University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses

Growing leaders in charter schools

(USC Thesis Other)

Growing leaders in charter schools

PDF

Download a page range

Download transcript

Copy asset link

Request this asset

Transcript (if available)

Content Running head: GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS
1

GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS
by

Hazel T. Rojas

A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION

May 2020

Copyright 2020 Hazel T. Rojas

GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 2

Acknowledgements
Growing Leaders in Charter Schools, is a product of my personal and professional efforts
in my quest to answer the question: How will the world best prepare the children to lead the new
generation?
In the process, I journeyed back to the time when I was a child and reminisced my life's experiences
– tracing the events that were instrumental in pursuing my passion as an educational leader. Also,
I reflected on the individuals who have greatly influenced the stages of my life from childhood to
adulthood.
I am indebted to the individuals whose indelible teachings propelled my ideas into motion.
They shaped my mind, molded my heart, guided my decisions, provided my needs, inspired me to
pursue my dreams, and love me unconditionally for who I am.
What I learned through the years paved the way to uncover my desire to live a life with
purpose. The purpose to help humanity and to serve others selflessly. Converting this purpose into
action is my opportunity to give back to the beautiful people who give meaning to my existence
and the world in general.
I am grateful for the divine gift of life and for the skills and talents that I uniquely possess.
I am grateful for my parents, who willingly embrace the role of being my caretakers, my
first teachers, and my advisors. They are my advocates who pray that my life anchors on a solid
foundation.
I am grateful for my aunties and uncles, who serve as my second parents.
I am grateful for my cousins, who spark joy and build happy memories with me.
I am grateful for my siblings, in-laws, nieces, and nephews, who continuously challenge
me to become the best that I can be so, they can look up to me as their role model.
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 3

I am grateful for my co-workers, whom I co-lead and co-learn every step of the way, and
for believing that I can contribute to the organizational vision.
I am grateful for the Founder, CEO, and the entire New Designs Charter School family for
attributing to my growth as a teacher, an educational leader, and an employee.
I am grateful for my professors, whose guidance and direction led me to complete my
doctorate.
I am grateful for my fiancé and soon to be my husband for being my God-sent angel and
my answered prayer for a lifetime partner.
To all of you, I dedicate this dissertation.

GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 4

Table of Contents
Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................... 2
Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... 6
CHAPTER ONE: OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY ........................................................................ 7
Background of the Problem......................................................................................................... 7
Statement of the Problem ............................................................................................................ 7
Purpose of the Study ................................................................................................................... 9
Significance of the Study .......................................................................................................... 11
Limitations of the Study ............................................................................................................ 12
Delimitations of the Study......................................................................................................... 12
Definition of Terms ................................................................................................................... 13
Organization of the Study ......................................................................................................... 14
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................... 16
The Inquiring Leader ................................................................................................................. 16
The Learning Leader ................................................................................................................. 20
Diversity .................................................................................................................................... 25
Accountable Leader ............................................................................................................... 29
Learning: Learn Effective Succession Management ............................................................. 36
Conceptual Framework: Leader-Member Exchange Theory .................................................... 37
Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 39
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................... 41
Sample and Population .............................................................................................................. 46
Instrumentation.......................................................................................................................... 47
Interviews .................................................................................................................................. 47
Observations .............................................................................................................................. 48
Documents ................................................................................................................................. 49
Data Collection .......................................................................................................................... 51
Data Analysis ............................................................................................................................ 52
Trustworthiness and Credibility ................................................................................................ 56
CHAPTER FOUR: FINDINGS .................................................................................................... 58
Preliminary Analysis ................................................................................................................. 60
Research Question 1 .................................................................................................................. 63
Theme 1: Leadership ................................................................................................................. 63
Research Question 2 .................................................................................................................. 70
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 5

Theme 2: Lead and Learn.......................................................................................................... 70
Research Question 3 .................................................................................................................. 74
Theme 3: Accountability ........................................................................................................... 74
Transition to Action Research ................................................................................................... 80
Focus Groups ......................................................................................................................... 81
CHAPTER FIVE: FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND IMPLICATIONS ................................ 85
Summary of the Study ............................................................................................................... 85
Findings ..................................................................................................................................... 86
Implications ............................................................................................................................... 87
Future Research ......................................................................................................................... 88
Conclusions ............................................................................................................................... 88
References ..................................................................................................................................... 90
Appendix ....................................................................................................................................... 97

GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 6

Abstract
Chief Executive Officers and Founders of charter schools possess traits that mirror those of
disruptive innovators. While recognizing the evolving triumphs fashioned by educational
innovations through time, charter-school leaders capitalize on opportunities and infinite
possibilities that drive academic excellence. Charter School founders see the vacuum caused by
academic debt, yet they have the burning desire to fill the gaps through the unique solution
embedded in the mission of the schools they create, as depicted at the site where the action
reseach was conducted. This optimistic view is common among indelible leaders—leaders who
are visionary and skillful enough in carrying out leadership traits that build relationships and
yield lasting impacts. Indelible leaders understand that the end results are as important as the
start goals. In the context of this research study, Growing Leaders in Charter Schools highlights
the need for an effective leadership transition that propels succession and sustainability in charter
schools, an effective system that facilitates leader-to-leader transition when the CEO or founder
decides to leave. Considering that limited research has been performed on this specific issue, this
study aims to bridge this gap and contribute to society—benefitting other non-profit
organizations whose organizational issues resemble those of charter schools. In investigating the
nature of charter-school leaders through interviews, observations and document review, four
guiding themes were employed: learning, accountability, diversity, and leadership. Collectively,
this links to the conceptual framework known as leader-member-exchange theory. The theory
describes how the dyadic relationship between leaders and members facilitates mutual trust,
respect, liking and reciprocal influences that aid in preparing new leaders to transition more
effectively and efficiently into new roles.
Keywords: Succession leadership, Charter School, Leader-Member Exchange Theory, Indelible
leaders
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 7

CHAPTER ONE: OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY
Background of the Problem
Leadership succession is not just an episodic problem in individual schools, but a
pervasive crisis in the system (Hargreaves, 2005). Charter schools have evolved from an
educational novelty to a mainstream option in most states, particularly in urban school districts
(Campbell, 2009). Many charter schools are unprepared for leadership turnover. Only half of all
charter leaders have succession plans in place, and many of those plans are weak (Campbell,
2010). This presents a vacuum that charter-school leaders need to fill through learning from peer
organizations that have established robust succession plans. Fully prepared would-be leaders
deliver continuing commitment to ensure that the organization simultaneously propels and uplifts
the community it serves (Grau, 2014), thus fulfilling its moral obligation to provide quality
education to all students even during a leadership transition. To accomplish these goals, the
organization has to get stronger, and it has to grow. This demonstrates why conquering this
problem is such a tremendous opportunity for charter schools.
Statement of the Problem
Current efforts to build the supply of capable charter-school leadership will fall far short
of meeting the sector's needs in the coming years for reasons including (a) conventional
educational leadership programs do not address the unique nature, demands and responsibilities
of charter schools; (b) the most advanced and promising leadership preparation programs for the
charter sector are producing highly qualified candidates, but in small numbers relative to the
needs of the rapidly scaling movement; (c) the decentralized structure of the charter movement,
governed mainly by state law, makes a single centralized solution difficult; (d) the extraordinary
diversity of school missions, sizes, and types—not to mention the diverse professional
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 8

backgrounds of successful current charter leaders—argues for more flexible paths to charter
leadership than are easily found today; and (e) there remains a distinct need to attract a more
diverse cadre of leaders who more closely reflect the student and family populations served by
charter schools (NAPCS, 2008).
The unique nature, demands, and responsibilities of charter schools are a testament to one
of the seven habits, "Begin with the end in mind" described by Stephen Covey in his book, Seven
Habits of Highly Effective People (Covey, 2014). This supports the notion that a school leader has
to plan for his or her departure on the very first day in the position. The sustainability of the vision
is dependent on the ability of the founder to vividly see potential successors at the initial stages of
his or her leadership role. This forward-thinking approach guarantees that when the founder leaves,
the vision continues.
The small number of highly qualified school leaders in the charter sector explains why
many charter schools struggle in selecting potential candidates to foster a stable transition
(Campbell, 2010). The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS, 2008) expounded
on this issue by claiming that 80% of public charter schools are not affiliated with any other
structure or charter management organization (CMO), which plays the role of the district to
charter schools. Also, the opportunities for leadership and successful succession are stalled due
to charter schools' limited time and resources. Therefore, the idea of creating an enabling
environment to grow charter-school leaders is warranted in this context (NAPCS, 2008).
A survey conducted by NCRCS of Midwestern principals on how people secured
employment in charter schools confirmed a compelling datapoint: just under a third of
respondents are founders, two-thirds arrived at their jobs in a variety of ways, 44% were
personally contacted by school’s board and 8% had already worked in the school when the
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 9

position became available. The school leaders who personally put school planning on the agenda
were non-educators; each came from a business or legal background (Campbell, 2010). Neefe
(2009) asserted that companies had utilized succession plans for decades, while the adoption of
succession planning in educational organizations has been slow. These events paint a picture of
instability at the top, suggesting a need for diversified paths to charter leadership to respond to
the unique mission and dynamics of charter schools.
Searching for a potential successor during a leadership transition is challenging.
Campbell reasoned that schools are often forced into an identity crisis when the school mission is
tied to the founder. Top decision-makers over-rely on an active founder, making successful
transition nearly impossible (Adams, 2005). The emerging practice of attracting more diverse
leaders aids in maintaining the charter school's growth and vitality (Adams, 2005).
Purpose of the Study
The first purpose of this qualitative case study is to describe the preparations charter-
school leaders put in place to prepare successors for future leadership roles. Its second purpose is
to investigate leadership qualities that facilitate continuity of the charter school’s instructional
programs and culture from leader to leader, and its third is to identify distinguishing practices
that aid in charter schools’ survival during founder transition. In this context, the term founder
transition refers to the period when the organization experiences uncertainty and distraction as a
result of the founder's departure (Grau, 2014). The conceptual framework employed in this study
revolves around the (dyadic) relationship between leaders and members. Collectively, this
framework is known as the Leader-Member Exchange Theory (Northouse, 2016).
Given the scope of this study, the qualitative method facilitates comprehensive and
complete data collection by asking open-ended questions. Other benefits of utilizing this method
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 10

include a collaborative working relationship between the participants and the researcher. In
addition, this method is cost-efficient because it uses a relatively small sample size and therefore
allows faster generation of results. Qualitative research maximizes the potential of research
instruments through the utilization of interviews, observations, and documents. The level of
detail and the insights provided will be enhanced in the research process because this method
does not ignore gut instinct and because it embraces human experiences.
To successfully investigate the salient steps in growing leaders in charter schools, this
study emphasizes four leadership themes: Inquiring Leader, Learning Leader, Diversity, and
Accountable Leader. This research is interested in discovering the connections of these themes to
one of the leadership theories introduced by Peter Northouse, known as the Leader-Member
Exchange Theory, or LMX. This theory capitalizes on the dyadic relationship that exists between
leaders and members. One of the advantages of LMX is that it highlights how a leader's behavior
promotes high-quality relationships by demonstrating trust, respect, openness, autonomy, and
discretion (Northouse, 2016). Utilizing this theory to guide this study will aid charter schools in
passing on the assets developed by founders and ushering in the new generation of leaders. The
creativity of the successors and the energy they exert are critical to future inspiration, ideas, and
programs that respond to the country's ever-changing needs. The research questions geared
toward shifting the leadership transition paradigm from a precarious passage to a smooth sail
(Adams, 2004) are as follows:
1. What do charter-school leaders identify as best practices in preparing potential employees
for future leadership roles?
2. What practices do charter-school leaders use to support schools during transitions? How
does a charter-school leader ensure that the schools survive during founder transitions?
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 11

3. What leadership characteristics do charter-school leaders demonstrate to maintain the
school's instructional program and culture from leader to leader?
Significance of the Study
Given the founders’ roles in building and sustaining critically needed organizations, it is
important to celebrate their work and invest in successful transitions that protect their legacies
(Adams, 2005). In the case of charter schools, the value of producing graduates who are college-
and career-ready, as a result of the founder's deep understanding of what’s required for the 21
st
-
century workforce, is immeasurable. Fullan, in his book Indelible Leadership, used the term
indelible leadership interchangeably with deep leadership. Fullan expounded on the idea that
deep leadership requires deep learning of the six global competencies—namely, character,
citizenship, collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking.
From this perspective, the absence of an indelible leader who creates good endings and
new beginnings through designing a well-thought-out succession plan contributes to a growing
incidence of unprepared and ill-equipped leaders in charter schools, creating a cause for concern.
There is a need for organizational leaders not only to manage a smooth succession but to
maintain sustainability as well. Deep leaders prioritize the need to leave others always learning
in the organization. These leaders generate synergy via their humble characters—they have
respect for the strengths of others and the will to unleash the potential of those strengths. The
recognition that charter-school leaders are essential, yet dispensable presents a blueprint for
growing leaders in the organization. This brings new hope and promise to the stakeholders that
the vision they advocated for lives on.

GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 12

Limitations of the Study
This qualitative case study will be conducted in a 15-year-old peer charter school that
went through a leadership transition at the Charter Management Organization (CMO) level. The
foreseen limitations of this study are threefold. The first limitation is the fear that the researcher's
choice of study site may be perceived as an act of espionage, thus corrupting any data that may
be collected. The leaders who agree to be interviewed may be unwilling to provide all the details
of their response, considering that the interviewer is a member of another CMO. The second
possible limitation is the failure to build trust with the respondents. Respondents may overthink
their responses to the interview questions to conform to the norms of the organization that they
represent and to avoid being perceived as disloyal to the organization. The third possible
limitation is the setting, time, and day of the scheduled interviews and observations. This is
critical because in order for an interview to be equally respectful to both the interviewer and
interviewee, a quiet setting is critical. This will allow thoughts to flow without interruption and,
most likely, yield palpable results.
Delimitations of the Study
To successfully conduct this study, the aim is to frontload a thorough plan of generating
and collecting data as meaningfully as possible. The preparations will include: creating a
timetable from the start of collecting the data to the completion of data analysis, communicating
with the chosen peer institution and identifying potential respondents, securing consent and a
signed agreement for the interviews, making observations and collecting documents. In addition,
a collaborative working relationship will be given priority in the planning stage. This is to assure
the respondents that the information gathered remains confidential and private unless permission
to share is granted. The tape recorder, if permitted by respondents, will be used to ensure that the
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 13

interview responses are captured in detail. Respondents will be given a copy of the transcribed
response as a courtesy. The data in this case study will be gathered in three forms: interviews,
observations, and documents. If done well, this data-gathering will enrich the research by
permitting the management of time and effort. The learning outcomes of the study will be
focused on a set of priorities that will be identified early on. The idea of a peer institution case
study fits within the given timeframe.
Definition of Terms
1) Charter-school leader – the person who has overall responsibility for the management of
the charter school, and who is directly accountable to the school’s board of trustees.
2) Distributed leadership – is primarily concerned with the practice of leadership rather than
specific leadership roles or responsibilities. [It] equates with shared, collective, and
extended leadership practice that builds the capacity for change and improvement
(Leithwood et al., 2009).
3) In-group – relationships between a leader and a member marked by mutual trust, respect,
liking, and reciprocal influence (Northouse, 2016).
4) Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) Theory – conceptualizes leadership as a process
centered on the interactions between a leader and followers. LMX theory makes the
dyadic relationship between leaders and followers the focal point of the leadership
process (Northouse, 2016).
5) Leadership transition – the leader’s process of planning their own departure.
6) Out-group – Relationships marked by formal communication based on job descriptions
(Northouse, 2016).
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 14

7) Peer institution – "In this age of accountability, transparency, and accreditation, colleges
and universities increasingly conduct comparative analyses and engage in benchmarking
activities. Meant to inform institutional planning and decision-making, comparative
analyses and benchmarking are employed to let stakeholders know how an institution
stacks up against its peers and, more likely, a set of aspirant institutions - those that
organizational leaders seek to emulate" (Trainer, 2008)
8) Succession plan – a professional, written plan designed to build on top of an existing
practice or business and to seamlessly and gradually transition ownership and leadership
internally to the next generation of advisors (Grau, 2014)
9) Sustainable leadership – the practice of addressing how particular initiatives can be
developed without promising the development of others in the surrounding environment,
now and in the future. Sustainable leadership matters spread and lasts. It is a shared
responsibility that does not unduly deplete human or financial resources, and that cares
for and avoids exerting harmful damage on the surrounding educational and community
environment (Hargreaves & Fink, 2000).
Organization of the Study
The study, "Growing Leaders in Charter Schools," is organized in three phases. The first
phase provides an overview of the salient leadership qualities in successful transitions and the
sustainable operation of charter schools. A plethora of research has been gathered in this area to
lay a solid foundation for why learning this context is vital to humanity. Six reasons that explain
the need to prepare for leadership transitions are captured in this phase to enlighten readers about
the nature and different levels of demands required of charter schools.
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 15

The second phase presents key stakeholders that made this study possible. Through
interviews, observations, and documents, this study paints a picture of how the ideal features of
school leaders can bring about the best in each one, creating a multiplier effect wherein everyone
learns and grows and contributes to the common good. The Leader-Member Exchange Theory
has been introduced in order to make meaning from the data shared by research participants.
The third phase embodies the connections that exist among leadership qualities,
leadership theories, and the impact both have on growing leaders in charter schools. The
exploration of the concrete set of steps and processes that facilitate successful transition will be
emphasized in this section. Through this exercise, it is the researcher's goal that, regardless of
diverse backgrounds, readers will reaffirm the purpose of life, which is to serve humanity.

GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 16

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
This study, Growing Leaders in Charter Schools, examines the steps that leaders consider
to manage successful succession and to create sustainable futures in charter schools. The
researcher aims to explore leadership characteristics perceived to have a positive impact in
facilitating leadership transitions. Also, the researcher will investigate how charter schools thrive
during founder transitions.
There are four major topics that will be introduced in this chapter—namely: Inquiry,
Accountability, Learning, and Diversity. These concepts will be tied in closely to leadership
characteristics that guide charter-school leaders in their work as change agents and in their
efforts to establish and maintain relationships with the people they work with. Sub-topics will be
formulated and attached to each of the major topics to form connections throughout the literature
presentation. These same topics usher in the selection of the conceptual framework, Leader-
Member Exchange Theory, which the researcher found appropriate for this study.
The Inquiring Leader
Warren Berger (2018) reasoned that the humble tool called question helps people to think
and find a way to more successful outcomes. Berger (2018) suggested that individuals must
figure out solutions and answers to life’s complex and individualized challenges. According to
Weberg, Braaten, and Gelinas (2013), questions remind people to slow down and think more, to
broaden views, to overlook flaws, creative blocks, and sensitive reactions. As a result, questions
can help steer us in the right direction at critical moments, to: 1) decide on something, 2) create
something, 3) connect with other people, and 4) be a good and effective leader (Giarelli, 2017).
Leaders today are facing unprecedented challenges in a world of exponential change.
They are expected to ask questions that anticipate and address the needs of an organization and
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 17

its people, questions that set the tone for curious exploration and innovation (Roscoe et al.,
2014). Questioning plays a central role in decision-making, which demands critical thinking.
Berger (2018) states that creativity often depends on one's ability and willingness to grapple with
challenging questions that can fire the imagination, which usually starts with identifying a
singular compelling "Why"? or "What if"? question. One’s success in connecting and relating
with others can be improved dramatically by asking more questions. Confidence and humility
form the central traits of leaders, with the ability to ask bold, unique, and unexpected questions
that no one else is asking (Calma, 2015).
Oakley and Krug (1991) reasoned that asking effective questions plays a significant role
in achieving unanimously set goals. In the process, employees are encouraged, actively
participate, and have a motivation to impact change.
Golson (2018) noted that the difference between leaders and managers is that leaders are
geared towards asking the right questions while managers are more inclined to find solutions.
Finding answers must not take away the significance of asking the right questions.
In the same vein, Drucker and Maciariello (2004) emphasized the importance of leaders
asking the right questions. Results-driven, goal-oriented, and task-inclined were the common
terms used by surveyed leaders. They ask, "What specific steps?” and "What is the right for the
enterprise?”; they design proposals; they hold themselves accountable for the results; they
disseminate information; they are motivated by positive outcomes rather than problems; they
actively participate in discussions; they collaborate; they welcomed different views and provide
input at the end of each dialogue.
According to the Inquiry Institute, the "inquiring leader" recognizes that positive
outcomes start with positive intentions. The phrase signifies leaders at any level who are self-
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 18

conscious, inquisitive, results-driven, and see that the ability of questioning plays an important
role in leadership. Overall, the approach and theory of inquiring leadership are meant to support,
enhance, and facilitate thought leadership and approach that yield expected outcomes. Therefore,
inquiring leaders demonstrate the global competencies: character, citizenship, collaboration,
communication, creativity, and critical thinking. Altogether, these encompass the learning
outcomes for the 21st century (Uiterwijk-Luijk, Kruger, Zijlstra & Volman, 2017).
Gaj (2018) outlines the specific traits of inquiring leaders:
1. Recognize that the ability, attributes, and purpose of employees’ questions chiefly define their
willingness to engage, explore and intentionally, establish and keep strong connections,
generate data, instill judgments, resolve issues, and push progressive transformations and
positive outcomes.
2. Acknowledge that “effective outcomes start with purposeful inquiries” and that “each
overlooked question is a possible disaster lingering to materialize.”
3. Ask questions of themselves and others in ways that are constructive rather than critical, that
seek to uncover and challenge assumptions, and that promote new thinking and possibility as
well as responsibility and accountability.
4. Listen carefully and respectfully (especially when not agreeing with what they hear). This
listening is focused on solution-seeking questions such as, "What can I learn?" "What's useful
about this?" and "What are our goals?" They do not listen with problem-oriented, blaming
questions such as, "Whose fault is it?"
5. Solicit honest feedback, comprehensive facts, and multiple perspectives.
6. Create an inquiring culture in their organizations and on their teams by encouraging people to
ask questions of them, each other, customers, and stakeholders.
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 19

7. Are accordingly self-reflective, self-correcting, and committed to learning from mistakes and
failures. They value continuous learning, growth, and development for themselves and others.
8. Are comfortable with “not knowing” and “not being right”; they have humility.
9. Have high emotional, social, and moral intelligence, are proactive and responsive rather than
reactive, and are skillful with self-management.
10. See the "big picture" and think short-term, long-term, and systemically.
In the context of this research, an "inquiring leader" starts with the question: why grow
leaders in charter schools? Although the literature focuses more broadly on nonprofit
organizations, it is essential to note that charter schools are themselves a variety of nonprofit
organizations. Santora et al. (2010) enumerated three reasons underlining the need to grow
leaders within the organization: (a) succession leadership has remained a challenge to nonprofit
organizations of all types; (b) only 5% of nonprofits surveyed had a succession plan to fill
executive vacancies, predicting a shortage of nonprofit sector leaders within the next five years;
(c) nonprofit organizations may encounter disruptions and may be forced to close their doors
without adequate succession plans.
Two views are presented to understand better the nature of leadership required in
nonprofit organizations. First, the success of nonprofit organizations is driven by the ability of
the leader to provide clear vision and make a compelling case for a cause. This skill fosters
employee motivation and spurs the interest of fundraisers and volunteers. Most leadership efforts
are geared toward immediate results because nonprofit organizations tend to be short on
resources in the areas of funding and leadership talent. This explains why many nonprofits show
evidence on some of the symptoms of being strongly led, but under-managed. Second, nonprofit
leaders are seldom recognized or rewarded for their managerial skills (Stid et al., 2009).
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 20

In the same study involving visionary nonprofit leaders, Stid and Bradach (2009)
explained that among the 100 nonprofits surveyed, quite a few are strongly led, but under-
managed. These nonprofit operations experience stress, as if they were in constant start-up mode,
as a result of relying too often on the charisma of their leader compared to a veteran manager
who might have avoided the operating crisis. In order for nonprofits with ambitious goals to
increase their impact over time, it is essential that they establish sound management practices.
Kaplan (2008) explained that the federal procurement workforce has developed, leading
to a higher share of expertise and experience among senior experts over the last 30 years. The
result of this one-sided transfer of knowledge to senior-level experts is that knowledge can
quickly vanish when those practitioners decide to retire within a relatively brief period.
The Learning Leader
According to Hase (2017), the learning leader model of leadership implies a level of
humility and curiosity that merely is alien to most traditional conceptions of leadership. It asks
leaders to develop confidence in the very act of not knowing. It challenges leaders to learn each
time reality steps ahead of them.
The four characteristics of a learning leader include the ability to deal with ambiguity (ex.
low need for control, openness to experience, moderate perfectionism, high stability/low anxiety,
project management skills, ability to use social media, and optimism) the capacity to learn (ex.
ability to research) and learn, being thoroughly on top of one’s subject area, wide and accessible
networks, ability to share with others, knowledge management skills, the ability to foster
collaborative learning the capacity to foster engagement (ex. an understanding of how to
motivate others, ability to foster a shared purpose and vision, an understanding of human needs,
interpersonal effectiveness, ability to self-regulate and empathy), and the ability to use open
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 21

systems thinking (ex. capacity to scan the external environment; ability to foster participative
democracy/collaboration, decision-making, and progress; ability to diffuse power actively;
capacity to work in a team; ongoing internal and external analysis of effectiveness).
A learning leader proactively designs an entry plan that serves as a blueprint for success
during the leader’s administration and propels the organization even after the leader’s departure.
Covey (2014), in Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, described the first habit thus: "Begin
with the end in mind." A learning leader who takes this message to heart humbly embraces the
responsibility also to lead the succession plan of the organization—incorporating strategies that
engage and leave the employees always learning (Fullan, 2017). With forecasts varying from
one-third to half of today's employees ready for retirement in the next five years, succession
planning is expedient for addressing what has lately been called the human capital crisis
(Smalley, Retallick, Metzger, & Greiman, 2016). Perceiving employees as "human capital"
denotes visually viewing them as resources to be recognized and valued, rather than "human
resources" consumed in order to minimize expenses (Smalley et al., 2016). When the staff of an
organization is perceived as human capital, their worth is viewed as crucial to the achievement
and sustainability of the organization (Uiterwijk-Luijk et al., 2017).
The effect of more Baby Boomers' departure close to retirement age becomes more
prevalent within the executive ranks of both private and public-sector organizations (Grace,
2006). The absence of expertise owing to Baby Boomers' pension and an aging workforce as a
whole is what Thomas Calo (2008) calls a "perfect storm" that executives will have to suffer for
years to come. Calo (2008) points out that in the future, prior techniques of obtaining talent may
not be efficient. A study published in McKinsey Quarterly indicated that, while businesses regard
the capacity to manage talent efficiently as a primary choice, research suggests that senior
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 22

leaders are mainly responsible for not giving sufficient time and attention to themselves and their
managers (Cowie, 2017). Cowie (2017) also believed that insular silo thinking and the absence
of cooperation in the organization remain a significant disadvantage. Also, managers who argue
that the succession-plan efforts of their companies are inadequate do not foresee talent-
management in the balance as an evolving challenge within the organization and cannot
originally support measures and expenditures to tackle this issue (Calo, 2008).
Masri and Abubakr (2017) indicated the need for succession planning globally. The
choice of a right individual is as essential in the military context as it is for succession. If this is
not accomplished appropriately, a leader who is not in accordance with his or her obligations can
be selected. Schepker, Nyberg, Ulrich, and Wright (2018), noted that two out of five CEOs fail
in their first 18 months on the job because of poor selection. Based on this assertion, it can be
inferred that choosing the right successors is critical to maintaining or exceeding the standards of
operation of every organization. Choosing wrong successors may have detrimental effects on the
organization's ordinary course, such as making bad decisions about current products
demoralizing the organization or practicing extremely ethical things (Schepker et al., 2018). The
development of powerful leaders within the organization is among the most significant solutions
to effective succession planning (Schepter et al., 2018). Dubrin (2010), in his book Leadership,
stated that the approach to understanding the leadership aspects of succession focuses on five
topics: (a) follow normal human resource selection principles including thorough screening of
applicants with several individuals who worked with the person; (b) members of the Board
should carefully participate in the assessment of top management; (c) the succession leadership
should not be considered a separated, objective decision of management; (d) for a main
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 23

leadership position, a pool of applicants should be created; (e) encourage insiders from an
external view.
Dumas and Beinecke (2018) alluded to the fact that the impending transformation in
leadership suggests that the nonprofit community is at a critical managerial crossroads: While it
is important for organizations to identify the next generation of leaders, they also must attend to
how the transition occurs, including making provisions for a smooth transfer of power from one
leader to the next (Basler & Carmin, 2009). Dumas and Beinecke (2018) articulated that a
critical but overlooked dimension of sustainable enhancement seems to be the effective transition
from one leader to another. All those involved in appointing school officials are advised to give
more care to managing their arrival, induction, and departure.
As proponents of the ideas introduced in Leadership Succession and the Emergence of an
Organizational Identity Threat, Basler & Carmin (2009) recognized the importance of leadership
succession yet observed a need to extend the efforts of examining succession from the point of
view of employees and seek stakeholder input in responding to leadership transitions. They
added that there is a significant impact of leadership succession and the changes that come along
with it. In their study on managing succession, they found that leadership succession in nonprofit
organizations requires sensitivity to employees' interpretations of organizational identity.
Therefore, the recommendation for leaders to attend to multiple perspectives of the employees in
the organization is a must. This study presents a similar perspective and is therefore relevant
today, given the projected level of leadership turnover in nonprofit organizations (Basler &
Carmin, 2009).
Emergency succession planning is like risk management, and just as every school needs
to have plans in place for natural disasters, it also needs to have an emergency plan in place for
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 24

losing its leader. But schools also need to do more strategic, long-term succession planning. As
the charter-school movement has matured, leadership succession has become an essential piece
of the reform’s approach to sustainability (Campbell, 2010).
Though hundreds of new charter schools open every year, some of the earliest schools are
now approaching 20 years old, and issues associated with start-up and implementation should be
giving way to best practices and standards of operation. One of these best practices is long-term
planning for the school, especially leadership succession (Campbell, 2010).
Stid and Bradach (2009) reasoned that in organizations suffering from management
strains, the trouble signs are easy to detect. Employees are unclear on their respective duties and
responsibilities. Finances that are out-of-control and result from an unable and unsustainable
financial system, constantly threaten the organization's ability to achieve and sustain results.
Stid & Bradach (2009) highlighted the early experience of the Jumpstart organization,
focusing on founder Rob Waldron as he advocated for active managers and management to keep
the many talented, committed people through turnover. Waldron recognized that active
management was not what drives the impulse to give. Reflecting on this, Waldron acknowledged
that the challenge is not only to develop effective management capabilities but to do so without
diminishing the mission-based leadership strengths of the organization.
Kempster and Gregory (2017) recommended that organizations appreciate, build, and
sustain strong management practices. Also, the team needs to work hard in clarifying the
organization's strategy, establish meaningful metrics with which to assess progress, and make it a
priority to assemble a balanced team at the top.
Implementing this agenda in the context of nonprofit leadership is difficult. However,
leaders of a few well-respected nonprofits—Teach for America (TFA), Communities in Schools
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 25

(CIS), the Partnership for Public Service, the Corporation for Supportive Housing, and
Jumpstart—have focused on adding management capabilities to strengthen their organizations
(Thomas, 2016). Moreno and Girard (2019) point out in the13
th
edition of Human Resources
Management that succession planning needs to include a well-designed employee development
scheme to achieve its potential. Succession plans are the method by which a plan to replace key
workers regularly is identified (Moreno & Girard, 2019). Mentoring and coaching create a pool
of successful applicants in an organization, and once recognized, these applicants are combined
with more senior, experienced mentors so they can transfer their years of experience through
action-learning options. Karacay-Aydin (2008) pointed out that the support of feminist workers
and those with socially disadvantaged backgrounds may be an efficient instrument for attracting,
retaining, motivating, or developing talent. PepsiCo is an example of a best-practice company in
succession planning. PepsiCo realized that a considerable proportion of its managers would
qualify for retirement within five years and chose to create a pool of high-level applicants, with
the inclusion of top positions (Church, Rotolo, Ginther, and Levine, 2015). This led PepsiCo to
choose the best-qualified person for the top place in the organization. A mentor shares a year of
education and experience with his/her mentees during the phase (Church et al., 2015). This
method enables people to learn practical management abilities very quickly that would take
many years to know otherwise. It also enables people to learn about the inner culture of the
organization and how it interrupts with its external stakeholders (Church et al., 2015).
Diversity
According to Dumas and Beinecke (2018), the 21
st
-century leader will have to deal with
diversity. Such a person won't seek comfort in harmony but will celebrate differences and see
tension as a way to pursue a greater order (Dumas & Beinecke, 2018). Chin and Desomeaux
(2016) reasoned that this ability to make sense in a leader could only be developed through a
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 26

profound understanding. The leader of the 21
st
century must be able to feel not only the pain of
people around them but also those who remain in their penumbra's silent anonymity, outside the
conventional reach (Chin & Desomeaux, 2016). When a leader is able to serve a customer's
customer and a supplier's supplier, a student's student, and follower's follower, it is only then that
abiding, unusual value will be created. The job of a leader is to create abiding, unusual value in
people twice removed (Hoch, 2014).
Addicott (2017) argued that as the third millennium has arrived, America cries out for
leadership at all levels of society and in every organization that composes it. There is an urgent
need for culturally sensitive women and men who can grasp the vision of the future. Thus,
seeking out effective leaders must be a national priority (Addicott, 2017)
Drucker (2011) asserted that leadership is the key to any successful organization.
Efficient leaders contribute to creating essential and feasible organizations that can evolve and
mobilize to new visionary positions in society today (Drucker, 2011). Effective leaders help
generate vital and viable organizations that can develop and mobilize into new visionary roles in
today’s society (Drucker, 2011). This will allow leaders to shape their countries and the world to
a more desirable future. In comparison, ineffective leadership turns society into an unbelievably
purposeless, visionless, and cohesive community. Drucker (2011) expounded on two ideas about
non-profit organizations. First, they exist to bring about change in individuals and in society.
These organizations define their mission, albeit through the ultimate test. Second, their mission
reflects opportunities, competence, and commitment. They collectively mobilize the human
resources of the organization to get the right things done.

Charter schools can learn a lot from nonprofits. Campbell (2010) reiterated that charter
schools have a lot in common with nonprofit organizations when it comes to preparing for
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 27

turnover and hiring a new leader. He added that nonprofits are small, with few leadership
positions, and have a similar rate of turnover among their leaders; 75% plan to leave within five
years.

While very little has been written about succession planning in charter schools, the
nonprofit sector has been much more studied, offering a variety of approaches from immediate
emergency succession planning to more long-term strategic leadership development, to helping
founders prepare to leave. An interview conducted with charter-school leaders on leaders and
strategy revealed that all-volunteer boards struggle to prioritize succession planning and other
general human-resource issues (Campbell, 2010).

Fullan (2010), in his book Indelible Leadership, enumerated six big tensions that leaders
need to manage. One of them emphasized that leaders should think of themselves as being both
essential for the present and critical to the future. Fullan reasoned that every leader leaves at
some point, and if too much depends on the leader, the chances for continuity are seriously
compromised. If, on the other hand, leaders are groomed and developed along the way, then the
organization grows and gets stronger. A leader who celebrates diversity and respects the strength
of others paves the way for a seamless succession process. When the development of leaders
within the organization becomes second nature to the team, transitions flow smoothly, and the
aim of creating sustainable charter schools is made possible.
In reference to leadership characteristics essential for growing leaders in charter schools,
Drucker (2011) claimed that a leader’s capacity to generate extraordinary value depends on two
factors—thought leadership and innovation. Schepker et al. (2018) capitalized on the idea that
leadership is not just about populism; more broadly, it is about effectiveness. While leaders are
people others “opt to follow” and popular acceptance is fundamental to leadership, history is
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 28

replete with examples of leaders going against the popular grain in order to establish a greater
vision (Schepker et al., 2018).
In the future, the management brand will have less to do with governance and more to do
with a capacity building (Vernon-Dotson & Floyd, 2012). Succession planning is the foundation
for effectively addressing employee surprises. The created void becomes a serious problem in the
event of a vacant managerial position (Behan, 2009).
Campbell (2010) advocated for succession management as a form of professional
development. Campbell defined succession management as an ongoing, mission-driven,
professional development process of building a capable and flexible staff, including personnel
capable of serving in multiple critical positions. The idea behind succession management is that
several candidates with various strengths are in the running to take over the position and that
when the time comes, the board will be able to choose the leader who can take the organization
to the next level. This involves the strategic development of leadership capabilities organization-
wide. Succession management extends the succession planning a step further and uses school
data to inform talent management at the school, apart from replacing the school leader.
One of the consequences of high-quality leader-member exchanges, as described in the
Leader Member Exchange Leadership Theory, is less employee turnover. This idea was
confirmed by the assertion that the benefits of succession management include building staff
capacity across the organization, which over the long term creates a pool of ready candidates
within the school to fill a variety of vacancies beyond the leader’s position. There are other
benefits, as well, including increased job satisfaction, the potential for reducing turnover, and the
creation of day-to-day flexibility of staff in covering positions.
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 29

If done well, succession management goes beyond risk management of a possible
emergency change in leadership and can enhance the overall effectiveness of an organization.
Campbell (2010) said: "The executive's job becomes more 'doable' because leadership is shared".
Additionally, shared leadership and teachers trained to take on greater administrative
responsibilities stand to create a greater pool of potential charter-school leaders.
Bossidy and Charan (2009) argued that, given that businesses have many factors which
cannot be controlled, from the uncertain economic condition to unexpected competitors’
behavior, it would seem that businesses are paying close attention to what they can control—the
performance of their individuals and particularly those in the management pool. According to
Bossidy and Charan (2009), the people in an organization are their most reliable resource for
year after year. The judgments, experiences, and abilities of these people distinguish between
achievement and failure. Although many leaders say “individuals are our main asset,” they don’t
generally pay much attention to selecting the correct people for the correct work. Consequently,
their businesses do not employ the best applicants for management, nor do they encourage and
develop them (Bossidy & Charan, 2009).
Accountable Leader
Contemplating the impact succession planning has in organizations, an accountable
leader implements practices that augment the services rendered by the educational sector to the
communities it serves.
Greater consideration for effective succession planning in education is critical. In K-12
and post-secondary education, challenges to succession planning are well-documented (Luna,
2012). Zepeda et al. (2013) addressed the increasing complexity of the positions and desirability
of education leaders—including leaders of public schools, school boards and superintendents,
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 30

and department heads and senior managers. Alkhawaldeh (2013) The majority of teachers are
therefore employed as such by the profession and they are not necessarily prepared or trained to
satisfy the requirements of today’s educational establishments. Fusarelli, Fusarelli, and Riddick
2018) reasoned that leaders of education are increasingly acknowledged as essential to an
industry that faces demands for reform and reorganization on several fronts. But for many
structural and political reasons, including the ones listed above, it has proved hard, and it has
also been hard for the public to understand that time and funds used to carry out education
facilities without any direct provision constitute an administrative burden and an irresponsible
use of tax dollars (Greene et al., 2010). Public schools are also devoid of flexibility in recruiting
and employing senior leaders and managers by private enterprises and must usually be more
transparent and more equally appropriate (Zepeda et al., 2012).
Instead of organizations in general, individual champions tend to identify the successors
to management roles (Caldwell, 2007). Schepker, Nyberg, Ulrich, and Wright (2018), however,
argued that this is not a long-term answer to the industry’s problems. Helping people understand
and supporting educational successors can help to strengthen the pool of ready successors.
(Schepker et al., 2018). Briefly, an efficient education succession plan can generate a more
informed and skilled workforce base, one that knows the requirements of the organization and
shows a higher desire to lead (Wallin, 2007).
Referring back to the idea of being a thought leader, an accountable leader has the skills
and motivation to create a clear direction, a goal, and a meaningful plan of action—a person who
is ready to create, and help the world create, evolutionary and revolutionary change more
quickly, intentionally, and effectively (Brosseau, 2013).
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 31

The path to thought leadership is not always easy—but it is possible and important. The
key is to realize how important. Whatever issue one is tackling, working to solve, choosing to
educate and inspire and engage others in—it needs a voice. To stay on the sidelines, to keep
silent or undervalue one’s participation, will mean that everyone will lose that unique story and
that specific ability to have a meaningful impact on the issues that matter.
Dubrin (2010) stated that successors for managers that leave, retire or are removed were
selected through a management succession in a well-managed organization, an orderly process to
identify and relocate managers. The LMX is a continuing value-added approach, which is
designed to improve the efficiency of people and companies through the diagnosis of leadership-
follower interactions (Green et al., 1996). Ballinger, Lehman, and Schoorman (2010) reasoned
that LMX theory focuses on the extent to which the leader and members are emotionally
supportive and exchange valuable resources. Thus, the primary focus of LMX theory is to
diagnose this connection, thereby allowing better efficiency to be established in this relation.
Strategic clarity was defined by Stid & Bradach (2009) as a means of answering
questions in very concrete terms. The experience of leading nonprofit executives considers these
two questions that are core to a nonprofit organization’s mission: “What effect are we willing to
take responsibility for? And what must we do—and not do—to make that effect?” This clarity
allows the company to align its systems and structures with a common goal. It also lets decision-
making authority be distributed beyond the executive director (Stid & Bradach, 2009).
In a study conducted by Stid and Bradach (2009), Wendy Kopp, founder and CEO of
Teach for America, explained in an interview that identifying a few priorities and very clear
goals supersedes organizational planning and that the question of accountability came down to:
(a) attracting new teachers who will have a meaningful impact on their students’ achievement to
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 32

underserved public schools, and (b) provide a growing force for politicians who continue to work
within the education system and outside it to guarantee education opportunities for all. The main
measure in this context: the number of students in colleges, government and other not-for- profit
organizations. This offers stability and facilitates answers by setting priorities, defining
performance measures, and making trade-offs on the issue of how to create the desired effect.
The CSH works similarly: working on policy change at the state and federal levels,
building the ability of field-based organizations to become more efficient developers and
supportive housing providers, and offering funding and technical aid on a project-by-project
basis. The process of the board is asked to define the most critical priorities, an in-depth
reflection, and a continued analysis of the focus of the organization (Stid & Bradach, 2009).
Ponti (2009) pointed out that the strategic clarity of some main measures is a strong way
to maintain all of the organization focused both on the reliability of the execution and the final
results. Nwuke (2017) confirmed that it is essential to concentrate on extremely motivating
performance actions because they are so obviously aligned with the organization’s mission.
Cocklin and Wilkinson (2011), for instance, believed that responsibility and actions were
fundamental to instilling a results-oriented culture at Teach for America. If individuals focus so
much on what the organization is attempting to achieve from the point of view of social effect,
employees are open to the concept that it is not about them—it is a question of reaching the
objectives faster (Stid and Baradach, 2009).
Michael Fullan (2017) in his book, Indelible Leadership, asserted that leaders are
essential in establishing the conditions of the current organization, so as it keeps the systems
sustainable by the time they leave. In growing leaders, Fullan described six skill sets to be
employed simultaneously and not sequentially.
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 33

First is to make sure that leaders embody a relentless moral imperative and related
uplifting leadership with employees. Leaders promote the passion and connectedness of the team
to the organizational vision. Doing this brings out the purpose of the leader and the good of
others (Fullan, 2017).
Second is the need for leaders to master both content and process in order to produce
greater individual and collective coherence, which means that there is shared depth of
understanding of the nature of the work (Fullan, 2017).
Third is a reminder for leaders that maintaining a balance between leading and learning is
essential. Too much leading fails to recognize what might be new and what is going through the
minds, hearts, and souls of the group and what excites and perplexes them. At key points, the
group needs leaders who can articulate and help test what is being learned (Fullan, 2017).
Fourth, Fullan argued that the new building block of transformation involves unleashing
the role of students as change agents to radically alter (a) the pedagogy of teachers toward co-
learning partnerships with students; (b) the way the school and its environment are organized for
learning; and (c) how society evolves toward a helping-humanity set of skills and commitment
that excites and engages young and old alike in improving the world through local and global
action (Fullan, 2017).
Fifth is the leader’s ability to use deliberate strategies to become and help others become
“system players”—when people cycle in and out of their comfort zone and become engaged
laterally and vertically.
Sixth is a reminder for leaders to develop collaborative cultures for five or more years, to
the point where they become dispensable to the group—"a blow to the ego in the smaller scheme
of things but a grand contribution for indelible leadership” (Fullan, 2017).
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 34

The concept of a leadership pipeline supports this premise of leaders developing leaders
and at the same time, painting a picture that shows the journey of a leader. A generic version of
the pipeline adapted from Charan, Drotter, and Noel (2001) depicted that effective leadership
succession planning ensures that there is a leadership pipeline that maintains a steady flow of
leaders to all levels of the organization. The leadership pipeline model is based on the principle
that there is a hierarchy of work that gets more complex as the individual works up through the
organization. The leadership pipeline model is represented as follows: (a) Manage Self; (b)
Manage Others; (c) Manage Manager; (d) Manage Function (e) Manage Business. The model
confirms that today's organizations need to be more flexible and fast-moving, and the
requirements of leaders at all levels are more demanding. The emphasis is now on finding a
balance between achieving the aspirations of employees and those of the organization. This is
based on the recognition that employees take more responsibility for their career development.
The dyadic relationship between the leader and follower, as described in the Leader
Member-Exchange (LMX) Theory, confirms the purpose-driven journey of a leader and the
collaborative work the leader and follower undertake in developing the leadership skills required
to meet the global demands of the organization.
Stid and Bradach (2009), in their reflection, after gathering data from their conversations
with nonprofit leaders, said that unforeseen challenges always accompany growth. Fink (2010)
stated that long-term achievement is not a prevention or anticipation of every single challenge,
but a receptiveness and willingness to act when a fresh challenge occurs.
As the search continues for connections between the Leader-Member Exchange Theory
and successful leadership succession, it is helpful to understand the three phases of leadership-
making: Stranger Phase, Acquaintance Phase, and the Mature Partnership Phase.
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 35

Hazarika (2009) stated that interactions within the leader-following dyad are generally
bound. As described in the Leader-Member Exchange theory, the Stranger Phase depends on
contractual relations, which means that the leader and the member are linked to each other within
the prescribed organizational positions, exchanges of less quality, followers’ interests are aimed
instead of the group’s benefit (Graen & Uhl-Bien, 1995).
During this phase, the idea of simplicity in articulating the vision holds true. The capacity
of the organizing members to challenge the objective of the organization forces the team to
achieve simplicity, which represents profound and sustainable thinking about the focus of the
organization’s job (Stid and Bradach, 2009). Bagchi (2006) highlighted the value of simplicity as
the core of sense-making, especially in times of difficulty. The ability of leaders to express
themselves in the simplest terms facilitates comprehension and allows alignment for members to
follow. Leaders need to seek simplicity over sophistication.
Acquaintance Phase – This leadership phase begins with an "offer" by leader-
follower to improve career orientated social exchanges. The acquaintance phase
evaluates whether followers are keen on taking on fresh roles and leaders prepared to face new
difficulties, the transition from formal relationships to new ways of linking (Graen & Uhl-Bien,
1995).
Mature partnership Phase — This leadership phase has a high level of reciprocity
between leaders and subordinates. The leader and follower may be dependent on one another for
benefits and financial assistance. There is a high level of leadership exchanges, high level of
mutual respect and duty towards leader and follower as well as tested and reliable
relations (Graen & Uhl-Bien, 1995).
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 36

Bossidy & Charan, in Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done, made a case
that "One of the most significant elements of the executive role is to pass on the expertise which
it has gained to the next generation of rulers in recent years. This is how a manager today achiees
outcomes and leaves a legacy in which the manager can be proud of when he goes on” (Bossidy,
2009). It addressed the significance of creating the management pipeline by continuing to
improve, decreasing the scope of succession to retain risks, and identifying those prepared for a
greater position as compared to the replacement (Bossidy, 2009).
Learning: Learn Effective Succession Management
Campbell (2010) found many charter schools unprepared for management turnover.
For this study, only half of the charter school leaders surveyed revealed succession plans, and
many of the plans were weak (Campbell, 2010). Although most school representatives associated
with CMOs reported that their school had a succession plan, there was some confusion about
school representatives and CMOs making final choices Broad (2011). There were two prevalent
features for the few schools that had robust plans: school representatives (all with previous
company experience) took responsibility for future projects, and those schools were not in the
middle of the crisis. Lessons identified include: (a) efficient non-profit succession leadership
strategies; (b) governing boards need to elevate the process of recruiting and selecting school
leaders; (c) As part of the application and renovation phase, the authors require strategic and
emergency management replacement plans; (d) Current leaders must lead the next-generation
management and management teams; and (e) Succession management should be considered by
leaders—an urgent replacement plan, strategic plan, and organizational strategic growth of
management capacity (Fusarelli, Fusarelli, & Riddickcite, 2018).
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 37

Although this example is a non-educational entity, the case of a civilian workforce
heightens the importance of succession planning. The problem of an aging workforce is very real
and needs to be dealt with (Taylor & Young, 2018). Civilian workers in the US have an average
age of 46.7, with an increase in the number of workers with more than 30 years of experience
(McEnany & Strutton, 2015). The loss of a significant amount of corporate knowledge,
experience, and capability is magnified by inaction (Krieg, 2006).
The developing countries around the globe are developing at a very fast speed, with a
high demand for their extremely skilled experts, in line with the need to develop leaders in the
organization. Consequently, U.S. industry struggles to recruit the talent it needs. Less than 50%
of the organizations in charter schools will have a succession plan, a percentage that is expected
to increase over the next 10 years.
This is a perfect opportunity to look closely at the effective strategies of succession
planning viewed through the lens of the leader-member exchange theory. Acquisition and
retention of potential leaders become easier if they can see a direct link between their efforts and
the organization’s mission (Jenkins, 2009).
Conceptual Framework: Leader-Member Exchange Theory
This paper presents five themes: Inquiry, Leadership, Accountability, Diversity, and
Learning. The goal of the researcher is to use the themes as a blueprint in exploring successful
succession planning practices in charter schools. It is also the study’s aim to find connections
between leadership styles and performance outcomes of the leader-member exchanges as
described by the Leader-Member Exchange Theory. Leadership strategies that best prepare
charter schools for leadership transitions are those that align descriptions of the leader-member
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 38

exchange (LMX) theory leadership and charter-school succession planning through the
perspective of theory-building.
According to Dubrin (1978), this approach suggests that the concepts most centrally
underlying LMX and succession planning are the common notion of learning and development
processes. The connection between the planning of succession and the LMX theory developed
on three major components: trust, empowerment, and efficiency, indicates that each domain can
play a part in the achievement and the improvement of its targets (Winn, 2018). HRD can,
therefore, be a way to improve LMX as a continuing value-added method for enhancing
individual, group and organizational results, and LMX can be a helpful method to promote both
succession planning goals—personal and organizational growth (Leadership Succession
Challenges, 2010). The more the quality of interactions within LMX is viewed as an HRD
system and evolved in institutional situations through HRD, rather than viewing it as an
individualized management concept, the more the management concept of LMX becomes a
helpful performance implementation of both person and OD (Taylor & Young, 2018).
The conceptual framework for the idea of LMX leader and follower separating
constructions must first be thoroughly investigated in future studies (Gerstner & Day, 1997).
This attention could be particularly crucial in identifying empirical indicators to define
hypotheses and selecting HRD interventions to improve the conceptual model's LMX
performance. Second, as a result of the conceptual framework, future research needs to develop
further possible theoretical units that allow the multi-dimensional nature of the LMX sub-
dimensions, and develop their potential system states (Schriesheim et al., 1999). In order to
advance the current understanding of LMX, it is important to focus on the various components
and their dynamic relationships, as well as to facilitate the practical implementation of the
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 39

framework. Third, a future study must address particular HRD measures influencing each stage
of the framework, in order to enhance the usefulness of the framework in addressing the actual
organizational phenomena (Kang & Stewart, 2007). Together with multiple units and their
expanded systems, the HRD-based LMX model is a more appropriate prescriptive solution for
organization and management growth and high-quality interactions if each HRD intervention
appropriate to particular stages can be further developed (Kang & Stewart, 2007).
Burns and Otte (1999) indicate that the concept of organizational leadership could be
helpful for HRD professionals to develop, manage, supervise, and plan succession, managerial
training or problem-solving within the work group's performance. In this case, there is a potential
advantage for HRD practitioners carrying out wider activities including leadership and OD
within the framework which outline links between LMX and HRD (Luoma, 2000). Thus, it is
possible to say that the structure has significance. However, only the empirical studies described
in the proposals will establish the validity of the framework (Luoma, 2000).
Schools succeed or fail based largely on who is leading them (Campbell, 2010). A
school leader’s vision and decisions influence the outcomes of the organization. This compelling
statement about leadership is what sets the stage for this study. The impact of the theory of
change a leader advocates for and his or her ability to execute that theory to yield the expected
results is one of the reasons why it is important to transfer leadership skills to potential future
leaders who can continue serving the community. The recommendation that charter schools
develop succession planning as a lesson from other nonprofits is a wise one.
Summary
The charter-school leaders’ ability to carry out leadership theories that build relationships
and yield lasting impacts facilitates smooth leadership succession and aids charter schools in
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 40

pursuing sustainability. The dyadic relationship that exists between leaders and members
promotes mutual trust, respect, liking, and reciprocal influences, preparing new leaders to
transition more effectively and efficiently into new roles. Leadership themes that capitalize on
learning, accountability, diversity, and inquiry humbly propel educational leaders to be well-
equipped with the global competencies: character, citizenship, collaboration, communication,
creativity, and critical thinking. They help unleash, uncover, ferret out, extract, and enable new
ways of thinking and acting (Fullan, 2017).

GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 41

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY
The purpose of this action research is to describe the preparations charter-school leaders
put in place to train successors for future leadership roles, to investigate leadership qualities that
facilitate continuity of a charter school's instructional programs and culture from leader to leader,
and to identify distinguishing practices that aid in charter-school survival during founder
transition. In this context, founder transition refers to the period when the organization
experiences uncertainty and distraction as a result of the founder's departure (Grau, 2014). The
conceptual structure used in this research focuses on a relationship-based management strategy
that concentrates on the bidirectional (dyadic) relationship between leaders and employees (Yu,
Matta, & Cornfield, 2018). Collectively, this framework is known as the Leader-Member
Exchange Theory (Northouse, 2016).
Epistemologically, constructivism is the basis for this study. Constructivism assumes that
there is no single observable truth that reality is socially constructed (Barkin, 2010). Instead, a
single event has many realities or interpretations (Weber, 2010). Researchers do not "find"
knowledge; they construct it (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The researcher needs to understand how
individuals make sense of their life, to define the meaning process (rather than the outcome or
product) and how individuals interpret what they are experiencing (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).
Action research is a form of naturalistic inquiry with the purpose of studying people’s
subjective experience and “exlor[ing] perspectives on an issue or problem” (Stringer, 2004, p.16)
Thus it is a form of “transformational learning”, which provides research participants with the
opportunity to gain enhanced clarity and realizations of their own situations within a social
context. Action research processes, therefore, include a progressive development of events,
through continuous cycles of looking, thinking, and acting. Simply, it is research conducted by,
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 42

with, and for people (Reason & Bradbury, 2001, p.2) Reason and Bradbury (2001, p.1)
emphasize the democratic nature of action research that is concerned with "developing practical
knowing in the pursuit of worthwhile human purposes" with a view to "the flourishing of
individual persons and their communities." This occurs within the realm of the interconnected
complexity of people and their cultural worlds and the expectation of outcomes perceived as
worthwhile by these people in their everyday lives. Action research is, therefore, concerned with
"a more equitable and sustainable relationship with the wider ecology of the planet of which we
are intrinsic part" (Reason & Bradbury, 2001).
There are no isolated problems. Still, they are a component of a complicated web of
events, activities, perceptions, beliefs, values, routine, and rules—a cultural system preserved
throughout group, organization, or community lives (Stringer, 2017). Stringer (2017) further
clarified that, as individuals disclose their circumstances, they can see more obviously how the
issue or concentration for studies is connected to the characteristics of their organizational,
business, and community life. Such an exploration leads individuals beyond their acknowledged
views and encourages them to be more satisfied, elaborate, and detailed (Pelech, 2016).
An effective action research process requires participants to work through the first cycle
of an investigation by exploring and examining the ways stakeholding groups describe or
interpret the problem as initially framed (Stringer, 2014). The first cycle of an action research
process is therefore qualitative, requiring researchers to gather information about participants’
experiences and perspectives and to define the problem or issue in terms that make sense in their
own terms.
The process involved in action research differs from traditional hypothesis-testing
research in two significant ways. First, participants are knowingly engaged in seeking to develop
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 43

understandings and solutions, objectivity not being the primary aim of the process, as solutions
need to make sense to the subjective experience of the participants. Second, researchers do not
hypothesize an answer to the research question but seek to understand the nature of related
events – how and why things happen the way they do.
In action research, gathering data has quite a different purpose. The inside action
researcher needs to be very careful not to incorporate one's views in the research process
inadvertently. Analysis of information emerging from responses to questions provides insights
from which "interventions -actions to remedy the situation - are formulated. Continuing research
cycles enable evaluation, reformulation, and redevelopment of actions, leading to increasingly
effective solutions to the problem at the heart of the research project.
Initial phases of exploration are designed to (a) reveal the reality that makes up people’s
day-to-day experience, bringing their assumptions, views, and beliefs out in the open and
making them available for discussion; (b) provide people with rich insights that enable them to
achieve greater clarity about events and activities in their lives; and (c) gain greater
understanding of the realities of the situation and the potentials of constructing solutions to the
problem that take these realities into consideration.
By working collaboratively, participants develop collective visions of their situation that
provide the basis for effective action. At its best, this type of activity is liberating, enabling
people to master their world as they see it differently—a physical process of enlightenment.
The primary data in action research were derived from two observation sessions and four
in-depth interviews, conducted with the New Designs Charter School-Watts (NDCSW) Founder,
Charter Management Organization Directors, and school-site Principal. Observation sessions
were conducted—one at the CMO office and one at the school site, each lasting around 70 min.
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 44

Also, four direct interviews (three in the CMO office and one at the school site) were conducted
to explore participants' insights on the current research agenda.
Given the scope of this study, the qualitative method facilitates comprehensive and
complete data collection by engaging participants in a dialogue and asking open-ended
questions. Other benefits of utilizing this method include a collaborative working relationship
between the participants and the researcher and cost savings since it uses a comparatively small
sample size and therefore allows faster generation of results. Qualitative research maximizes the
potential of research instruments through the utilization of interviews, observations, and
documents. The level of detail and the insights provided will be enhanced in the research process
because this method does not ignore gut instinct, and it fully embraces human experiences.
In order to successfully investigate the salient steps in growing leaders in charter schools,
three leadership themes are emphasized in this study: leadership, lead and learn and leader
characteristics. This research aims to discover the connections of these themes to one of the
leadership theories introduced by Peter Northouse, known as the Leader-Member Exchange
Theory. This theory capitalizes on the dyadic relationship that exists between leaders and
members. One of the advantages of LMX is that leaders’ behavior promotes high-quality
relationships as a result of demonstrating trust, respect, openness, autonomy, and discretion
(Northouse, 2016). This theory is utilized to guide the action research and aid charter schools in
passing on the assets developed by charter-school founders in ushering the process of growing a
new generation of leaders. The creativity of would-be-leaders and the energy they exert are
critical to the future. The inspiration, ideas, and programs successors bring to respond to the
country's ever-changing needs. The research questions are geared toward shifting the leadership
transition from a precarious passage to smooth sailing (Adams, 2004). The questions are:
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 45

1. What do charter-school leaders identify as best practices in preparing potential employees
for future leadership roles?
2. How does a charter-school leader ensure that the school survives during founder
transition?
3. What leadership characteristics do charter-school leaders demonstrate to maintain the
school’s instructional program and culture from leader to leader?
The study questions were intended to provide qualitative information from NDW senior
leaders. The same leaders survived leadership transitions, and through accumulated years of
service have gained knowledge expertise in developing future charter-school leaders. Charter-
school leaders' approaches to growing leaders may vary.
This action research investigates succession planning according to senior leaders of select
charter schools through face-to-face interviews, if agreed to by the participants. Further, this
research is primarily designed to cover charter management organization leaders or charter-
school leaders. Additional interview respondents identified include three parents and three
teachers who are affiliated with the site of study. This process is relevant in gathering multiple
perspectives in exploring successful succession planning practices. Prior to the initiation of the
interview, the charter management organization leaders expected to participate in the interview
will be briefed about the purpose of this research study as well as the interview questions.
This case study will be conducted in a 15-year-old peer charter school that went through
a leadership transition in its Charter Management Organization. The foreseen limitations of this
study are threefold. One is the fear of being judged. The leaders who will agree to be interviewed
may be unwilling to provide all the details of the transition, considering that the interviewer is a
member of another Charter Management Organization. The second potential limitation is the
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 46

failure to build trust with the respondents. Respondents may overthink their responses to the
interview questions to conform to the norms of the organization that they represent and avoid
being perceived as disloyal to the organization. Third is the setting, time, and day of the
scheduled interviews and observations. This is critical because, in order for an interview to be
equally respectful to both the interviewer and interviewee, a quiet setting is necessary. It is
critical that the interview setting allows thoughts to flow without interruption and thus yield
palpable results.
Sample and Population
The quest to find answers on how charter-school leaders facilitate learning in would-be
leaders to ensure that the organization is sustainable gave rise to this action research. The insider
action research aims to richly details and thickly describes the accounts of the charter-school
leader participants: (a) Chief Executive Officer (CEO), (b) Director of Human Resources, and (c)
School Principal. Review findings, stories, and perspectives of major stakeholder groups are
included (Stringer, 2014) to emphatically explain the lived reality of research participants
(Stringer, 2014). These accounts are constructed from the information collected and analyzed
during the study (Stringer, 2014).
The site of the study, New Designs Charter School-Watts, is a 6
th
– 12
th
college
preparatory school and is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
The school poised as its own charter in 2009 and had been through two (2) renewal cycles with
the school authorizer, the Los Angeles Unified School District. Although the charter renewal
petitions were successfully approved, NDW renewal processes have been grueling and as a
result, demanded more attention, focused efforts, and dedicated time from the school leadership.
The complicated charter-renewal process created a greater sense of urgency among the founding
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 47

staff and propelled the inside action researcher to embark on an investigation of how charter-
school leaders ensure that the organization continuously demonstrates success and remains
sustainable when school leaders are ready to move on and or transition to new career paths.
The NDW background laid the foundation of the inside action researcher’s interest in
embarking on this project, Growing Leaders in Charter Schools. Enhanced by the findings
discovered in the investigation process (Stringer, 2014), the researcher envisions a product that
ignites interest among leaders to develop within them global competencies: character,
citizenship, collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking (Fullan, 2016). The
same competencies required of would-be leaders are those required of children, who are the
future of the next generation.
The researcher recognizes that Action Research best suits this project because it validates
the researcher as a human being interacting with others within a social context and an implicit
part of the research (Stringer, 2014). A written interview protocol was formulated, consisting of
10 questions. The tape-recorded face-to-face interview responses will be tabulated. This insider
action research with NDCSW will be conducted between June 2018 and December 2018.
Instrumentation
The data collection methods that will be used in the study include interviews,
observations, document review, and focus group sessions.
Interviews
De Marrias (2004) defines a research interview as "a process in which a researcher and
participant engage in a conversation focused on questions related to a research study" (p.55). The
most common form of an interview, which is used in the study, is the person-to-person
encounter, in which one person elicits information from another. Group or collective formats can
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 48

also be used to obtain data. Both person-to-person and group interviews can be defined as a
conversation—but a "conversation with a purpose" (Dexter, 1970, p. 136). The main purpose of
an interview is to obtain a special kind of information (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The researcher
wants to find out what is "in and on someone else's mind" (Patton, 2015). The interview guide
contains a mixture of more and less structured interview questions, all used flexibly with special
information required by all the interviewees, the larger part of the interview with a list of
questions or problems to explore, and no pre-determined wording or order (Merriam & Tisdell,
2016). An interview protocol has been designed for this research study, which can be found in
the appendix. The interview guide contains several specific questions, some open-ended and
followed up with probes, and a list of some areas, topics, and issues that the researcher needs
more information about. The interviews will be in person and require permission from the
participants to be tape-recorded and transcribed (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The interview
questions will be pilot-tested in a small group of people (Charter Management Organization
Leaders at NDCS) to assure their completeness and accuracy. Comments that will be received
from NDCS during the pilot test will be addressed prior to the interview protocol conducted with
willing respondents.
Observations
Observation is a research tool when it is systematic, when it addresses a specific research
question, and when it is subject to the checks and balances in producing trustworthy results
(Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The researcher follows a checklist of components that may be
present in any environment: the physical environment, the participants, events, and interactions.
The relationship between the researcher and participants is described in the classical typology of
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 49

Gold as a complete participant, observer as a participant, observer as an observer, and complete
observer (Kabaran, Karademir, 2017).
Among the four possible stances, the researcher intends to play the role of the observer as
participant. The group is known for its observing activities; participating in the group is certainly
secondary to the part of the information-collector. Using this method, the researcher may have
access to many people and a wide range of information, but the level of the data revealed is
controlled by the group members being investigated. Adler and Adler (1998) refer to this as a
"peripheral membership role," which is different from having an active membership role. Here
the investigator is able to watch and communicate carefully enough with members to create an
identity of the insider without taking part in operations, which are the essence of group
membership (Cook, 2012).
The written account represents field notes, similar to the transcript of the interview. On-
site recording can range from continuous (especially for a total observer) to taking sketchy notes
to not recording anything at all during an observation. Field notes are a regrettably tedious affair
to write, but they provide the foundation for the study's information: no field notes, no
information (Schensul & LeCompte, 2013). The field notes are typically composed of verbal
descriptions of the environment, persons and events, direct quotations or at least what individuals
have said, and observer remarks, margins or narrative, recognized by highlighting, cursory or
courageous, and initials (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). A copy of the observation protocol is found
in the appendix.
Documents
Document is often used as an umbrella term to refer to a wide range of written, visual,
digital, and physical material relevant to the study (including visual images) (Merriam & Tisdell,
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 50

2016). Common documents that will be reviewed for this research include organizational
promotional materials, letters, newspaper accounts, poems, songs, government documents, and
autobiographies (p.162). It is essential to determine the authenticity and accuracy of written
documents as part of the research process. Guba and Lincoln (1981), citing Clark (1967), list the
questions a researcher might ask about the authenticity of documents: (a)What is the history of
the document? (b) How did it come into my hands? (c) What guarantee is there that it is what it
pretends to be? (d) Is the document complete, as originally constructed? (e) Has it been tampered
with or edited? (f) If the document is genuine, under what circumstances and for what purposes
was it produced? (g) Who was/is the author? (h) What was he trying to accomplish? For whom
was the document intended? (i) What were the maker's sources of information? Does the
document represent an eyewitness account, a secondhand account, a reconstruction of an event
long before the writing, an interpretation? (j) What was or is the maker's bias? (k) To what extent
was the writer likely to want to tell the truth? (l) Do other documents exist that might shed
additional light on the same story, event, project, program, context? If so, are they available,
accessible? Who holds them? (Lawson, 2015).
A literature review will be carried out for this research to identify the advantages and
problems relating to succession planning. A literature review will also be conducted to determine
whether a succession-planning interview has been previously done at ACS and, if done, how it
will address the issue of succession planning in light of leader-member exchange (LMX) theory.
The decision to conduct an interview, engage in observation, and gather documents on a
selected number of key charter-school leaders at ACS will be based on whether the organization
has succession plans in place for their key leadership positions and whether they are developing
their selected pool of people for leadership positions. There are three methods that will be
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 51

utilized, including one for a face-to-face interview. Leaders who agree to a face-to-face interview
will be expected to have already read the 10 interview questions prior to the interview. The aim
is to ensure that everybody answers the same questions.
Data Collection
The study considers the experiences of those involved with the change of leadership at
the charter management level. Once the request is granted, the study seeks to interview the new
charter-school leader and two directors working at the Charter Management Organization.
Moreover, a “boundedness” will be established for capturing a variety of perceptions about the
leadership context. This, in turn, will allow study participants to reflect upon the leadership
“reality” (Morrison and Lumby, 2009) through open interview and discussion (Kelly et al.,
2006). Accordingly, the study fits within the broad qualitative paradigm.
While the exigencies of academic time available, and access to personnel, preclude more
than the notion of a “compressed” approach (Jeffrey & Troman, 2004), this still serves to provide
an illuminative “snapshot” to inform research, debate, and action in relation to leadership
transitions. The option of interviewing the immediate past charter-school leader will be
considered, along with talking to other stakeholders. The researcher recognizes the challenge of
selection and ethics. As a result, the investigator will interview the current school leaders (three
times). All interviews will be conducted at the participant's convenience, at the preferred
location, and recorded by digital recorder. In this context, the participant will be informed of this
situation and will be asked to verbally provide agreement with this procedure, with the recorder
always in view. The participant will be informed of the right to decline to answer any question,
to decline to provide any information, and to request that a particular comment not be recorded.
The average interview length will be approximately one hour. The focus will be on the issues
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 52

and experiences of leadership transition and succession planning and the changes that came
along with it. Interviews will be conducted from June 2018 to early August 2018.
The interview style will be a conversation (Measor, 1985; Schratz, 1993) in which the
researcher seeks not only to collect data but to provide input in terms of the research and
themselves. This is not without over-arching themes, also guiding data collection, derived from
literature, from engagement with the principal in research on Learning Community Schools
(Cocklin, 1999), and from iterative engagement with the data.
Throughout, the focus will be upon seeking to meet the requirements of privacy and
confidentiality and promoting notions of ownership and commitment to a collaborative exercise
between participants and researchers (Cocklin, 1989).
Data Analysis
The overall goal of the data analysis is to make sense of the data gathered. Data-gathering
in this context consists of transcribed interviews, field notes, and documents. In foreseeing
success, the researcher factored in designing a roadmap that incorporated action items and goals
that are specific, measurable, attainable, reasonable and time-bounded. Although the researcher
intends to adopt a qualitative analysis word-processing program, it is important to note that a
qualitative data-analysis software program is considered as an option (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).
The research methodology utilized in the study is action research. Three research
questions were formulated. In addition to enacting the arranged observations, the ten-part
interview questions are created on the basis of the research questions used to ask senior leaders,
who agreed on a face-to-face interview (Willis, Edwards & Casamassa, 2014). In addition to
defining best practices of increasing leaders of charter schools, another main objective was to
solicit feedback on problems that agencies may have in creating and/or applying succession
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 53

plans and to learn lessons from others which could benefit their succession plans (Willis,
Edwards & Casamassa, 2014).
After completion of the research, the next stage is the analysis of the information as Flick
(2014) outlines: The classification and interpretation of linguistic (or visual) material to state
implicit and explicit characteristics and significance constructions of the material and of what is
contained in that material (Durvikova, Lee & Brown, 2018). Time management is key for a
successful data analysis and the collection of data; both are taking place concurrently (Merriam
& Tisdell, 2016).
Bogdan and Biklen (2011) offer 10 helpful suggestions for analyzing data as they are
being collected: (a) Narrow the study; (b) Decide on the type of research; (c) Develop analytic
questions ; (d) Plan data collection sessions according to what the researcher found in previous
observations; (e) Write many observer's comments as the study progresses; (f) Write memos
about what was learned; (g) Try out ideas and themes on participants; (h) Begin exploring the
literature while in the field; (i) Play with metaphors, analogies, and concepts; (j) Use visual
devices as needed.
In the context of organizing and managing data, coding will be utilized. Coding is
nothing more than assigning some shorthand designation to various aspects of one’s data so that
one can easily retrieve specific pieces of the data (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The designations
can be single words, letters, numbers, phrases, colors, or combinations of these. Most often code
is "a word or short phrase that symbolically assigns a summative, salient, essence-capturing, and
evocative attribute for a portion of language based on visual data" (Saldana, 2013)
A basic strategy for analyzing data will be employed as data-gathering goes along.
Merriam and Tisdell (2016). This research drew heavily from the constant comparative method
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 54

of data analysis first proposed by Glaser and Strauss (1967) as the means for developing
grounded theory. However, the constant comparative theory method of data analysis is inductive
and comparative, thus confirming the use of this method throughout the qualitative research to
generate findings (Charmaz, 2014).
Once all the data are in, there is generally a period of intensive analysis in which tentative
findings are substantiated, revised, and reconfigured. It involves a step-by-step four-part plan: (1)
the Construction Category starts with reading the first interview transcript, the first field note set,
and the first study paper (Yutzey, 2012). This is followed by coding—jotting down notes,
comments, observations, and queries that the researcher found striking and potentially relevant in
answering the research questions (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). In order to eliminate bias, other
salient processes recommended by Merriam and Tisdell (2016) are also utilized in thinking about
how to analyze the data. The next step is (2) Sorting Categories and Data, which deals with the
need to sort all of the evidence into categories, visualized as “buckets or baskets into which
segments of text are placed” done by creating file folders, each labeled with a category name (p.
224). The following step is (3) Naming Categories, which should meet several criteria:
responsive to the purpose of the research, exhaustive, mutually exclusive, sensitizing, and
conceptually congruent. Creswell (2013, p.184) concurs, saying that in his research, he prefers to
work with 25 to 30 categories early in data analysis, then strives "to reduce and combine them
into the five or six themes that I will use in the end to write my narrative." Finally, (4) the point
in Becoming More Theoretical is thinking about the categories and subcategories; speculating as
to how they may be interrelated may lead the researcher to develop a model of these
interrelationships or even a theory. When categories and their properties are reduced and refined
and then linked together, the analysis is moving toward the development of a model or theory to
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 55

explain the data's meaning. This level of analysis transcends the formation of categories, for an
approach seeks to explain a large number of phenomena and tell how they are related (Merriam
& Tisdell, 2016).
Given the intent of the work designed for this research, the definition reaffirmed the
decision to use action research.
In light of the researcher’s purpose to investigate charter-school leader qualities that
facilitate growth among would-be school leaders, she also kept track of how the themes
embodying the Leader-Member Exchange Theory used to guide this study aligned with the
interview, focus groups and document review findings. Research in this context uncovered
issues as they were viewed by organization members (D. Coghlan & T. Brannick, 2014)
Themes of leadership, learning, and leader characteristics frequently resurfaced in the
charter-school leaders' responses, and when placed side by side with the conceptual framework,
Leader-Member Exchange Theory, meaningful patterns and connections were found.
The dyadic relationship that exists between leaders and followers in the Leader-Member
Exchange Theory is the focal point of the leadership process (Northouse, 2016). The
prescription on how LMX theory works is worthy of review because it provides the inside action
researcher direction in making meaningful connections among patterns and trends observed in
the study: (a) the leader establishes unique connections with all supporters; (b) every follower
should be offered a chance to take on fresh roles and duties; (c) the leader should promote
exchanges of high quality with all supporters; and (d) the leader focuses on ways of building
confidence and respect with all supporters rather than concentrate on disagreements, which turn
the whole workgroup into an in-group (Northouse, 2016). In-groups, one of the two particular
LMX kinds, are relationships characterized by mutual confidence, respect, appetite, and shared
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 56

impact. More data, impact, trust, and concern are provided to the followers than to out-group
members (Chekwa 2018). Out-groups, on the other hand, are relationships marked by formal
communication based on job descriptions.
Along with the interviews conducted, fulfilling the action research section of this study
resulted in the researcher co-participating in focus groups as an active participant and co-
facilitator in discussions. The agenda in the focus groups was driven by the documents that the
team reviewed, monitored, analyzed, revisited and or recreated for the ultimate purpose of
addressing the areas for improvement identified by the authorizing District during charter
renewal: (a) cohort graduation rate; (b) low math CAASPP scores for “all students”; (c) low
math CAASPP scores for “students with disabilities”; and (e) low EL reclassification rate.
Trustworthiness and Credibility
The standard data-collection techniques of interviewing and of observation in qualitative
research present their dilemmas (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Analytical methods and procedures
do not ensure rigor (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Rigor resides in, depends on, and is manifest in
rigorous thinking—about everything, including methods and analysis (Patton, 2015 p. 703). It is
the training, experience, and "intellectual rigor" of the researcher that determines the credibility
of a qualitative research study. Patton (2015) identifies the credibility of the researcher along
with rigorous methods as essential components to ensure the credibility of qualitative research:
“ultimately, for better or worse, the trustworthiness of those who collect and analyze the data—
and their demonstrated competence” (p.706).
The researcher welcomes the ethical considerations regarding the researcher's
relationship with participants. Lincoln (1995), in particular, aligns ethical considerations with the
researcher's relationship with research participants and considers validity to be an ethical
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 57

question. As Stake (2005) observes, "Qualitative researchers are guests in the private spaces of
the world. Their manners should be good, and their code of ethics strict" (p. 459). It is wise to
glean from the "Ethical Issues Checklist" identified by Patton (2015) when engaging in
qualitative research, which includes: (1) Explaining the purpose of the inquiry and methods to be
used; (2) Reciprocity (what's in it for the interviewee and issues of compensation); (3) Promises;
(4) Risk assessment; (5) Confidentiality; (6) Informed consent; (7) Data access and ownership;
(8) Interviewer mental health; (9) Ethical advice (who will be your counselor on ethical matters);
(10) Data collection boundaries; (11) Ethical and methodological choices; (12) Ethical versus
legal (pp. 496-497). The checklist designed confirms that the researcher plays a vital role in
ensuring that the trustworthiness of the study—its credibility—is trustworthy in carrying out the
study in as ethical a manner as possible (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).

GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 58

CHAPTER FOUR: FINDINGS
Seventy-one percent of charter school leaders surveyed by the National Charter School
Research Project (NCSRP) expressed their intention to leave within five years. Policymakers and
those paying attention to charter schools worried about the possibility of too-frequent leadership
turnover, whether charter schools could either mitigate or prepare for it, and where the next
leaders would come from. The little data available to create useful policy responses gave rise to
this research.
Charter schools are public schools that operate under a contract with a charter school
authorizer—usually a nonprofit organization, government agency, or university—that holds
them accountable to the high standards outlined in their “charter.”
The unique mission of a charter school sets it apart from a traditional public school. The
fidelity of stakeholders to the task plays a significant role in the success and sustainability of the
charter school.
The attention received by charter schools as a federal solution to persistently low-
achieving schools is due to their distinguishing features and to the culture that is kept and
promoted by charter school-leaders.
When it comes to charter-school leaders, one size does not fit all. Whereas in a traditional
school district, one principal can be moved between schools with relative ease, finding the right
leader for a mission-driven school requires a deep pool of passionate and talented people.
Finding the right person to lead the school is one of the most crucial decisions a school will face.
Participant 3 (P3) summarized: “I do believe that the difference between charter schools
and traditional schools is that charter schools have some flexibility to implement certain things
that we believe will work compared to a traditional public school. In a traditional public school,
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 59

what I know is that the principal's role in the office is to make sure that the flow of office-related
tasks is coordinated and is working smoothly. On the other hand, a principal in a charter school;
sometimes, we see them teaching a class, they do so many different things, it is more, multi-
faceted responsibilities. If you go to traditional schools, it's not like that."
On the same note, Participant 4 (P4) reflected: "Charter-schools also have the flexibility
to try other things. For example, in this charter school, we wear a uniform, while most of the
traditional public schools do not wear school uniforms. We wear a uniform because of a reason,
because we want to identify our students when they are on the street. And also, if for some
reason a parent has difficulty buying three, four, five, seven clothes for their kids to change every
day, they can have one or even buy two uniforms. In as much as some of the kids feel not like it,
some parents like it. So, the flexibility that we have to be able to make changes. We can then
offer educational programs that we can try in some public schools. Maybe you need to go to the
district".
There were nearly 5,000 charter schools open in 2010, with an additional 400 opening
each year. Considering the regular turnover of current charter school leaders in those figures, it
becomes apparent that leadership succession is a growing concern.
Some of the earliest schools are now approaching 20 years old, which is the exact case of
the site of study. At this stage, issues associated with start-up and implementation should be
giving way to one of the best practices, which is long-term planning for the school, especially
leadership succession and standards of operation.
The inside action researcher set out to gather data about leadership transitions and to
learn more about efforts to stabilize and grow the schools through developing and nurturing
future leaders within the organization. By analyzing the responses of four (4) charter school
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 60

leaders (6
th
-12
th
Grade College and Career Preparatory School) and by interviewing the Charter
Management Organization (CMO) leaders, the researcher gathered data that begins to answer
these questions:
1. What do charter-school leaders identify as best practices in preparing potential employees for
future leadership roles?
2. How does a charter-school leader ensure that the school survives during founder transition?
3. What leadership characteristics do charter-school leaders demonstrate to maintain the school’s
instructional program and culture from leader to leader?
Preliminary Analysis
This section presents the rich details and descriptions of the stories, experiences, and
personal accounts of the interviewed participants: (a) Charter-School Founder, (b) Chief
Executive Officer (CEO), (c) Director of Human Resources and (d) Principal. The research
findings, composed of stories and perspectives of the senior leadership team, emphatically
explain the lived reality of research participants (Stringer, 2014). These accounts are constructed
from the information collected and analyzed during the study (Stringer, 2014).
The table below depicts pertinent demographics of the participants who actively
contributed to the action research investigation.

GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 61

Participant Gender Job title Years with
organization
Work experience/Career Path
P1 Male Founder 11 2015 - 2019 Deputy Minister of Education,
Republic of Ghana

2005 - Founder/Chief Executive Officer,
NDCS

2004 – 2005 Founder; CEO and Principal

1994 – 2004 Math/Information Technology
Teacher; Manual Arts High School

P2 Male Chief
Executive
Officer
14 2015 – Present Chief Executive Officer
2009 - 2015 Business Services Director
2005 - 2009 Business Manager
2001 -2005 Banker, Washington Mutual
P3 Male Human
Resources
Director
14 2009 - 2015 Human Resources Director
2007 - 2009 Assistant Principal
2005 -2007 Technology Teacher
2001-2004 Newspaper Editor
P4 Male Principal 10 2009 - 2019 Principal

2004 - 2009 Educational Consultant, NDCS

1994 - 2004 Math Teacher; Manuel Arts
High School

The site of the study is a 6
th
– 12
th
college preparatory charter school located in Southern
Los Angeles, California. The charter school is an institution fully accredited by the Western
Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). The school was chartered in 2009 and had been
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 62

through two (2) renewal cycles with the school authorizer. Although the charter renewal petitions
were approved, the charter-school renewal processes have been grueling and, as a result,
demanded more attention, focused efforts, and dedicated time from the school leadership. The
complicated charter-renewal process created a greater sense of urgency among the founding
staff. It propelled the inside action researcher to embark on an investigation on how charter-
school leaders ensure that the organization continuously demonstrates success and remains
sustainable when school leaders are ready to move on and or transition to new career paths.
The historical background of the charter school laid the foundation for the undeniable
need behind Growing Leaders in Charter Schools. Findings discovered as a result of the
investigation process validate the inside researcher’s advocacy for leaders developing global
competencies: character, citizenship, collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical
thinking. These are the same competencies required of the leaders of the next generation.
The collective effort exerted in the investigation validated the quest for answers on why
there is a need to grow leaders in charter schools. Charter-school leaders express the desire to
pursue academic excellence. Charter-school leaders perceive themselves as intrinsically
motivated individuals who set very high standards to achieve expected outcomes. According to
the CEO, academic excellence means one hundred percent of the students are college- and high-
tech career-ready. He further explained that academic excellence compels charter-school leaders
to be always on task, striving to achieve the utmost potential first for students, then for the
families and the communities that the school serves.
With the research questions guiding the presentation of the findings of the inside action
researcher, emerging concepts were categorized into three major themes and further broken
down into sub-themes: (a) Leadership (Transformational Leadership, Conscientiousness,
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 63

Affective Commitment) (b) Lead and Learn (Supervisor’s Expectations of Followers, Openness,
Leader Trust) and (c) Accountability (Commitment, Empowerment, Distributive Justice).
Research Question 1
What do charter-school leaders identify as best practices in preparing potential employees
for future leadership roles?
Theme 1: Leadership
The top practices identified by charter-school leaders in preparing employees for future
leadership roles include: (a) transformational leadership, conscientiousness, and affective
commitment. These same practices were mentioned in Chapter One, where the theoretical
framework on Leader-Member Exchange Theory was described in detail.
The need to grow leaders in charter schools, which is the focus of this study, can be
explained in terms of Helping Humanity, advocating that leaders play an essential role in
uncovering and unleashing individual and social potential to help oneself and help humanity. In
short, indelible leadership is leaders who are self-confident in profound change, mobilizing other
system leaders to build ability for today and the future. The leadership approach prescribed in the
theoretical framework called transformational leadership validated the stories, accounts, and
responses of the interviewed participants.
Transformational Leadership. Transformational leadership offers an overview of
management that emphasizes thoughts, inspiration, innovations, and individual concern.
Individuals at all levels in the organization can be trained. This leadership approach positively
impacts an organization's performance in the areas of recruitment, selection, promotion, and
training development. The focus of a transformational leader is to: (a) enable and nurture; (b)
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 64

enhance change by becoming a powerful role model for followers; (c) commonly create a vision;
(d) demand that rulers become social architects; (d) create confidence and enhance cooperation.
A transformational leader has a clear vision and exudes a leadership style that causes a
change in individuals and social systems. Ideal transformative leadership creates valuable and
positive changes in followers to develop leaders. The capability of motivating, moral and
performing supporters by linking the feeling of identity and self of the supporter with the task
and the group's identity is among other transformative characteristics; being an inspiring role
model for supporters; challenging supporters to become more involved in their job; and
understanding the strengths and weaknesses of followers so that leaders are able to align
followers with performance-optimizing tasks.
The CEO (Participant 2) embraced the transformational leadership approach. He found
the crossover among education, business, and innovation, resulting in the students rising to the
challenge. When asked what attracted him to become a charter school leader, he responded:
"Number one is the desire to help our students to achieve and become successful in the future.
Second, the flexibility that [a] charter school allows for you to dream, innovate, and experiment,
and be able to make mistakes along the line. Three, ultimately, honing all the strategies, to zero
in on the best practices that can help students reach their utmost, best, and highest potential."
Growing leaders in charter schools requires alignment between the mission and values of
the organization and the employees' identity, values, and aspirations. The Human Resources
Director (P3), who has been employed at the charter school of study for 15 years, testified that he
didn't have an idea of how a charter school operated when he was first hired: "I was looking for a
job, and I got one. I look at the vision of the founder, and I knew that he has a good and big heart
to help children in inner-city schools and so everything they were doing was something that I
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 65

knew I could do successfully. Later on, I learned to love it because I could see how my services
will be impacting the life of the kids in the future. My workplace became a home".
Conscientiousness A study on trait conscientiousness provided the strongest support for a
model wherein more conscientious employees display more organizational citizenship behavior
(OCB), which enhances leader-member exchange (LMX) quality, leading to greater job
satisfaction. Trait conscientiousness is included to describe the leader's ability to see what people
need, then do their best to provide those needs. Over time, that creates more success for
everyone. Conscientious leaders are highly organized—superior planners who anticipate
problems well before those problems might occur.
The CEO (P2) alluded to this leadership strategy: “I believe that one of the factors needed
to develop leaders is to teach accountability and clearly define and model expectations.
Employees need to know that in charter schools, their performance as leaders is tied to how well
they execute and meet the goals set for them in the contract they signed and agreed to do”.
Conscientious employees are more likely to display OCB as a means of reciprocating the
satisfying experiences stemming from a higher-quality LMX relationship. Such employees are
motivated to use OCB as a way of nurturing higher-quality LMX, thereby gaining access to more
satisfying job experiences.
Leaders who are conscientious facilitate more positive experiences in social and or
achievement situations. Similarly, conscientious employees view OCB as instrumental in
receiving rewards at work (typically from their immediate supervisor), which represent higher
levels of job success.
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 66

Affective Commitment Reflective leaders asked critical questions on why anyone should
work in an organization and are curious on what attracts people to want to invest in making
something worthwhile happen.
To ensure that the charter organization continues to pursue excellence after the founder
leaves, leaders invest in finding out what drives people to commit to the organizational goal.
Charter-school leaders believe that when people work in organizations that stand for something
specific and valuable, employees come to have a sense of identity and commitment to align
personal goals with the goals of the organization.
The school principal (P4) explained that leaders need to be proactive and not be content
with complacency, which is a formula for disaster. The principal used this phrase: "You don't
have to drop the ball in a sense." The principal acknowledged the importance of monitoring
oneself with data and looking for trends and patterns. Using data informs the kind of training the
teachers need and determine which practices are practical and deserve to be kept. Data reviews
and root-cause analysis also serve as avenues for collaboration, a path in finding creative ways of
improving efficiency, and thorough research, for example, finding out what is working in other
places and allow learning from other schools. "Last year, for instance, I focused on learning best
practices that work from successful charter schools."
Preparing potential employees for future leadership roles in charter-schools require a
globally competent leader. Simply put, this is a leader who demonstrates excellence in the area
of communication, critical thinking, creativity, character, collaboration, and citizenship. CEOs
who have the clearest vision and have the most profound understanding of why a charter school
exists have an easier job facilitating the professional growth of other leaders compared to CEOs
who have a different career path.
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 67

Charter-school leaders play multiple roles, as expressed by the Human Resources
Director (P3) when asked to define the difference between the traditional school and a charter
school. He summarized: “The difference between charter schools and traditional schools is that
charter schools have some kind of flexibility to implement certain things that we believe will
work compared to a traditional public school. In a traditional public school, what I know is that
the principal's role in the office is to make sure that the flow of school operations-related tasks
are coordinated and are working smoothly. On the other hand, a principal in a charter school;
sometimes, we see them teaching a class, they do so many different things, it is more, multi-
faceted responsibilities. If you go to traditional schools, it's not like that."
On the same note, Participant 4 (P4) reflected: "Charter schools also have the flexibility
to try other things. For example, the charter school wear a uniform while most of the traditional
public schools do not wear school uniforms. We wear a uniform because of a reason because we
want to identify our students when they are on the street. And also, if for some reason a parent
has difficulty buying three, four, five, seven clothes for their kids to change every day, they can
have one or even buy two uniforms. In as much as some of the kids feel not wearing the uniform,
some parents like it. The flexibility to be able to make changes make a difference. As a charter
school, we can offer educational programs that we can try in some public schools. Maybe you
need to go to the district". When further asked what made a charter school unique, P4 responded:
“A charter school is a small community. We meet as a Charter Management Organization
(CMO), meet with school-site leaders, and plan and would try for it to work. If it doesn't work,
we continue to persevere. This flexibility that charter schools have is what's making it different.
The part that we can try different things is unique. In a traditional public school, maybe you need
to wait for somebody from the top to say something or give direction”.
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 68

In reviewing the Parent and Student Handbook of the case study charter school, a one-
page document titled Parent-Student Compact emerged, detailing how charter-school leaders
value parent engagement. Parents are recognized as partners of student learning as well as
contributors to the school's ongoing journey of academic excellence. There is a need to create a
greater sense of urgency in engaging parents and other critical stakeholders in the organizational
vision, success, and sustainability of the charter school.
The absence of this practice creates a level of frustration captured in one of the Principal's
concerns (P4): "Although a charter school allows you to be a little bit innovative and creative,
coming from a traditional school, you have to depend on the CEO to do things, and sometimes it
tends to kill some initiatives, and you never know when something will be approved or not
approved. I have a situation where I worked on this literacy program, and now we get to a point
when we need to pay for the books, and we're told we do not have money. So, it kills initiatives,
and it's frustrating."
In addition, the Principal (P4), pointed out the significance of foresight: "Sometimes, I
wish, like traditional schools, they have certain kind of leeway where they can say, oh we want
to, we don't have to have anything to do with it, but at least if you say something that is right,
and then you'll get, you know, it's going to be done. They look at the budget flow in March, and
departments submit their proposed budget. So, they have by the end of the fiscal year, and the
following may have how much is going into the furniture. So, if somebody from the HR says,
request for supplies, it gets approved. I'm not really into how the management carries out its
fiscal duties, in terms of charter schools, sometimes, it is a little bit tricky because of how it
makes your leadership kind of restricted to kind of supervising teachers who are returning. I like
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 69

the fact that at least we have the opportunity to be able to as a charter-school, do things
differently from a traditional public school, that's the most attractive".
Creating systems and structures that clearly show the flow of activities from start to finish
is one of the powerful strategies to coach, mentor, and incorporate learning among future charter-
school leaders. In an observation gathered from a leadership training, one of the documents
reviewed in this study was the School Leadership Team Meeting agenda. The meeting began
with a Mood Check. Each participant was asked to share four pieces of information: name,
designated role at school, mood (How the participant feels), and what they intend to do based on
their mood (Based on what you feel, what are going to do about it?). The CEO read the agenda
items one at a time and paused after each item to hear updates from the assigned department.
Pending and follow-up items were given specific timelines for completion. Questions from the
team were welcomed, and contributions were acknowledged and recorded on the meeting notes.
Roles were delineated in the meeting. The CEO was the facilitator, and the team followed along
while the Office Manager transcribed the flow of events in the meeting.
The agenda invited updates from different departments, namely: Academic and Social-
Emotional Counselling; Data and Student Information System, Safety and Culture, Curriculum,
Instruction and Assessment, Human Resources, Business, and Educational Services. Calendar of
future school events and functions and agreed action items were also reviewed and assigned
timelines. The processes observed in the school leadership meeting exhibited the significance of
leadership roles delineated clearly for accountability articulated by the Principal (P4): "The
charter school is due for renewal with the district authorizers every five years. The opportunity to
be creative. Oh, so you'd be more responsible in the sense that you are being held accountable by
what to produce".
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 70

Research Question 2
How does a charter-school leader ensure that the school survives during founder transition?
Theme 2: Lead and Learn
Learning fuels the journey of growing leaders. Every day, leaders learn and help others
learn how to learn, envisioning that when it comes time to depart, they can always leave would-
be-leaders learning.
The LMX theory emphasizes the importance of communication in leadership, and it
enumerates specific characteristics of followers that aid in developing would-be leaders: (a)
Competence (b) Openness and (c) Leader Trust.
Competence Growing leaders in charter schools begins in the collaborative interaction
that leaders invest during the recruitment process. The CEO (Participant 2) explained that the
critical attributes for hiring would-be leaders include passion and the understanding that such
love has to align with the CEO's vision. This strategy plays a vital role in the survival of charter
schools, considering that every charter school has a unique vision that differs from one charter
school to another. The distinguishing features of the charter school address the vacuum that the
organization commits to fill in. The personal views of the CEO (Participant 2) on recruitment can
be summarized thus: "Each charter school has a unique vision and different focus, and you have
to look for people whom you think believe on what you believe, and that the recruitment system
always has to identify the right people on the bus—that is, to begin with."
Charter-school leaders look at leadership training and explore ways to teach discipline,
vision, and passion in leaders. In the words of the CEO: "It is not so much the educational
background but whether employees can buy into your passion and your vision and remain
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 71

committed to what you stand for as your vision. So, training of leaders should be something that
you should really design and focus on".
Openness Individuals who exhibit the trait of openness welcome new experiences
willingly and have an interest in cultural activities. Openness is one of the leadership traits
demonstrated among leaders who value new skills and a new thought process. Open-minded
leaders create a psychologically safe team environment that allows decentralized decision-
making, has a place for dissent and loyal opposition, is flexible and encourages information-
sharing, which can result in better decision-making.
The processes involved in acculturating the organizational vision to new leaders work
through on-campus and off-campus leadership training sessions scheduled before, during and
after the academic year. Participant 2 (CEO) enumerated: "On-campus training takes newly hired
employees through the vision, mission, goals, history, and the unique features of the
organization. Off-campus training was explored to suit employees' identified learning needs and
was made available throughout the year as part of professional development opportunities. Also,
a tool called a professional growth plan was also designed and used by the CEO and school
administrators as an evaluation rubric in managing and monitoring employees' performance."
This process informs school leaders of the training necessary in growing leaders and
sustaining success in charter schools. Leadership training designed for professional development
are avenues for collaboration. Learning takes place when leaders come together to look at
organizational issues and discuss current research and best practices that, if implemented
effectively, strengthen the organization. The product of co-learning and co-leading across
departments and among tiers of leadership drives unanimously formed decisions. These unified
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 72

decisions become integrated into the system, contributing to an organizational commitment to
the materializing vision.
Leader Trust
Building influence outside the organization relies on the relationship school leaders
establish with the community and how much a leader is invested in the community. "This remains
one of the biggest things that make you an influential person outside the organization. It is how
much you relate with people outside the community where the students and parents are from. If
you commit to providing what the community needs, your influence extends outside and beyond
the organization."
When a leader speaks, it is crucial to be able to have confidence in the honesty,
truthfulness, and sincerity of the words. An observation characteristic of Participant 2 confirmed
the importance of trust in leadership, explaining that to create influence with people, the leader's
immediate staff is the first point of contact. The CEO reasoned that a leader who can be trusted is
dedicated, truthful, fair, and diligent. These qualities are associated with a person who not only
develops trust and respect among people but also creates inside and outside influence.
The CEO of the charter school enumerated three leadership qualities that establish trust
and create influence among followers: “(1) The school leader has to have a strong belief in the
vision and the leader’s behaviors have to be conducted in a way that people will look at the
leader as an embodiment of the organization, an example of everything that the vision speaks
about; (2) followers will respect what you're saying, what you're doing and what you ask and
direct employees to a particular direction because they know that you are so committed and so
much you believe in the vision, and you speak it, you live it, and they see it. (3) When people
can see it, then they can follow your leadership because they know that you are not fake, and you
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 73

are not just saying something and not doing it. You are not just an employee, you are not just
somebody who is always there to get a paycheck, but you are somebody who is so invested in
everything that the organization represents.” (Personal communication, 2018)
The ability of the leader to impart learning like any other thing is what drives results. It
is not the sporadic energy of wanting to contribute to the materializing the vision; instead, it is
the unwavering commitment to deliver on what the charter school promises continuously amidst
trials and tribulations in a maybe a slow and steady pace. In the words of the Human Resources
Director (P3): "I will say that the commitment of the employees. In our school, we report to work
from seven o'clock to four o'clock as teachers. We do have people in the CMO who worked from
eight to five. But some people can even stay till like nine, ten all working. The commitment that
people have is what drives the school. So, first, if you're able to set the vision and the people buy
into the idea, it helps because they know we are doing it as much as they are getting money to
compensate the hours of doing it to help push them. So, you know that maybe, if you are here,
someday will say, oh it was through the suffering from that person that I got this. Then, when I
look back, people would remember that I made changes in the lives of people, so changing lives
become a mantra. If you work with charter schools, you see the kids come, and when the time
comes for them to leave, you have some joy, that, oh, I want to do more and sort of the
dedication that people have. Many, I will not say everybody, but many people support the vision.
That is what drives charter schools to move.”
Among the list of best practices enumerated by the Principal (P4) on how a charter-
school leader ensures that the school survives during founder transition included: “Financial
Efficiency, Leadership Pipeline, Succession Leadership, Building Capacity, Learning
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 74

Coaching/Mentoring and the Opportunity of employees to Grow. Sometimes it is making it hard
for the employee to detach given the learning and growth experiences within the organization”.
Research Question 3
What leadership characteristics do charter-school leaders demonstrate to maintain the
school’s instructional program and culture from leader to leader?
Theme 3: Accountability
The founder of the study location emphasized the value of developing a collaborative
culture. This strategy encourages leaders to think of themselves as essential for the present and,
in a real sense, critical to the future. Every leader leaves at some point, and if too much depends
on the leader, the chances for continuity are seriously compromised.
The Leader-Member Exchange theory emphasized the dyadic relationship between the
leader and the follower through traits of (a) Agreeableness, (b) Empowerment, and (c)
Distributive Justice.
Agreeableness Individuals who exhibit the trait of agreeableness are described as
cooperative, cordial, altruistic, and empathetic.
According to the principal (Participant 4), every individual values recognition. In
response to this, leaders establish avenues that invite employees to become part of the decision-
making process, forming a sense of cohesion regardless of employees’ diverse views.
Employees, when made part of the decision-making, feel encouraged, empowered, and, later on,
grow to become responsible in fulfilling organizational goals. The principal (P4) closed the
interview by explaining that "employees who exhibit the trait of agreeableness take ownership of
the consequences of one's intended actions."
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 75

In reference to working with people, the principal firmly believes that everyone is
different, encompassing traits unique and distinct from others. The ability of the leader to get
people involved in the process of decision-making welcomes varied perspectives from people
and opens doors and opportunities for employees to share solutions that are geared toward
transformational shifts at work. When the time comes for those decisions to be carried out,
empowered employees take part as implementers. The CEO's idea (P2) confirmed the level of
diversity in the workplace: "When it comes to teachers, you have to get your teachers to be
willing to go above and beyond quality instruction—look for teachers who invest in students and
believe in the ability of the students to succeed. Teachers who will be willing to nurture the
students because the people who turn out the products that you want are the teachers because
they get in direct contact with the students. So, they have also to be leaders in their own right,
buy into the vision and mission of the school. Otherwise, everything that you do or what you do
will not translate to the students."
The Founder (Participant 1) elaborated on the idea of collaborative leadership being key
to growing leaders in charter schools. "Learning from others and willingly welcoming ideas from
diverse perspectives is a catalyst for an effective learning process." A relationship between
effective communication and collaborative leadership was vividly articulated by the principal
(P4), saying: "Communication needs to be reinforced. Being informed ahead of time on
upcoming priorities so that it is not perceived by employees as impromptu helps. Often
employees used the term ‘unorganized’ in describing an outcome due to breakdown of
communication." Effective communication facilitates interaction among employees to formalize
things, to delineate responsibilities that allow completion of tasks on time. This also augments
accountability, which contributes to the seamless flow of systems in the organization. The
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 76

diverse representation of parents enables school leaders to evaluate the effectiveness of the
academic programs offered. The principal alluded to this by saying, "Issues are assigned and
addressed in specific departments—for example: (a) discipline-related issues are handled through
Safety; (b) parent engagement-related tasks are handled by Associated Student Body (ASB)
and/or School Site Council (SSC) through which parents' input are gathered and incorporated in
the decision-making of the school".
A concrete scenario that embraced the "trait of agreeableness" was when the CEO (P2)
and the directors reviewed the areas of concern presented by the charter school authorizers
during the early stages of the charter renewal process. The CEO gave the same areas of concern
to the school leaders who are directly working with the school and willingly entertained
questions, clarifications, and varying levels of doubts from the team. Collectively, each leader
read the question, brainstormed on how to respond to each question appropriately, determined
the available data at hand, identified specific individuals responsible for each item, and set
agreed timelines. Also, an educational consultant was invited to become part of the team. Input
gathered were incorporated in the final document sent to the authorizers and assigned charter
coordinators. The charter petition was successfully approved after several collaborative efforts
among parties involved.
Collaborative discussion is a practice that brings about potential solutions to issues that
have already been studied previously and shared within the team. The message disseminated to
the organization is that solutions to problems emanate from employee involvement and not
merely from the principal. “The big idea or essence of collaboration is to make employees feel
empowered to get things right." The principal (P4) alluded to the importance of elevating needed
efforts from good to great, which includes two essential components: open communication and
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 77

value of respect. The principal (P4) expounded on this premise: “There is a need to create a
platform that allows varying levels of participation and involvement from employees. In the
case of a meeting, organizational norms have to be established, ensuring that ideas and thoughts
presented are valued. In the context of technology integration, creating a platform that invites
everyone to share views and opinions about an issue or current situation is done on-line. The
process involves talking, listening, and learning. The feeling that were part of it is validating.”
The principal believes that real participation involves all, regardless of which leadership
tiers employees come from. Input from employees brings attention to leaders that these are the
things people are thinking or concerned about. A savvy charter-school leader who advocates for
collaboration tends to have more understanding of the current status of the organization and have
an edge in finding ways on how to successfully work in every situation.
Agreeableness and extraversion are considered "relational-based" traits as they describe
individuals' tendency to remain loyal to a relationship or actively seek new ones. By definition,
highly agreeable people value and nurture relationships, while developing the sense of
deacceptance of others, even if this implies being obedient or submissive to a certain extent.
Empowerment. The desire of a charter-school leader to see the organization flourish
requires a commitment to the organization. The CEO (P3) explained: “Leaders of this caliber are
compelled to groom people from within, to assume leadership roles and create opportunities for
people to showcase what they are capable of doing and therefore, instead of bringing people
from outside to take certain leadership positions, it is great to groom people from within because
they've been in the organization, they understand the core values. Of course, you have to choose
the right people to groom them. The kind of grooming is intentional—you have to intentionally
groom people, take the new roles, new positions, and create avenues for people to grow. If you
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 78

can groom them, then it can create sustainability within the organization, and so the vision is not
carried through the few, but it is multiplied among the rest.”
Distributive Justice. Leader-Member Exchange Theory explains that job satisfaction is
strongly related to distributive justice. From an employee's perspective, job satisfaction is about
having his/her needs and wants to be met. Drawing from the findings, the views of the principal
(P4) on distributed justice were captured:
“Technically speaking, everybody's a leader, one who is influencing decisions, creating
changes, and have certain leverage or power. Stakeholders like teachers, for example, and
parents in the community. I've been working with leaders, and it doesn't matter whether you're a
charter-school leader or whatever it is, you need to find a way to share the vision with all
stakeholders regarding where you want to go and how you're going to get there and how you can
get people on board the ship. You can't impose your vision on people forcefully—it doesn't
work. People who are real followers have a leader, and every leader is supposed to lead. Some
people felt entitled to have their way. You lead them by selling the vision for the followers to
buy. And then it matters that a leader is peculiar and or unique to a set of school leadership and
should also be able to educate—literally, a teacher. If you don't have anything to teach those who
need it, then you're not leading them.”
Documents reviewed in the study included sets of data: (a) cohort graduation rate; (b)
Math CAASPP scores for “All students”; Math CAASPP scores for “Students With Disabilities,"
and EL Reclassification rate. Other sets of data utilized in the study were: (a) benchmarks set by
authorizing district; (b) annual oversight visit performance reports; (c) school success plan; (d)
focus group meeting agenda and meeting notes (e) research materials on leadership, as well as
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 79

responses crafted by the charter-school leaders addressing the concerns presented by the charter
authorizers during the charter renewal.
The meeting observation notes gathered by the inside action researcher captured the
skillful delivery of the CEO (P2) in conveying that departments need to devote focused time and
focused plan in completing tasks. The meeting started with a Mood Check, which invited school
leaders to state their names and express how they felt. A sequence of activities followed: (a) the
agenda items covered in the previous meetings were reviewed, (b) agreed action items were
followed up, and a plan of action was unanimously designed to ensure pending action items get
completed.
Immediate feedback was provided as the CEO (P2) checked the List of action items,
determining which items were completed, incomplete, and pending.
To maintain the school's instructional program and culture from leader to leader, salient
leadership characteristics were ranked by interviewed charter-school leaders:
1. Collaborative Leadership – The Principal (P4) explained that collaborative leadership is
the leader’s ability to respond to the question, how do you get the teachers to understand
the idea that together we’ll be able to achieve something better”. This is crucial in the
success and sustainability of charter-schools.”
2. Visionary – Principal (P4): “You need to find a way to share the vision with all
stakeholders, where you want to go, how you are going to get there and how you can get
people on board the ship. You can't impose your vision on people. It is lovely to try to do
that, yet, sometimes, it doesn't work”.
3. Co-Learner – Principal (P4): "People who are real followers are leaders. Every leader is
supposed to lead. Some people feel the need to have their way. You sell the vision to
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 80

them, and they have to buy it. It was not peculiar or unique to a set of school leadership
to be able to educate. So, a leader is a teacher. If you don't have anything to teach, those
who need it, then you are not leading them. From a technical standpoint, when it comes
to instruction, you can be talking about how do you calibrate and how you get to
collaborate. I did get teachers to plan lessons together. Then you have parents and how
you have to have parental involvement. How do you get parents involved too? Parent
meeting, parent training, which probably we haven't done that much yet. You need a
Parent Center. Community resources, whether that is available here, which I think we do
well with our neighboring schools.”
4. Creative – Principal (P4): "Sometimes, you also have to look at symbols and signs and
how they influence the collective community. I always mentioned a co-worker who
expressed the best ideas through creative artwork. Creative signs, for me, paint a clear
meaning of a concept that gets into the minds of people.”
5. Trustworthy – The Human Resources Director (P4), explicitly described: “People know
that a charter-school leader is dedicated. When he speaks, he speaks the truth. The leader
is not afraid, or he is confident enough. Trustworthy leaders do work diligently, and when
people can take what you say to the bank, then the leader gains the people's trust.
Sometimes, a trustworthy leader is perceived as a good person to whom people can fully
listen to, trust, and respect. Only then, the leader can create an influence.”
Transition to Action Research
According to Ernest Stinger (2014), the primary objective of action research is to gather
the information that enables researchers to extend their understanding of the experience and
perspective of stakeholders—those mainly affected by or having an influence on the issue
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 81

investigated. The first cycle of an action research process is therefore qualitative, requiring
researchers to gather information about participants' experiences and perspectives and to define
the problem or issue in terms that "make sense" in their terms. We seek to understand participant
experiences to work toward a viable solution in which people will invest their time and energy.
Participants, especially primary stakeholders, are therefore consciously engaged in the process of
describing the nature of the problem and gathering information.
Furthermore, action research differs from traditional hypothesis-testing research in two
significant ways. First, participants are knowingly engaged in seeking to develop understanding
and solutions, objectivity not being the primary aim of the process, as solutions need to make
sense to the subjective experience of the participants. Second, researchers do not hypothesize an
answer to the research question but seek to understand the nature of related events—how and
why things happen the way they do. The review of documents and conducting meetings with
focus groups became helpful.
Focus Groups
The focus-group activities highlighted in the study are: (a) Root-Cause Analysis
Leadership Exercise; (b) School Success Task Force; and (c) Cohort Graduation Task Force. The
task forces were formed as a result of a charter-school leadership initiative designed to address
the areas for improvement pointed out by the District Authorizers during the charter renewal.
The charter-school leaders and the Charter Management staff developed a Root-Cause
Analysis Leadership Exercise. The event formally began with a "Mood Check." The leadership
exercise was co-facilitated by the inside researcher and an educational consultant, who reviewed
the learning objectives and gave an overview of how each session builds on each other to meet
the learning outcomes. The leadership team was divided into four groups. Each leadership group
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 82

was provided with a specific set of data that corresponded to one of the identified four areas for
improvement. The task of the group was to review the data thoroughly and observe apparent
patterns and/or trends.
The second segment required each leadership group to devote focused time to describing
in phrases and sentences what the data meant and writing them down on a chart where the words
were visible to the other members of the group to read, add, and comment on.
The third segment entailed collaboration among other leadership groups. This time, the
groups were given 15 minutes to look at the data, interpretations, and analysis of the other groups
in the form of a gallery walk, which meant that each group moved to the right, headed to where
another group's station was located. The strategy allowed leaders the opportunity to see one
another's data, analysis, and interpretations. The leaders at this stage were also invited to write on
the chart additional thoughts, ideas, and concepts that came to mind while observing the
completed charts of other leadership groups.
The inside action researcher observed how the educational consultant monitored the
seamless flow of the activities. Different phrases used in the leadership exercise were:
"Everybody will have an opportunity to view, analyze, brainstorm and make comments on each
other's ideas reflected on the completed group work." The expanded version of the completed
charts was attributed to the additional input and personal ideas, interpretations, and concepts
shared by each leader. Toward the conclusion of the session, the consultant said, "I know your
time is important to you, and I want to honor that. So, I want to be mindful of the time." A
consolidated report detailing what transpired and what was accomplished during the sessions
would be made available to the leadership team. The documents designed as a result of the
leadership exercise served as a learning tool to the action researcher and the rest of the leadership
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 83

team. The session formally concluded after the Leadership Exercise Evaluation forms were
disseminated to the participants for feedback.
The inside action researcher revisited the four themes that were highlighted at the
beginning of this study. The ideas served as guides in identifying possible connections between
prominent issues revealed in the findings and the concepts that underscore the Leader-Member
Exchange Theory.
The consolidated report revealed topics that ranged from most recurring to scarcely
occurring ideas. All items gathered were sorted out, collated in categories, ranked from most to
least frequent, and dispersed among the four leadership themes.
In the first and second leadership exercise, the root-cause analysis produced by the
leaders after reviewing the assigned data was captured in the findings and arranged in the
following order:
A. Inquiry: (1) Decline of Data; (2) Lack of Staffing; (3) Need to Conduct Surveys of Exit
Interviews
B. Accountability: (1) Lack of Data Monitoring; (2) Low Parent Involvement; (3)
Retaining/Failing Students; (4) Poor PD Planning
C. Leadership: (1) Poor Leadership (Leading Opportunities, Poor Planning, Absence of
Resourcefulness, Lack of Transparency) (2) Need for ELD/Tutoring Class;
D. Learning: (1) Lack of Motivation; (2) Counseling; (3) Teacher Training to Incorporate
Basic Skills in Lessons; (4) Lack of Staffing; (5) Parent Education
The strategies, as well as the additional input and ideas constructed by the leaders during
the third leadership exercise, were captured in the findings and arranged in the following order:
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 84

A. Inquiry: Program Evaluation/Surveys/Consistency of EL Identification/Look at Different
Criteria; Open Up to Alternate Criteria (topics are non-reoccurring and are isolated from
each other)
B. Accountability: (1) Lack of Data Monitoring/Tracking of Data (2)
Consequences/Discipline for Teachers (3) Teacher Appreciation/Incentive for Teachers
and Students/ (4) Yearly Pacing Plans and Benchmarks for Teachers (5) Attendance
(SARB)
C. Leadership: (1) Support and Training for Teachers/Staff (2) Pre-planning for Coming
Year/ Develop a Culture Outside of Academia; (3) Parent Involvement
D. Learning: (1) Teacher Training; (2) Academic Intervention for Students; (3)
Collaboration with Outside Agencies
Additional members participated in fulfilling the inside action research. The members
were composed of the Dean, Data Coordinator, College Counselor, Project Manager, School
Principal, and an Educational Consultant. The Task Forces commit to analyzing data, designing
an action plan, monitoring the progress of identified action items, and determining the next steps.

GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 85

CHAPTER FIVE: FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND IMPLICATIONS
Summary of the Study
The action researcher recognizes that replenishing leadership is an ongoing need. It is
crucial for leaders these days to foster leadership in others because the turnover rate for leaders is
especially high. Due mostly to demographics and instability in the labor market, a high
percentage of leaders are leaving; in many situations, up to a third or more are departing over a
three- or four-year period and need to be replaced. Formal and informal mentoring on the job
plays a dual role. It produces more leaders for the tasks at hand, and it paves the way for a future
generation of leaders. Lead them learning today so that you can leave them learning for
tomorrow (Fullan, 2017).
In the case of the site of study, NDW—whose focus is to ensure that students are
prepared for college, career and socio-economic stability in the future—needs leaders who can
carry out the vision during leadership transitions and are able to manage distractions with ease.
These would-be leaders are trained by visionary leaders who have created an organization that is
focused on long-term legacy and sustainable performance. Qualities of leaders that produce high-
quality successors include playing an important role in uncovering and unleashing individual and
social potential to help oneself and help humanity (Fullan, 2017).
Out of a desire to contribute to the sustainability and continued success of charter
schools, the action researcher embarked on an investigation to find out how charter-school
founders and veteran leaders transfer leadership skills to would-be successors.
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 86

Findings
The results of the interview indicate that best practices in preparing potential employees
for future leadership roles include a transformational leadership approach, effective
communication of the organizational vision and creating influence. Leaders who have a clear
vision establish why the organization exists and articulate vividly the institution's desire to help
humanity. Transformational leaders help employees find answers to thought-provoking
questions: “What are we here for?” and “What indeed, is the purpose of life, of work, of being?”
(Fullan, 2017).
Charter-school leaders are people who think differently, people who are driven to make
breakthroughs, thus disturbing the status quo and revealing fundamental flaws that cannot be
ignored. They are focused on deep work and helping to unleash, uncover, ferret out, extract, and
enable new ways of thinking and acting. (Fullan, 2017) Charter-school leaders immerse would-
be leaders in the pursuit of new ideas that solve problems in ways never before experienced. It
involves complex and difficult work that does not seem unreasonable for those doing it—
because they become individually and collectively motivated to go even deeper (Fullan, 2017)
Practices that charter-school leaders use to support schools during transitions and ensure
that schools survive include the notion that leading and learning in equal measure is key in
uplifting leadership (Fullan, 2017). Meaningfulness in life and work translate to a strong internal
commitment to accomplishing something of significant value. With purpose, uplifting
leadership involving identity, mastery, creativity, and connectedness fuels the journey. The goal
of leadership, then, is to help cause breakthroughs by being part of a process where every
member of the team wins collectively.
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 87

The leader-member exchange theory presented a set of leadership characteristics that
positively impact job performance, turnover, organizational commitment, general job
satisfaction, and empowerment of employees. Distinguishing charter-school leader
characteristics are tied to supervisors’ expectations of followers, transformational leadership,
extraversion, and agreeableness.
Implications
The action research on Growing Leaders in Charter Schools illuminated practices that
worked best for charter-school leaders in developing would-be leaders. A number of strategies
that were showcased included transformational leadership skills, leading and learning through a
collaborative process and leadership-making through empowerment. These skills were confirmed
by the personal accounts of the leaders interviewed.
The action research findings presented lessons that leaders from other careers can learn
from. The ability of the leader to vividly paint a picture of the organizational vision in the minds
of the employees from start to finish promotes buy-in. A visionary leader recognizes that
building the organization is as important as establishing a team that carries out the vision. The
deep understanding of a leader that the collective effort the team exerts as a result of skillful
leadership is instrumental in sustainability and continued success when the time comes that the
leader transitions to a new career.
The emphasis that leaders place on collaborative leadership facilitates co-leading and co-
learning opportunities at the workplace and is critical in developing leaders. Leaders who are
humble enough and who willingly embrace the diversity and unique perspectives of employees
are leaders who foster growth and productivity in the organization.
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 88

Empowerment validates employees’ know-how and skills in fulfilling their duties and
responsibilities. In the same manner, this leadership quality brings out employees’ ability to
perform—resulting in an increased level of motivation and a greater commitment to serve the
organization with purpose.
Future Research
Future study is needed to uncover the secret ingredient for transformation—the future
leaders of the next generation: students. It is important to recognize that students are the world’s
underutilized change agents in education (Fullan, 2017). Identifying the specific role that leaders,
parents, and community members play in the lives of the students is critical. Reflecting on the
question of how stakeholders come together to form a village of supporters for the would-be
leaders is a project worth embarking on. Once a student’s potential is unleashed, that student’s
influence goes beyond the classroom, impacts change in schools and eventually extends to all of
society to help humanity. The vision of preparing new leaders in the next generation is indeed a
transformational endeavor. Ensuring a bright future means annihilating the fears that impede
growth today.
Conclusions
The outcomes of the insider action research revealed that charter-school leaders exhibit a
sense of care for people. The desire to care for others compels charter-school leaders to embrace
change driven by the organizational vision. Charter-school leaders understand the value of
stakeholder collaboration, manifested through trust and learning. The creativity, flexibility, and
innovation involved in managing the education and business sides of a charter school give
fulfillment to charter-school leadership. These leaders recognize that the collective effort when
executed effectively, produces an entirely new generation of equipped would-be leaders.
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 89

The sustainability of a charter school begins with the leader. A clear vision of how to begin
and end is critical. It is necessary to understand that people have natural aptitudes or skills, unique
and diverse from one another, and these gifts need to be unleashed. The ability of the leader to
assemble talents in one place for a common purpose yields palpable result.
The key to growing leaders in a charter school lies within the organization. Followers
develop trust when leaders model the way. Trust is the result of a leader's ability to inspire and
motivate others. In times of doubt, a charter-school leader who finds strength in trusting the
talented employees surrounding the vision builds greater influence. Growing leaders in a charter
school requires a deep understanding of the purpose that drives the lives of the stakeholders in the
organization.

GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 90

References
Amagoh, F. (2015). Improving the credibility and effectiveness of non-governmental
organizations. Progress in Development Studies 15:3, 221-239.
Balser, D., & Carmin, J. (2009). Leadership succession and the emergence of an organizational
identity threat. Nonprofit Management and Leadership, 20(2), 185-201.
Ballinger, G. A., Lehman, D. W., & Schoorman, F. D. (2010). Leader–member exchange and
turnover before and after succession events. Organizational Behavior and Human
Decision Processes, 113(1), 25–36. doi: 10.1016/j.obhdp.2010.04.003
Barker, B. (2006). Rethinking leadership and change: A case study in leadership succession and
its impact on school transformation. Cambridge Journal of Education, 36:2, 277-
293, DOI: 10.1080/03057640600718703
Broad, J. (2011). The succession challenge: building and sustaining leadership capacity through
succession management. European Journal of Teacher Education, 34(2), 249–251.
https://doi-org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1080/02619768.2010.546837
Becker, K. & Bish, A. (2017). Management development experiences and expectations: Informal
vs formal learning. Education + Training 59:6, 565-578.
Bish, A. & Becker, K (2016). Exploring expectations of nonprofit management
capabilities. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly 45:3, 437-457.
Bizzarri, A., Cardinali, C., Picciotti, A., and Gregori, G. (2017). The evolution of fundraising in
the Italian nonprofit context: The "Lega del Filo d'Oro" case. MERCATI &
COMPETITIVITÀ :1, 79-96.
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 91

Burns, J.Z. and Otte, F.L. (1999). Implications of leader-member exchange theory and research
for human resource development research. Human Resource Development Quarterly,
Vol. 10 No. 3, pp. 225-48.
Barkin, J. S. (2010). Realist constructivism. [electronic re sourc e ] : Rethinking international
relations theory. Cambridge University Press. Retrieved from
https://www.ebscohost.com/
Cocklin, B., & Wilkinson, J. (2011). A case study of leadership transition: Continuity and
change. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 39(6), 661–675.
Retrieved from https://www.ebscohost.com/
Campbell, C. (2010) You’re leaving? Sustainability and succession in charter schools. National
Charter School Research, 1-31. Retrieved from http://www.ncsrp.org
Covey, S. R. (2004). The 7 habits of highly effective people: Restoring the character ethic. New
York: Free Press.
Cook, V. S. (2012). Action research in Catholic schools: A step-by-step guide for
practitioners. Journal of Education & Christian Belief, 16(2), 260–262.
doi:10.1177/205699711201600219
Chekwa, C. (2018). Don’t be left out: Fostering networking opportunities to reduce workplace
isolation among ethnic employees in remote settings. Journal of Competitiveness
Studies, 26(3/4), 217–235. Retrieved from https://www.ebscohost.com
Calma, A. (2015). Leadership in higher education: Examining the narratives of research
managers from multiple lenses. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 35(1), 55–68.
Retrieved from https://www.ebscohost.com/
Dubin, R. (1978). Theory Building, Rev. ed. New York: Free Press.
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 92

Durcikova, A., Lee, A. S., & Brown, S. A. (2018). Making rigorous research relevant:
Innovating statistical action research. MIS Quarterly, 42(1), 241-A13. Retrieved from
https://www.ebscohost.com/
Elliott, C. & Turnbull, S. (2005). Critical thinking in human resource development. London:
Routledge.
Fink, D. (2010). The succession challenge. [electronic re sourc e ] : Building education leadership
capacity through succession management. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE. Retrieved from
https://www.ebscohost.com/
Fusarelli, B. C., Fusarelli, L. D., & Riddick, F. (2018). Planning for the future: Leadership
development and succession planning in education. Journal of Research on Leadership
Education, 13(3), 286–313. Retrieved from https://www.ebscohost.com/
Graça, A. & Passos, A. (2012). The role of team leadership in Portuguese child protection
teams. Leadership 8:2, 125-143.
Gerstner, C.R. and Day, D.V. (1997). Meta-analytic review of leader-member exchange theory:
Correlates and construct issues. Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 82, pp. 827-44.
Gottfried, M. (2010). Evaluating the relationship between student attendance and achievement in
urban elementary and middle schools: An instrumental variables approach. American
Educational Research Journal,47(2), 434-465.
Green, S.G., Anderson, S.E. and Shivers, S.L. (1996). Demographic and organizational
influences on leader-member exchange and related work attitudes. Organizational
Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 66(2), pp. 203-14.
Grieves, J. (2003). Strategic human resource development. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 93

Giarelli, J. M., & Greeley, L. (2017). What is a public education and why we need it: A
philosophical inquiry into self-development, cultural commitment, and public
engagement. Educational Theory, 67(6), 744–750. doi:10.1111/edth.12284
Göçen Kabaran, G., & Aldan Karademir, Ç. (2017). Digital storytelling experiences of pre-
service teachers: An action research. Online Submission, 12, 12. Retrieved from
https://www.ebscohost.com/
Harrison, R. (2005). Learning and development. London: CIPD.
Hazarika, A. (2009). Building the pipeline: Leadership succession is a key challenge. Leadership
in Action, 29(4), 8–12. doi:10.1002/lia.1298
Jacobs, R. (1990). Human resource development as an interdisciplinary body of
knowledge. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 1(1), pp. 65-71.
Kang, D. & Steward, J. (2007) Leader-member exchange (LMX) theory of leadership and HRD:
Development of units of theory and laws of interaction. Leadership & Organization
Development Journal, 28(6), pp.531-551, https://doi.org/10.1108/01437730710780976
Leadership Succession Challenges [editorial]. (2010). Africa News Service. Retrieved from
https://www.ebscohost.com/
Luoma, M. (2000). Investigating the link between strategy and HRD. Personnel Review, 29(5–
6), 769–790. doi:10.1108/00483480010296960
Lawson, H. A. (2015). Participatory action research. Oxford University Press. Retrieved from
https://www.ebscohost.com/
Merriam, S. (2009). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation. San Francisco,
CA: Jossey-Bass.
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 94

McEnany, R., & Strutton, D. (2015). Leading the (r)evolution: Succession and leadership rules
for re-entrepreneurs. Business Horizons, 58(4), 401–410.
doi:10.1016/j.bushor.2015.03.005
McGoldrick, J., Stewart, J. and Watson, S. (2002). Theorising human resource development.
Human Resource Development International, 4(3), pp. 343-57.
Nwuke, O. V. (2017). Leadership transition strategies for medium-sized family businesses’
sustainability. ScholarWorks. Retrieved from https://www.ebscohost.com/
Ponti, M.-A. D. (2009). Transition from leadership development to succession
management. Nursing Administration Quarterly, (2), 125. Retrieved from
https://www.ebscohost.com/
Pelech, J. R. (2016). Comparing the effectiveness of closed-notes quizzes with open-notes
quizzes: Blending constructivist principles with action research to improve student
learning. I.e.: Inquiry in Education, 8(1). Retrieved from https://www.ebscohost.com/
Rigg, C., Stewart, J. and Trehan, K. (2007a). A critical take on a critical turn in HRD. In Rigg,
C., Trehan, K. and Stewart, J. (Eds), Critical HRD: Beyond orthodoxy. Upper Saddle
River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Harlow.
Roscoe, M., Nixon, J. V., & Brazier, C. (2014). Why things are going to get worse and why we
should be glad: An inquiry into wealth, work and values. World Changing. Retrieved
from https://www.ebscohost.com/
Sadler-Smith, E. (2005). Learning and development for managers. Oxford, UK: Blackwell
Publishing.
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 95

Schriesheim, C.A., Castro, S.L. and Cogliser, C.C. (1999). Leader-member exchange (LMX)
research: A comprehensive review of theory, measurement, and data-analytic practices.
Leadership Quarterly, Vol. 10, pp. 63-113.
Stewart, J. (2003). The ethics of HRD: A personal polemic. in Lee, M. (Ed.), HRD in a complex
world. London: Routledge.
Schepker, D. J., Nyberg, A. J., Ulrich, M. D., & Wright, P. M. (2018). Planning for future
leadership: Procedural rationality, formalized succession processes, and CEO influence in
CEO succession planning. Academy of Management Journal, 61(2), 523–552.
doi:10.5465/amj.2016.0071
Stid, D. & Bradach, J. (2009). How visionary nonprofits leaders are learning to enhance
management capabilities. Strategy & Leadership 37(1), pp.35-
40, doi:10.1108/10878570910926052
Swanson, R.A. & Holton, E.F. III (2001). Foundations of human resource development. San
Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler.
Thompson, G., Glasø, L., & Buch, R. (2018). Low-quality LMX relationships, leader incivility,
and follower responses. Journal of General Management, 44(1), 17–26.
doi:10.1177/0306307018788808
Taylor, S., & Youngs, H. (2018). Leadership succession: Future-proofing pipelines. Journal of
Deaf Studies & Deaf Education, 23(1), 71–81. doi:10.1093/deafed/enx037
Winn, B. (2018). When the CEO exits: A HiPo strategy for leadership succession. People &
Strategy, 41(1), 50–52. Retrieved from https://www.ebscohost.com/
Weber, E. T. (2010). Rawls, Dewey, and constructivism. [electronic re sou rc e ] : On the
epistemology of justice. Continuum. Retrieved from https://www.ebscohost.com/
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 96

Willis, J. W., Edwards, C. L., & Casamassa, M. (2014). Action research : Models, methods, and
examples. Information Age Publishing Inc. Retrieved from https://www.ebscohost.com
Weberg, D., Braaten, J., & Gelinas, L. (2013). Enhancing innovation skills: VHA nursing leaders
use creative approaches to inspire future thinking. Nurse Leader, 11(2), 32. Retrieved
from https://www.ebscohost.com/
Yu, A., Matta, F. K., & Cornfield, B. (2018). Is leader–member exchange differentiation
beneficial or detrimental for group effectiveness? A meta-analytic investigation and
theoretical integration. Academy of Management Journal, 61(3), 1158–1188.
doi:10.5465/amj.2016.1212
Yutzey, S. D. (2012). Action research: Notes from the field. Ohio Media Spectrum, 64(1), 22–25.
Retrieved from https://www.ebscohost.com/

GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 97

Appendix
Research Question Interview Question Type of Question (e.g.,
Devil’s advocate, opinion,
etc.)
Theme LMX
Consequences:
How it aligns with
the conceptual
framework
What leadership
characteristics do
charter-school
leaders demonstrate
to maintain the
school’s
instructional
program and
culture from leader
to leader?
As a charter-school
leader, what does
the term
“excellence” mean
to you?
Opinion and values
question
Leadership More Positive
Performance on
Evaluations
How does a
charter-school
leader ensure that
the school survives
during founder
transitions?

What attracted you
to become a
charter-school
leader?
Background/demographic
question
Inquiry Greater
Organizational
Commitment
What do charter-
school leaders
identify as best
practices in
preparing potential
employees for
future leadership
roles?

In what way do
you believe an
independent
charter-school
leader differs from
a traditional
public-school
leader?
Opinion and values
question
Diversity Greater
participation
What do charter-
school leaders
identify as best
practices in
preparing potential
employees for
future leadership
roles?
How can a charter-
school leader
create influence
inside and outside
the organization?
Knowledge question Leadership More attention and
support from the
leader
What do charter-
school leaders
identify as best
practices in
preparing potential
employees for
future leadership
roles?
How does a
charter-school
leader ensure that
the key
performance
indicators set by
the school are
measured, reported
and addressed
frequently?
Hypothetical question Accountability Better job attitudes
What do charter-
school leaders
identify as best
practices in
What would an
ideal training look
like if time and
Ideal position question Learning Faster Career
Progress
GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 98

preparing potential
employees for
future leadership
roles?
money were no
constraints?
How does a
charter-school
leader ensure that
the school survives
during founder
transitions?
What leadership
structures do you
perceive to be the
most effective in
instilling the vision
to newly hired
charter-school
leaders?
Opinion question Leadership More attention and
support from the
leader
How does a
charter-school
leader ensure that
the schools survive
during founder
transitions?
How do you ensure
that the charter
organization
continues to pursue
excellence?
Experience question Learning Faster Career
Progress
What leadership
characteristics do
charter-school
leaders demonstrate
to maintain the
school’s
instructional
program and
culture from leader
to leader?
What distinguishes
your charter
organization from
aspirational/peer
charter schools?
Opinion and values
question
Diversity Better job attitudes

Observation Protocol (Creswell, 2007, p. 137)
Length: 90 Minutes
Descriptive Notes Reflective Notes
What is your general observation?
See meeting venue layout and write down
comments about physical setting at the
bottom of this page.

Describe how the meeting/professional
development started?
What is the total number of participants?

Who facilitated the meeting? Who were the
participants?

What topics were covered in the meeting?
What materials were prepared and made
available for participants to facilitate
engagement.

GROWING LEADERS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS 99

Was there a special guest in the meeting
(keynote speaker/guest). How did the guest
introduce himself?

What were the questions asked by the meeting
participants?

What were the key words/phrases that the
charter-school leader use in conveying his/her
response/s? (Key words and phrases that align
with the vision/mission of the organization)

For additional resources - http://dissertationedd.usc.edu/
DSC contact information – rsoedsc@rossier.usc.edu or (213)740-8099
What seemed to be the three parts to
this meeting?

Sketch of the meeting venue

Abstract (if available)

Abstract Chief Executive Officers and Founders of charter schools possess traits that mirror those of disruptive innovators. While recognizing the evolving triumphs fashioned by educational innovations through time, charter-school leaders capitalize on opportunities and infinite possibilities that drive academic excellence. Charter School founders see the vacuum caused by academic debt, yet they have the burning desire to fill the gaps through the unique solution embedded in the mission of the schools they create, as depicted at the site where the action research was conducted. This optimistic view is common among indelible leaders—leaders who are visionary and skillful enough in carrying out leadership traits that build relationships and yield lasting impacts. Indelible leaders understand that the end results are as important as the start goals. In the context of this research study, Growing Leaders in Charter Schools highlights the need for an effective leadership transition that propels succession and sustainability in charter schools, an effective system that facilitates leader-to-leader transition when the CEO or founder decides to leave. Considering that limited research has been performed on this specific issue, this study aims to bridge this gap and contribute to society—benefitting other non-profit organizations whose organizational issues resemble those of charter schools. In investigating the nature of charter-school leaders through interviews, observations and document review, four guiding themes were employed: learning, accountability, diversity, and leadership. Collectively, this links to the conceptual framework known as leader-member-exchange theory. The theory describes how the dyadic relationship between leaders and members facilitates mutual trust, respect, liking and reciprocal influences that aid in preparing new leaders to transition more effectively and efficiently into new roles.

Linked assets

University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses

Conceptually similar

PDF

Oppression of remedial reading community college students and their academic success rates: student perspectives of the unquantified challenges faced

PDF

Promising practices for building leadership capital in educational organizations

PDF

Key stakeholders' role in implementing special education inclusion: leadership and school culture

PDF

Stories of persistence and courage: undocumented students' educational experience enrolled at a 4-year institution

PDF

"Creaming" students in the charter school admission process: a case study of admission practices in charter schools

PDF

The impact of principal leadership on teacher retention in K-4 charter schools in South Los Angeles

PDF

Creating a culture of connection: employee engagement at an academic medical system

PDF

Key stakeholders' role in implementing special education inclusion program in an urban high school: leadership and school culture

PDF

Examining perspectives of academic autonomy in community college students: a quantitative study

PDF

Grinding harder than a molcajete: a qualitative study of Latina charter school principals

PDF

Improving conditions for innovation in magnet and charter schools

PDF

Civic engagement of Teach For America alumni in Los Angeles

PDF

Uncovered leaders in hidden schools: effective leadership practices in California Model Continuation High School principals

PDF

Sustaining quality leadership at prep academy charter schools: promising practices for leadership development in public schools

PDF

Charter school alumni experience

PDF

Building leaders: the role of core faculty in student leadership development in an undergraduate business school

PDF

Building the next generation of leaders in K–6 institutions

PDF

Approaches to encouraging and supporting self-regulated learning in the college classroom

PDF

Building data use capacity through school leaders: an evaluation study

PDF

Uncovered leaders in hidden schools: effective leadership practices in California Model Continuation High School principals

Asset Metadata

Creator Rojas, Hazel Tamse (author)

Core Title Growing leaders in charter schools

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Education (Leadership)

Publication Date 02/21/2020

Defense Date 11/19/2019

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag charter school,indelible leaders,leader-member exchange theory,OAI-PMH Harvest,succession leadership

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Tobey, Patricia Elaine (committee chair), Burch, Patricia (committee member), Combs, Wayne (committee member)

Creator Email hazelroj@usc.edu,rojas_hazel2003@yahoo.com

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c89-272657

Unique identifier UC11675049

Identifier etd-RojasHazel-8199.pdf (filename),usctheses-c89-272657 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-RojasHazel-8199.pdf

Dmrecord 272657

Document Type Dissertation

Rights Rojas, Hazel Tamse

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA