subordinate's perspective of destructive leadership behaviors. The purpose of this article is to identify the most frequent destructive leadership behaviors in small elementary schools in Chile through a qualitative approach. According to the data,…

Job satisfaction remains until this date a prominent factor that managers seek in their employees to ensure the organization's productivity and success. It has extensively drawn the attention of researchers in the educational field to inform policymakers and school leaders of its impact on teachers' motivation, commitment, stress, retention, and…

Because charter school principals are granted more autonomy and discretion than principals of traditional public schools, it is imperative to search for the attributes of principals that may improve charter school performance. This study examines the relationship between principals' collective bargaining and charter school effectiveness. Using…

This study explored principals' perceptions of their own loneliness and their styles of coping with it. The study posed two questions: (1) How do school principals experience the personal and organizational factors that influence their loneliness in various work contexts? (2) What strategies do school principals use to cope with their sense of…

Cheating and unethical behavior in the context of high-stakes accountability has been well documented. Recently, the US Department of Education found Texas schools failing to comply with the nation's special education law as a result of a state accountability policy. This article examines how a group of principals recognized for their…