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Successful strategies and skills utilized by high school principals as perceived by Southern California superintendents

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Successful strategies and skills utilized by high school principals as perceived by Southern California superintendents

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Content i

SUCCESSFUL STRATEGIES AND SKILLS UTILIZED BY HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS
AS PERCEIVED BY SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SUPERINTENDENTS

by
Estephany Balcazar

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

August 2020

Copyright 2020 Estephany Balcazar

ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to express my sincerest appreciation to my dissertation committee: Dr. Rudy
Castruita, Dr. Michael Escalante, and Dr. John Roach for guiding and mentoring me during the
dissertation process. I especially would like to thank them for instilling confidence in my
abilities throughout this journey. I would like to thank Dr. Castruita for accepting me in his
group and encouraging me to fight on when I had lost hope. In addition, I would like to thank
my dissertation partner, Oscar Felix. I will forever be grateful for his emotional support and
motivational words as they were vital throughout the entire program. I thank my parents,
Gerardo and Delia, for instilling my love for learning, supporting my passion for education, and
encouraging me every step of the way. I thank my sisters, Jeannette, Jacqueline, and Katherine,
for always believing in me; their moral support was invaluable. I would also like to thank my
significant other, Marco for being patient, encouraging, and not allowing me to give up. And to
the unmentioned, I am infinitely grateful for their unwavering support which has led to the
accomplishment of a doctoral degree.

iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................... ii

List of Tables ...................................................................................................................................v

List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ vi

Abstract ......................................................................................................................................... vii

Preface.......................................................................................................................................... viii

Chapter One: Overview of the Study ...............................................................................................1
Background of the Problem .................................................................................................4
Statement of the Problem .....................................................................................................4
Purpose of the Study ............................................................................................................5
Research Questions ..............................................................................................................5
Significance of the Study .....................................................................................................5
Limitations and Delimitations ..............................................................................................6
Definition of Terms..............................................................................................................6
Organization of the Study ....................................................................................................7

Chapter Two: Review of the Literature ...........................................................................................8
History of the Principal Position ..........................................................................................8
Principal Leadership Strategies and Skills .........................................................................11
Supporting School Principals .............................................................................................19
Supporting School Principals Through the Evaluation Process ........................................21
Conclusion .........................................................................................................................24

Chapter Three: Methodology .........................................................................................................26
Design Overview ...............................................................................................................27
Sample and Population ......................................................................................................28
Instrumentation ..................................................................................................................28
Quantitative Methods .............................................................................................28
Qualitative Methods ...............................................................................................29
Data Collection Procedures: Surveys and Interviews ........................................................30
Data Analysis .....................................................................................................................30
Ethical Considerations .......................................................................................................31
Summary ............................................................................................................................31

Chapter Four: Summary of Findings .............................................................................................33
Participant Demographics ..................................................................................................33
Los Angeles County Interview Participants ......................................................................35
Organization of Data Analysis ...........................................................................................36
Results for Research Question 1 ............................................................................37
Results for Research Question 2 ............................................................................41
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Results for Research Question 3 ............................................................................42
Summary of the Findings ...................................................................................................44

Chapter Five: Summary, Conclusion, and Implications ................................................................47
Summary of Findings .........................................................................................................48
Implications........................................................................................................................50
Recommendations for Future Research .............................................................................51
Conclusion .........................................................................................................................51

References ......................................................................................................................................53

v
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Age Range and Gender (Percentages) .............................................................................34
Table 2: Interview Respondents.....................................................................................................36
Table 3: Survey Results .................................................................................................................37

vi
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Superintendents’ highest education completed. .............................................................34
Figure 2: Ethnicities of survey participants. ..................................................................................35

vii
ABSTRACT
Research highlights that high school principals face increasing demands, including long
hours, stressful political pressures, policy mandates, lack of support, increasing expectations, and
intensive forms of accountability. This study sought to identify the traits an administrator can
develop before entering this position and how superintendents evaluate, support, and develop
high school principals. The following research questions guided this study: What strategies and
skills should high school principals poses to ensure school success as perceived by Southern
California superintendents? How do Southern California superintendents evaluate the
effectiveness of high school principals? How do Southern California superintendents support
high school principals in executing successful strategies and skills? This mixed-methods study
includes Los Angeles County superintendents’ responses to 28 surveys and 3 interviews. The
findings indicate that communication, culture, affirmation, and visibility are crucial strategies
and skills for a high school principal. In addition, Los Angeles County superintendents evaluate
the effectiveness of high school principals by how they overcome challenges and build
relationships as well as by how their school progresses. The study found that Los Angeles
County superintendents support their high school principals by giving them the autonomy to
grow, moral support, and individualized teaching. This study is instrumental for aspiring high
school principals as they learn what strategies and skills to focus on and receive insight into how
superintendents evaluate and support the principalship.

viii
PREFACE
Some of the chapters of this dissertation were co-authored and have been identified as
such. In the development of highly skilled practitioners, USC Rossier School of Education has
permitted a jointly authored dissertation as collaboration reflects the 21st-century workforce.
This dissertation is part of a collaborative project with one other doctoral candidate, Oscar Felix.
As doctoral students, we aim to explore specific strategies and skills that influence high school
principals’ success as perceived by superintendents in Southern California. The process for
collecting and analyzing data was too large for a single dissertation, but together we were able to
effectively collect data from San Diego County and Los Angeles County.
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CHAPTER ONE: OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY
The roles of high school principals are challenging and complex. The high school
principal must be well versed in instructional leadership, curriculum, management, maintenance,
operations, finance, and human resources (Lynch, 2012). Historically, principals have served as
the teachers’ boss and the school’s primary disciplinarian (Lynch, 2012). As legislation related
to education changes, so does the role of the principal as it pertains to strategies and skills needed
to support their school’s academic growth (Lynch, 2012). Under federal legislation, principals
must manage site funds, personnel, and strategic planning to ensure student academic growth
(Lynch, 2012). In today’s growing education field, principals must also take on the
responsibilities of instructional leadership (Lynch, 2012). As instructional leaders, principals
accept responsibility for all students’ learning (Lynch, 2012). The role of an instructional leader
becomes magnified in urban school districts experiencing high student dropout and teacher
attrition rates (Lynch, 2012). For these reasons, today’s high school principals must understand
the complexity of the strategies and skills necessary to be successful in their leadership role as
instructional leaders.
Certain principal responsibilities have been shown to have a positive impact on student
achievement. To identify these duties, Marzano, Waters, and McNulty (2005) analyzed 35 years
of research and found that school principals significantly affect student achievement. The
researchers examined the responsibilities of effective leadership and noted 21 categories of
behaviors referred to as responsibilities of the school leader (Marzano et al., 2005). Per these
researchers, the top five responsibilities that yield the highest gains in student achievement are
situational awareness, flexibility, discipline, outreach, and monitoring/evaluation (Marzano et al.,
2005).
2
Similarly, Cotton (2003) identified 25 categories of principal behaviors that positively
affect student achievement, which are similar to the list created by Marzano et al. (2005). Cotton
concluded that principal leadership affects student outcomes, and Taylor Backor and Gordon
(2015) also found links between the principal’s instructional leadership and student achievement.
The purpose of instructional leadership is to help support teachers improve, grow professionally,
and ultimately make progress on teaching and learning (Taylor Backor & Gordon, 2015). The
positive outcomes of effective instructional leadership are well documented, as Bamburg and
Andrews (1990) explored the connections between instructional leadership and student learning
and found that principals at high-achieving schools were sought out by teachers for instructional
guidance. These leaders communicated instructional goals, were visible on campus, and actively
participated in staff development activities (Bamburg & Andrews).
According to Seashore Louis, Leithwood, Wahlstrom, and Anderson (2010), four
categories contribute to a high school principal’s success: developing people, re-culturing the
school, clear and concise school mission, and consistent analysis of classroom instruction.
McKinney, Labat, and Labat (2015) concluded that, in addition to the principal having high
expectations of teachers, national blue ribbon principals also possessed traits such as
tact, approachability, caring, sensitive to the needs of others, personal and professional
knowledge of teachers and staff members, respect for subordinates, the ability to listen,
the ability to learn from others and a willingness to seek out new and innovative teaching
and learning techniques (p. 164).
When high school principals possess the above traits and can motivate teachers, they can
have a positive impact on student achievement (McKinney et al., 2015)
3
Given students’ multiple academic, emotional, personal, and social needs, Seashore Louis
et al. (2010), noted that principals face additional challenges as they work with a complex
accountability system that asks them to be effective instructional leaders. In addition to the
demands of the high school principal position, some challenges are apparent due to lack of
experience. Battle and Gruber (2010) stated that 34% of principals who took the School and
Staffing Survey published by the United States Department of Education had two or fewer years
of experience in the. Mintrop and Sunderman (2009) state that the role of the principal has
changed considerably over time due to the increased focus on accountability since the passage of
the No Child Left Behind Act (2002). The same is true today with the reauthorization of the No
Child Left Behind Act (2002) to Every Student Succeeds Act (2015). O’Doherty and Ovando
(2013) highlight that first-year principals participating in their study acknowledged they faced
specific challenges such as “succession of the previous principal, implementation of previous
year’s plans, motivating people to change, and balancing the complexity of the principal job” (p.
543).
New principals today work through complex and challenging situations. For this reason,
it is important to provide support and guidance through their first years in the position (James-
Ward, 2013). James-Ward (2013) highlights that quality mentoring by an experienced and
successful principal practitioner can cultivate skills in instructional leadership, observations, and
reflective feedback. Sciarappa and Mason (2014) state that new principals who receive
mentoring from experienced principals reported success in improving school climate and
instruction as evidenced by higher test scores and observed instruction. The experience,
strategies, and skills that mentors possess provide insight and understanding of the principal’s
role. According to Augustine-Shaw (2015), mentors can listen, ask questions, and understand
4
local issues through site visits and ongoing dialogue in a confidential and safe setting. Practicing
principals possess critical skills in prioritizing tasks and problem solving that can help new
principals find opportunities to maximize their role as instructional leaders (Augustine-Shaw,
2015, p. 29). Murphy and Hallinger (1988), highlight that principals need the support and
encouragement of their superintendent to help them be effective. As the teacher looks to the
principal for mentorship and guidance, the principal must be able to do the same with the
superintendent.
Background of the Problem
High school principals today experience increased expectations and complex demands as
successful leadership capabilities have been associated with increased student achievement.
High school principals are expected to have a vision, accomplish daily management tasks,
influence and inspire leadership, mentor, consult, be creative with their decision-making
responsibilities, build a positive environment, and have positive relationships with all
stakeholders (Giese, Slate, Brown, & Tejeda-Delgado, 2009). This study’s target was to
discover which skills and strategies superintendents believe high school principals must possess
to meet such expectations and demands. Moreover, it is important to understand which skills are
imperative as well as how superintendents evaluate success and provide support through the
hierarchy of education.
Statement of the Problem
This study explored specific strategies and skills that contribute to high school principals’
success as perceived by superintendents in Southern California. Previous research highlights
that high school principals face increasing demands, including long hours, stressful political
pressures, policy mandates, lack of support, increasing expectations, and intensive forms of
5
accountability (Giese et al., 2009). This study sought to identify the traits an administrator can
develop before entering this position and how superintendents evaluate, support, and develop
these school leaders. This topic is important to address because upholding the high school
principal role is challenging, and aspiring leaders must utilize and apply certain practices,
strategies, and skills to meet the exigencies of this position.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study was to examine the strategies and skills that are essential for
high school principals to implement in their practice according to their superintendents. High
school principals may be better equipped to fulfill their leadership role effectively if they
understand how superintendents perceive success within that role. Lastly, superintendents may
improve and develop their leadership strategies to better assist their principals by reflecting on
how they support them and evaluate their effectiveness.
Research Questions
The following research questions were used to guide the study:
1. What strategies and skills should high school principals possess to ensure school success
as perceived by Southern California superintendents?
2. How do Southern California superintendents evaluate the effectiveness of high school
principals?
3. How do Southern California superintendents support high school principals in executing
successful strategies and skills?
Significance of the Study
The significance of this study is its potential to enhance the body of research regarding a
successful high school principal as perceived by superintendents in addition to how they are
6
evaluated and given support. The role of a principal, as stated by Blank (1987), “is critical in
creating school conditions that lead to higher student academic performance” (p. 69). Therefore,
it is necessary to understand the specific traits, skills, and strategies that help principals reduce
school-based challenges as perceived by superintendents. Also, it is important to examine
superintendents’ perceptions, as new leaders’ performance “is at least partially attributable to
their development,” which, in the case of high school principals, comes directly from their
superintendent’s vision (Huggins, Klar, Hammonds, & Buskey, 2016, p. 202).
Limitations and Delimitations
A limitation of this study were that the information provided was limited to the
experience of high school principals working for public school districts in Southern California.
Moreover, the information obtained comes from a third-party and, although superintendents play
an important role in the analysis of administrators, the study did not obtain the perspective of the
main stakeholder involved. Additional limitations were a fixed timeline and a relatively small
sample of stakeholders. Lastly, the study was delimited to the following areas: superintendents,
high school principals, and Southern California.
Definition of Terms
Superintendent: The chief executive officer of a school system. In this study, the school
system is a public school district.
Principal/Administrator: The highest authority in an organization. In this study, the
organization is a public high school.
Leadership: The action of leading a group of people toward a specific goal or vision.

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Organization of the Study
This study is organized into five chapters. Chapter One presents an overview of the
study, including why this problem is significant and the need for research on this topic. Chapter
Two includes a review of recent and historically relevant literature highlighting various themes
and the research questions previously addressed. Chapter Three focuses on this study’s
methodology, including procedures for sampling, the population, and the instruments used as
well as the processes for data collection and analysis. Chapter Four presents summaries of this
study’s findings as well as the researcher’s reflection regarding the advantages and disadvantages
of the methods used. Lastly, Chapter Five discusses the research conducted, its findings,
implications for practice, and suggests further research.

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CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
As education policy changes at the state and federal levels, so do the demands of high
school principals. In recent years, there has been an emphasis on closing the achievement gap as
well as raising scores on standardized tests (Supovitz & Poglinco, 2001). These demands require
superintendents to support their high school principals by providing professional development on
management and instructional leadership to effectively manage their schools and provide the
instructional leadership to improve their schools (Supovitz & Poglinco, 2001). Meta-analyses by
Marzano et al. (2005) and Supovitz and Poglinco (2001) indicate that school leadership is second
to classroom instruction in terms of their correlation to student achievement, and Fullan (2002)
argues that leadership ability is the most important factor in determining an effective learning
environment because school leaders can have an impact on classroom instruction. The research
validates the importance of superintendents’ constructing and using evaluation tools to provide
meaningful feedback to high school principals so they may manage their schools well and
become strong instructional leaders.
The review of the literature will highlight current research related to specific strategies
and skills that influence high school principals’ success as perceived by superintendents. The
research has been divided into the following topics: history of the principal position, principal
leadership strategies, principal leadership skills, supporting school principals, and supporting
school principals through the evaluation process. The sections on these topics will provide
information to deepen understanding of the research herein conducted.
History of the Principal Position
Free public school has been a part of the American dream since the time of the earliest
settlers over 300 years ago (Drake & Roe, 1986). Due to the demand for education, the
9
Education Act of 1789 was passed by the Massachusetts Legislature requiring towns to provide
elementary schools and grammar schools (Campbell, Fleming, Newell, & Bennion, 1987). Per
Campbell et al. (1987), young men could attend grammar school to prepare for college.
Grammar schools were modeled after English Latin grammar schools (Knezevich, 1969). The
early school administrator positions were modeled after the headmasters of the 18th and early
19th century academies (Knezevich, 1969). In the 1800s, school administrators spent most of
their time teaching, while minimal time was spent on administrative tasks (Knezevich, 1969).
Early schools in America were significantly small, ungraded, and staffed by teachers who
often had little formal education (Campbell et al., 1987). Little history is available as it pertains
to secondary school principals, but what is known is that the position was established before the
superintendent and elementary school principal positions (Campbell et al., 1987). The secondary
school principal position evolved from the headmaster position and was considered the most able
teacher as well as the most knowledgeable as it pertained to the curriculum (Knezevich, 1969).
Principals’ responsibilities increased as school organizations became more complex
(VanBerkum, 1997). As cities grew and became more populated, the need for larger multiple
grade schools emerged (Campbell, Cunningham, Nystrand, & Usdan, 1990). Due to multiple
grades, more experience was needed to support reorganization efforts, which led to the creation
of the principal and superintendent positions (Knezevich, 1969). Pierce (1935) acknowledges
that the term “principal teacher” appeared in school board meeting reports in the early 19th
century. Knezevich (1969) states that the Quincy School in Boston was established in 1847 and
has been often cited as the first multi-grade school with a principal, but Pierce credits a
Cincinnati school with the first public recording of the title of principal in 1838.
10
During the early 1920s, the responsibilities of the public school principal became
significantly more complex (Campbell et al., 1990). According to Campbell et al. (1990),
university professors became concerned that principals were obtaining employment with limited
qualifications. Castetter (1992) reported that California was the first state to issue a professional
certificate. The researchers found that 22 additional states had established certification criteria
for school administrators by 1932 (Castetter, 1992). Over the years, states have demanded strict
criteria to become a school administrator such as specific certifications and courses of study
(Pulliam, 1987).
After World War II, the role of the educational administrator developed significantly, and
various positions were added (Rousmaniere, 2007). The field of educational administration
developed, and research in the areas of administration and pedagogy increased (Rousmaniere,
2007). During this time, the position of the educational administrator transitioned into specialty
areas. From the principal position, the superintendents, assistant superintendents, and specialty
administrators emerged (Rousmaniere, 2007). During the 1960s new demands arising from
social issues created additional responsibilities for school principals (Beck & Murphy, 1993).
Philosophical ideologies of the time included unlimited freedom with limited accountability
(Beck & Murphy, 1993). In the 1970s, the duty of negotiation was added to school principals as
teacher unions became organized and gained strength (Castetter, 1992).
During the 1980s extensive research provided evidence that principals have a significant
impact on student achievement (Daresh, 1997; Keller, 1998; VanBerkum, 1997). Due to societal
demand for school achievement, the principal position received more national attention than at
any other point in history (Drake & Roe, 1986). Societal demands contributed to improvements
11
in research on student achievement, the effects of the school principal, curriculum and
instruction, teaching, and learning (Drake & Roe, 1986; Keller, 1998).
Principal Leadership Strategies and Skills
Effective leaders have served as models to drive growth in school culture and academics
(Schleicher, 2012). School instructional leadership in itself is a strategy that has become the
catalyst for school growth (Schleicher, 2012; Wallace, Deem, O’Reilly, & Tomlinson, 2011).
Schleicher (2012) states that, over the last two decades, there has been an increased interest in
school instructional leadership as a growth strategy. As identified by Schleicher, school
leadership plays a vital role in school improvement. Because school improvement depends on
the strategies implemented by principals, school districts and other education entities are
implementing professional development for principals (Bush, 2011; Fullan, 2009; Schleicher,
2012; Wallace et al., 2011). Growing principals’ capacity and supporting school improvement,
require advancing principal professional development on effective leadership strategies
(Schleicher, 2012).
The work of Marzano et al. (2005) is used as a foundation for this study. Marzano et al.
(2005) noted an increase in student achievement when principals incorporated certain
responsibilities into their practice. In their meta-analysis, Marzano and colleagues identify
positive correlations between effective school principals and student achievement and identified
21 responsibilities significantly linked to student achievement. These responsibilities describe
strategies and skills principals need to have a positive impact on student achievement. Marzano
et al. identify the 21 responsibilities in order of correlation with student achievement, listing
situational awareness as having the strongest correlation with achievement. The authors
12
acknowledge how close the correlations are in size and state that 95% of the responsibilities are
between the value of .18 and .28 (Marzano et al., 2005). The authors state,
Although each [of the responsibilities] has been addressed in theoretical literature for
decades, the fact that they have a statistically significant relationship with student
achievement, as indicated by our meta-analysis, is an important and new addition to the
research and theoretical literature. Our findings indicate that all are important to the
effective execution of leadership in schools. (Marzano et al., 2005, p. 64).
The following are the 21 responsibilities of the school leader, as discussed by Marzano and
colleagues:
● Affirmation

● Focus ● Optimizer
● Change Agent

● Ideals/Beliefs ● Order
● Contingent
Rewards
● Input ● Outreach
● Communication

● Intellectual Stimulation ● Relationships
● Culture ● Involvement in Curriculum,
Instruction, and Assessment
● Resources
● Discipline ● Knowledge of Curriculum,
Instruction, and Assessment
● Situational
Awareness
● Flexibility ● Monitoring/Evaluating ● Visibility

The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP, 2014) took an in-
depth look at the leader’s role in facilitating change. Their study indicated that organizations that
do not provide leaders with the necessary guidance, professional development, and support do
not show any improvements. The NASSP indicates that no one strategy is going to make a
13
leader successful, and a combination of strategies is necessary for that to occur. One strategy
highlighted was being aware of all potential outcomes when supporting the growth of an
organization (NASSP, 2014). The researchers also state that leaders must take an active role in
the professional development of all staff members when implementing change to help sustain
support through the implementation of change (NASSP, 2014). Robinson (2011) suggests that
the content of principal professional development and principal preparation programs should
coincide with national standards to have a greater impact on target areas. If principals’
professional development programs are not linked to the national standards, the efficacy of the
program be inconsistent (Davis, Darling-Hammond, LaPointe, & Meyerson, 2005). Associating
principals’ knowledge, strategies, abilities, and capacities to professional standards facilitates
their ability to overcome limitations in their ever-evolving occupation (Davis et al., 2005).
Thorne (2011) suggested that principal professional practice improvement starts by
recognizing the complexities of the role. Thorne (2011) states that principals, teachers, and
school staff receive the same professional development even though the tasks and responsibilities
of their positions are different. Principal professional development should be individualized and
embedded into their daily work (Hitt, Tucker, & Young, 2012). Hitt et al. (2012) found that
principals who received individualized professional development performed better than
principals who received general professional development.
It is important to consider the principal point of view to assist providers of professional
development identify their needs and better support them (Duke, 1988). Duke (1988) states that
it is important to have individual principals identify their professional development needs to
ensure success over time. Leithwood, Louis, Anderson, and Wahlstrom (2004) also state that it
is important for professional development providers to recognize principals’ attitudes to develop
14
effective support for them. Fullan (2009) suggests exposing principals to growth opportunities
relevant to school improvement to increase their leadership capacity. Exposing principals to
growth opportunities relevant to school improvement supports their leadership style and
application of various styles in different situations (Fullan, 2009). Fullan states that by investing
in principals’ professional growth, schools become better learning organizations. Davis et al.
(2005) reviewed professional development programs intended to support school principals that
are provided by university programs. The researchers found a disconnection between theory and
practice. Davis and colleagues discovered that many programs do not identify principals as
change agents and neglect to provide specific professional growth programs.
Principals must find innovative ways to establish shared decision making as a leadership
strategy to implement school reform (Barth, 1988). To make progress towards shared decision
making, principals must possess the skills to communicate a vision, trust and involve teachers in
the decision-making process, strategically delegate responsibilities, and share with stakeholders
the responsibility for success and failure (Barth, 1988). According to Caldwell and Spinks
(1988), principals should also share decision making with teachers and parents as it pertains to
school-level resources and programs. Teachers, parents, and other stakeholders’ involvement
depends on the confidence and trust they have in each other and in their principal (Vann, 1992).
A study by Carney-Dalton and Brogan (2001) identified the leadership skills of principals
and teachers at 2000–2001 Blue Ribbon schools. The study illustrated that the most common
principals’ skills were high expectations, enthusiasm, vision, initiative, innovativeness,
intellectual curiosity, sense of humor, and self-confidence (Carney-Dalton & Brogan, 2001).
Another study recognized communication skills, management skills, and knowledge of
curriculum and instruction as the top three desired skills in principals (Hudson & Rea, 1996).
15
Communication skills and managerial competence were identified by Taris and Bok (1998) as
being most frequently mentioned in job recruitments for school leadership positions.
A study by Winter, McCabe, and Newton (1998) took an in-depth look at the principal
selection process at the elementary and secondary levels and revealed that candidates who
possessed strong instructional leadership and management skills were preferred. Blackman and
Fenwick (2000) also put instructional leadership and management skill at the top of the list as a
skill needed to succeed as a school principal, but it also identified communication skills and
experience. Goertz (2000) also noted being creative, energetic, enthusiastic, confident, flexible,
and purposeful as traits of an effective leader.
The Multiple Linkage Model provides a framework to understand the intricacies of
effective school leadership (Yukl, 1998). The model looks at the principal’s behavior and how it
intersects with diverse situational and behavioral variables (Yukl, 1998). The study illustrates
that certain situations are within the control of the principal, and factors such as staff size,
teacher experience, or economic conditions are out of their control (Yukl, 1998). The Multiple
Linkage Model can be used to determine the appropriate placement of a candidate and shows
that effective leadership is embedded with complex variables involving personalities, situations,
and communication (Yukl, 1998).
Whitaker (1999) identifies successful principals as leaders with strong public relations
and economics knowledge. Principals are required to be liaisons among schools, community
organizations, and businesses, so they must be effective in the area of public relations (Whitaker,
1999). Research illustrates that effective principals possess public relations skills that
encompass shared decision making with all stakeholders, collaboration with social services, and
the ability to raise funds (Ferrandino, 2001; Whitaker, 1999). Successful principals also
16
recognize the need to be a continual learner by providing supports to teachers on curriculum,
instruction, and assessment (Educational Research Service, 1999; King, 2002).
The Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GPSC, 1984) surveyed 182 public
school superintendents from in Georgia to understand principals’ skills and preparation. The
survey results revealed that 64% of participating superintendents identified instructional
leadership as the most important skill that principals can possess to be successful in the position,
and only 31% reported the role of manager as being important (GPSC, 1984). In the same study,
superintendents responded to a list of 13 characteristics and ranked them in order of importance
as they pertain to selecting principals during the interview process. The most-selected item was
previous experience as an assistant principal. Over 80% of the superintendents who responded
ranked (a) integrity, dependability, and willingness to follow directions, (b) evidence of
managerial and supervisory skills, (c) personality of the applicant, and (d) evidence of a
candidate’s adaptability to the local environment as the most important skills in selecting a
principal (GPSC, 1984).
Baker (2001) researched the qualities superintendents in southwestern Virginia looked for
when hiring new principals. Results reflected the findings of GPSC (1984), as superintendents
search for principal candidates who were experienced in leading a school. Superintendents look
for experienced assistant principals, principals, and teacher leaders when recruiting for open
principal positions (Baker, 2001). The study by Baker also highlights that superintendents want
candidates who can relate to diverse populations, who have a well-grounded sense of justice and
fair play, and who apply problem-solving skills with sensitivity and good judgment. According
Johnson (2002), the majority of superintendents who were surveyed indicated that leadership is
critical to schools’ success. The researcher highlighted that of the 853 superintendents who
17
participated in the nationwide survey, 69% agreed that, with the right leadership, even
traditionally low performing schools can be successful.
The NASSP (2014) conducted interviews with hundreds of school leaders and found that
there is a lack of professional development focused on leadership skills required for school
improvement. Principal preparation programs fail to provide practical application and focus on
leadership theories (NASSP, 2014). According to Mendels and Mitgang (2013), developing
effective principals requires four principles: “principal standards, high-quality training, selective
hiring, and a combination of solid on-the-job support and performance evaluation” (p. 49). The
assessment of principal effectiveness and targeted professional development may be derived by
evaluating leaders based on their performance compared to the NASSP National Leadership
Standards (NASSP, 2014). Agreed-upon criteria for evaluating school leaders will help
superintendents identify both effective and non-effective principals (NASSP, 2014).
The NASSP (2014) developed Breaking Rank:10 Skills for Successful School Leaders
Framework for secondary principals to lead change and improve student learning. The
foundations of the framework is based on the role principals have in the reform process (NASSP,
2014). To create positive and sustainable change, the NASSP states that the principal’s strengths
and areas of growth must be identified. According to NASSP, improving schools requires
increasing principals’ capacity. The first step in improving overall school performance is
professional development for instructional leaders (NASSP, 2014). The NASSP also suggests
evaluating the ability to implement school reform. To empower school leaders and to drive and
implement school change, the NASSP encourages school leaders to take part in their staff
members’ professional development process. The framework requires secondary principals to
constantly and consistently self-assess as well as receive feedback from district leadership to
18
drive and implement school change (NASSP, 2014). Through self-assessment, these principals
may assess their performance, identify areas of growth, and address professional growth needs
(NASSP, 2014). Allowing secondary principals to evaluate their readiness for school change is
required for effective change (NASSP, 2014). The framework encourages the development of a
needs analysis when evaluating readiness for change (NASSP, 2014). According to NASSP
(2014), the self-assessment process enables the establishment of site goals and plans to address
them.
The NASSP (2014) framework is based on the analysis of research and practice and is
focused on analyzing factors that improve secondary principals’ performance and support school
reform. The leadership skills identified by the NASSP are setting instructional direction,
teamwork, sensitivity, judgment, results orientation, organizational ability, oral communication,
written communication, developing others, and understanding one’s strengths and weaknesses.
Setting instructional direction pertains to improving teaching and learning and developing a
vision of leaning with clearly established goals (NASSP, 2014). Teamwork refers to
encouraging and seeking the participation of all stakeholders in the improvement process and
modeling the behaviors that facilitate the organization’s task completion (NASSP, 2014). The
third skill, sensitivity, is the ability to perceive stakeholders’ needs and concerns and tactfully
working with them in emotionally stressful situations or conflict (NASSP, 2014). To invoke
sensitivity means to empathize with people of varying religious, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds
(NASSP, 2014).
Per the NASSP (2014), resolving complex problems includes the following three skills:
judgment, result orientation, and organizational ability. The three skills require school leaders to
identify needs, set priorities and make high-quality decisions based on data (NASSP, 2014).
19
Having organizational ability means being able to plan and schedule one’s work and the work of
others so resources are used appropriately (NASSP, 2014). Skills seven and eight are oral
communication and written communication (NASSP, 2014). Per NASSP, these two skills
consist of communicating ideas concisely and accurately to all stakeholders in a manner easy to
understand. Developing others consists of coaching, mentoring, and supporting staff by
providing specific feedback based on observations and data collected (NASSP, 2014). Lastly,
skill ten is understanding one’s strengths and weaknesses by taking responsibility for one’s
learning, pursuing developmental activities, and striving for continuous learning (NASSP, 2014).
The framework provides an opportunity for secondary principals to self-reflect on their skills and
skills they may need support with to drive school improvement (NASSP, 2014).
Supporting School Principals
As instructional leaders, principals are an important component of the success of their
school (Hallinger, 2003; Jackson, 2000). Principals are responsible for multiple components of
the school including but not limited to, the use of facilities, school budget, student discipline,
staff evaluation, parent concerns, and campus safety (Leigh Sanzo, Sherman, & Clayton, 2011).
Current trends in education also hold principals responsible for developing and supporting
engaging learning environments, ensuring the development and improvement of teachers’
instructional skills, recruiting and retaining teachers, and ensuring students’ academic growth
(Boyd, Lankford, Loeb, Ronfeldt, & Wyckoff, 2010; Chirichello, 2010; MacNeil, Prater, &
Busch, 2009; Youngs & King, 2002). Successful schools have principals who are effective
instructional leaders (Goldring, Porter, Murphy, Elliott, & Cravens, 2009). Through their ability
to lead, principals can be a catalyst for school improvement (Seashore Louis et al., 2010). To
20
ensure success, principals need to continuously improve as school leaders in a multitude of areas
(Marzano et al., 2005).
A study by Mendels and Mitgang (2013) found that ongoing individualized support is
essential for all principals, especially principals new to the role. Researchers suggest
superintendents utilize individualized coaching as a strategy to support principals’ professional
growth (Mendels & Mitgang, 2013). Research provides strategies proven to be effective to
foster school improvement; however, these strategies are most effective when supported by
superintendents (Leithwood et al., 2004; Seashore Louis et al., 2010; Thompson, Henry, &
Preston, 2016). Capable district leadership is necessary to have a sustainable school
improvement impact (Duke, 2015). Sustaining school improvement requires coordinated efforts
between district and site leadership, for this reason, central office support and engagement is
necessary to support school improvement (Duke, 2015).
Research shows that district leadership with no clear focus hinders school improvement
(Bird, Dunaway, Hancock, & Wang, 2013; Honig, Lorton, & Copland, 2009). In contrast,
McLaughlin and Talbert (2003) looked at 15 urban schools in the San Francisco area and found
that strong district leadership skills contribute to overall school improvement. When district
leadership, including the superintendent, promote principals’ instructional leadership by
providing professional development, student achievement and school improvement increase
(Calkins, Guenther, Belfiore, & Lash, 2007; Duke, 2015). To ensure student achievement and
school improvement, it is recommended that superintendents support principals in becoming
instructional leaders and agents of change rather than focusing on regulatory functions (Honig,
Copland, Rainey, Lorton, & Newton, 2010).

21
Supporting School Principals Through the Evaluation Process
With ongoing changes in public education comes changes in how principals are held
accountable (Fullan, 2002). Because leadership ability is the most important factor in
determining an effective learning environment, according to Fullan (2002), superintendents
should support principals through the ongoing development of their instructional leadership
abilities. According to Fullan, the principal evaluation process and the development of
leadership skills are often overlooked, although principals account for 25% of the school’s
impact on student learning (Marzano et al., 2005).
Systems for evaluating principals are important but have been deemed ineffective by
principals being evaluated (Ginsberg & Berry, 1990). According to Cranston (2008), the
principal evaluation process most commonly consists of one or two meetings between the
superintendent and the principal to talk about performance. To ensure the effectiveness of the
principal evaluation system, it should provide skill and knowledge development (Cranston,
2008). To improve skills and knowledge, clear feedback must be provided from the
superintendent to the principal on job performance and expectations (Goldring, Cravens,
Murphy, Porter, Elliott, & Carson, 2009). The principal evaluation system may provide growth
and fortify leadership skills when timely feedback on performance is provided (Goldring,
Cravens et al., 2009).
The framework of assistance relationship is defined as planned interactions between
superintendents and principals where both parties collaborate to strengthen their leadership
capacity (Honig et al., 2010). Honig et al. (2010) highlight five practices deemed effective to
build principals’ capacity in instructional leadership through assistance relationship. The
purpose of an assistance relationship is to make principals stronger instructional leaders through
22
five highlighted skills: differentiating supports, modeling effective practice, using tools,
brokering and buffering, and developing networks (Honig et al., 2010).
Davis, Kearney, Sanders, Thomas, and Leon (2011) state that principal evaluation
systems should be research-based and linked to the principal’s professional development plan.
The concept that evaluation systems should have formative and summative components has
become popular in various school districts (Murphy, Goldring, Cravens, Elliott, & Porter, 2011).
Murphy et al. (2011) indicate that the evaluation process should meet the principal’s individual
needs, but traditional evaluation systems are not designed to provide feedback on principal
efficacy (Davis et al., 2011). According to Goldring, Porter et al. (2009), there is no correlation
between district evaluation compliance and quality performance evaluations conducted by
district leadership; for this reason, principal evaluation has emerged as an area of focus for
policymakers.
Research has been performed on standards for principal performance and evaluation as
referenced in the 1996 and 2008 Interstate School Leadership Licensure Consortium (ISLLC;
Babo & Ramaswami, 2011; Derrington & Sharratt, 2008). The ISLLC developed these
standards to provide a job description for principals and as a frame of reference for their
evaluations (Kaplan, Owings, & Nunnery, 2005). As pointed out by the Council of Chief State
School Officers (2008), there are six standards as pointed out by the 2008 ISLLC:
● Standard 1 – “A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success
of all students by facilitating the development, articulation, implementation, and
stewardship of a vision of learning that is shared and supported by the school
community” (p. 31).
23
● Standard 2 – “A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success
of all students by advocating, nurturing, and sustaining a school culture and instructional
program conducive to student learning and professional growth” (p. 31).
● Standard 3 – “A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success
of all students by ensuring management of the organization, operations, and resources for
a safe, efficient, and effective learning environment” (p. 31).
● Standard 4 – “A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success
of all students by collaborating with families and community members” (p. 31).
● Standard 5 – “A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success
of all students by acting with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical manner” (p. 31).
● Standard 6 – “A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success
of all students by understanding, responding to, and influencing the larger political,
social, economic, legal, and cultural context” (p. 31).
The ISLLC standards were initially written in 1996 to help principals meet the growing
demands of the position and raise student achievement (Babo & Ramaswami, 2011). Due to the
lack of research-based evaluation systems, the ISLLC standards have been adapted by many
districts as an evaluation tool for principals (Babo & Ramaswami, 2011). The ISLLC standards
provide superintendents performance criteria by which to evaluate principals as well as ensure
both parties understand the standards used to assess performance and provide appropriate and
timely feedback (Babo & Ramaswami, 2011; Derrington & Sharratt, 2008; Johnston & Thomas,
2005; Kaplan et al., 2005).
According to research, the principal evaluation process needs appropriate criteria
determined by the superintendent (Thomas, Holdaway, & Ward, 2000). The evaluation process
24
must align with the evaluation tool and the tool must measure performance based on the
predetermined criteria (Amsterdam, Johnson, Monrad, & Tonnsen, 2003; Babo & Ramaswami,
2011). According to Amsterdam et al. (2003), evaluation criteria that are not transparently
predetermined may lead to conflict between the evaluated and the evaluator. Conflicts may arise
between the evaluated and the evaluator because the criteria do not align with the tasks the
superintendent expects principals to prioritize (Amsterdam et al., 2003; Babo & Ramaswami,
2011; Yavuz, 2010).
To have a successful evaluation system, the definition of effective principals must be
established by the superintendent and aligned with the desired principal outcomes (Clifford,
Hansen, & Wraight, 2012). The evaluation system should also be aligned with the goals and
objectives for student success set by the school district (Goldring, Cravens et al. 2009).
Goldring, Cravens et al. (2009) also states that aligning goals and objectives for student success
to the evaluation system will support principals’ focus on teaching and learning. Research has
found that principal effectiveness is directly correlated with student achievement, and, for this
reason, it is important that the evaluation system measures and addresses principals’ strengths
and areas of need as they relate to the goals and objectives for student success set by the district
(Babo & Ramaswami, 2011; Derrington & Sharratt, 2008; Goldring, Cravens et al., 2009;
Kaplan et al., 2005).
Conclusion
The review of the literature provides background on the role of the principal and the skill
and supports needed to ensure student academic growth. A history of the principal position
showed how the role of the public school principal has been and will continue to be
everchanging due to political and societal demands. Studies have found that some necessary
25
skills and attributes are essential for the principal to be successful. The last two decades have
brought major and rapid changes to the principal position. In addition to being school managers,
principals now have the responsibility of being instructional leaders and public relations officers.
Research identifies the skills of successful principals, but few studies have been conducted to
classify what superintendents define as an effective principal. Standards were analyzed
regarding what is needed to be an effective school principal, but they do not ensure competence
or success.
26
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY
The high school principal position is complex, challenging, and made up of various
components (Lynch, 2012). To be successful, a high school principal must understand and be
well versed in the areas of instructional leadership, curriculum, management, maintenance,
operations, finance, and human resources (Lynch, 2012). Historically, the role of the principal
was to be the teacher’s boss, but, due to legislation, principals must be skilled in managing site
funds, personnel, and strategic planning to ensure student academic growth. (Lynch, 2012).
Principals, as instructional leaders accept the responsibility for the learning of all students, a role
which becomes magnified when districts experience high student dropout and teacher attrition
(Lynch, 2012). For these reasons, today’s high school principals must implement strategies and
skills necessary for success in their leadership role.
Making this critical job position even more challenging, high school principals face
increasing demands, such as long hours, political pressures, policy mandates, set expectations,
and accountability. In addition, previous research highlights the importance of high school
principals regarding student achievement, teacher retention, and overall school success;
therefore, this study’s main purpose is to examine how high school principals may be better
equipped to fulfill their leadership role effectively.
The study was designed to enhance research regarding successful high school principal as
perceived by superintendents. It was necessary to develop comprehensive research to capture
specific traits, skills, and strategies that, in essence, would result in successful high school
principals. Moreover, this study also aimed to examine how superintendents assist in developing
and supporting high school principals. To provide educational leaders with said information, the
study had to include both quantitative and qualitative methods. This chapter contains the
27
research design overview and description of the sample and population, instrumentation, data
collection procedures, data analysis, and ethical considerations. The following research
questions were used to guide the study:
1. What strategies and skills should high school principals possess to ensure school success
as perceived by Southern California Superintendents?
2. How do Southern California Superintendents evaluate the effectiveness of high school
principals?
3. How do Southern California Superintendents support high school principals in executing
successful strategies and skills?
Design Overview
The study was completed using the convergent parallel mixed-methods design, which
combines both qualitative and quantitative data analysis to provide a comprehensive examination
of the research problem (Creswell, 2018). Utilizing both numbers and stories, the research
provided a deep and rich understanding of high school principals, hence creating a more holistic
view of the problem. Per convergent parallel fundamentals, the researchers collected and
analyzed data separately and then compared results to determine whether the findings were
confirmatory or contradictory (Creswell, 2018).
By utilizing both qualitative and quantitative methods, the researchers drew from the
strengths of both. The quantitative portion of this study helped identify the strategies and skills
considered necessary for success by Southern California superintendents. The survey identified
how participating superintendents evaluated high school principals’ effectiveness and provided
them support. The qualitative design provided information regarding the superintendents’ views,
opinions, and decision-making process regarding high school principals’ strategies and skills.
28
Sample and Population
Participants were public school district superintendents in two different counties in
Southern California. The research questions, instruments, and design would remain the same, yet
data collection, analysis, and findings varied due to regional differences. The researchers
focused on public school district superintendents in Los Angeles and San Diego Counties. Los
Angeles County has 99 school districts serving 1.5 million students, whereas San Diego County
serves 500,000 students in 51 school districts. To further narrow the population and school
districts, the study focused on public school districts containing high schools (grades 9 through
12). Our participant pool included 68 superintendents in Los Angeles County and 27 in San
Diego County. Two districts were omitted from this study, one in each county, due to conflict of
interest. Thus, 95 districts were included in this study.
Instrumentation
Quantitative data were collected utilizing Qualtrics, an online software tool that creates
and distributes surveys. The survey was intended to measure superintendents’ perceptions of
strategies and skills. In addition, qualitative data were collected through in-person interviews.
The online survey and in-person interviews allowed researchers to validate and effectively
analyze the data.
Quantitative Methods
Researchers developed an online survey utilizing Fink’s (2015) approach and methods.
Fink states surveys are the best method to collect information “about what people believe, know,
and think” (p. 30). The survey protocol contained 26 questions and took approximately 15
minutes for superintendents to complete. The first four questions asked for demographic
information regarding age, gender, ethnicity, and highest education completed. The following 21
29
questions were derived from Marzano et al.’s (2005), “Figure 4.1 The 21 Responsibilities and
Their Correlations (r) with Student Academic Achievement” (p. 42). The skills and strategies
utilized in the creation of this survey are directly tied to Marzano and colleagues’ research, as it
provides a wide range of responsibilities and their correlation to student academic achievement.
Participants were asked to rate the importance of all 21 responsibilities utilizing a Likert scale.
Researchers piloted survey questions to make adjustments and diminish both internal and
external validity threats. The final question asked if participants were interested in being
interviewed.
Qualitative Methods
Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews consisting of three
open-ended questions per research question. Merriam and Tisdell’s (2016) semi-structured
method calls for assembling all interview questions to be utilized as a guide, to be flexible, and
to be presented in no predetermined wording or order (p. 110). The semi-structured interview
method was important, as interviews occurred one-on-one and in person, allowing “the
researcher to respond to the situation at hand” (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016, p. 111). The
researchers followed Patton’s (1987) suggestion to focus questions on experience and behavior,
opinion and values, knowledge, feelings, sensory, and background/demographic. Moreover, as
Merriam and Tisdell suggest, researchers conducted a pilot interview to ensure interview
questions would be effective, appropriate, and acceptable for use. Conducting a pilot interview
helped the researchers to improve and adjust the interview questions to receive each
superintendent’s full perspective on high school principals’ strategies and skills.

30
Data Collection Procedures: Surveys and Interviews
The protocol for collecting survey data included a cover letter explaining the purpose of
the study, ensuring confidentiality, and presenting the estimated length of time required of
participants. To ensure a high response rate, the email contained the online link for easy and
quick access. Moreover, participants were sent reminders within a week of initial contact. The
survey was emailed to 95 public school district superintendents in Los Angeles and San Diego.
The survey’s last question asked whether participants were interested in partaking in an
interview, creating a pool of superintendents to participate in the qualitative portion of the study.
Interviews were conducted at each superintendents’ preferred setting during a 30-minute
time slot of availability. Before commencing the interviews, interviewees were asked for
approval and permission to audio record utilizing the researcher’s cell phone. All interviews
were recorded and transcribed to ensure “that everything said is preserved for analysis”
(Merriam & Tisdell, 2016, p. 131). Although audio recording is the preference, the researcher
also took detailed notes throughout the interviews to ensure all data and information were
captured. Participants were assured that their responses would remain confidential and
anonymous, as their identities would be masked by a pseudonym. Moreover, participants were
allowed to terminate the interview at any point and or ask for their responses to no longer be part
of this study. Recordings were transcribed and coded by researchers within a week of the
interviews, and participants received personalized thank you cards.
Data Analysis
The mixed-methods approach created a challenge when merging the two sets of data.
The researchers followed Creswell’s (2016) qualitative data analysis procedures, which included
organizing and preparing data for analysis, reading through all the data, coding to produce
31
themes and descriptions, interrelating themes, and finally interpreting the meaning of data. For
quantitative data, researchers first reported the number of surveys completed and then conferred
the method by which response bias would be evaluated. Additionally, descriptive analysis was
completed to indicate the means, standard deviation, and range of scores, which then led to both
inferential questions or hypotheses and, finally, the interpretation of data (Creswell, 2016).
Creswell (2016) proposes the two databases first be analyzed separately and then
compared. The researchers decided to first evaluate quantitative results and then analyze the
qualitative data to confirm similarities or differences between responses. Moreover, the
information gathered was analyzed and compared to the literature review in Chapter Two and the
study’s conceptual framework. In the final procedure, researchers jointly created a data table to
display both types of data in a single comprehensive visual (Creswell, 2016).
Ethical Considerations
Ensuring our research would be conducted ethically and produce valid and reliable
findings entailed multiple considerations. Before beginning the study, researchers discussed and
studied the code of ethics, applied, and were approved by the University of Southern California
Institutional Review Board. The researches also developed informed consent forms to disclose
the purpose of the study to participants as well as to avoid deceptions and/or exploitation. More
importantly, the informed consent form was intended to develop trust and promote the study’s
integrity (Creswell, 2016). All participants’ rights to privacy were considered, and pseudonyms
were created to protect the anonymity.
Summary
The study’s mixed-method approach was developed by addressing the following
components presented in this chapter: research design, instrumentation, sample and population,
32
data collection, data analysis, and ethical considerations. Implementation of the research design
assisted in effectively answering the study’s four research questions, which ultimately led to the
researchers’ conclusions regarding superintendents’ perspectives on successful high school
principals. Chapter Four will summarize the study’s findings and the researcher’s reflection
regarding the methods used.

33
CHAPTER FOUR: SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
Chapter Four provides a review and analysis of the findings from 28 superintendents’
perspectives of high school principals. The purpose of this study was to discover skills and
strategies Los Angeles County superintendents believe will help high school principals be
successful. In addition, the study also focused on how superintendents evaluate success and
provide support for high school principals as they fulfill the duties of a challenging and
demanding position. The mixed-methods study examined how high school principals may
effectively fulfill their leadership role through particular strategies and skills and how
superintendents provide the necessary supports.
Participant Demographics
The sample population of this study consisted of superintendents in Los Angeles County.
In Los Angeles County, there are 93 public school districts, and, of these, 68 have one or more
high schools. Sixty-eight superintendents received the online survey in Los Angeles County. In
addition, the study consisted of three in-person interviews. This sample population was pulled
from the online survey response to an item stating, “We would love to discuss your responses
further. Please indicate below, if you would be willing or interested in participating in a one-on-
one interview.”
It was important to incorporate the views of both female and male superintendents to
ensure that the strategies, skills, evaluation tools, and supports that the study reported were
identified universally among participants. Forty-six percent of participating superintendents
were female, and 54% were male (Table 1). Seven percent of the superintendents who
participated in the study indicated they are between 35 and 44 years old, 21% percent indicated
34
they are between 45 and 54 years old, and 71% percent indicated they are over 55 years old
(Table 1).
Table 1
Age Range and Gender (Percentages)
Participant
Group
35–44 years of
age
45–54 years of
age
> 55 years of age Female Male
Superintendents 7 21 71 46 54
Note: Percentages are based on 41 participating superintendents

The superintendents who participated have varied educational backgrounds. Sixty-seven
percent of survey respondents indicated they have a doctorate, and 32% indicated they have a
master’s degree (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Superintendents’ highest education completed.
Participants self-identified and indicted on the survey whether they are Asian/Pacific
Islander, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Native American or American Indian,
White, or Other. Sixty-four percent identified their ethnicity as White, 14% as Hispanic or
Latino, 10% as Black or African American, 0% as Native American or American Indian, 7%
67%
32%
Superintendents Highest Education Completed
Doctorate Masters
35
Asian/Pacific Islander, and 3% indicated they identify with another race or ethnicity (Figure 2).
Figure 2 demonstrates that the majority of the participants were White. The data demonstrate the
dominance of Whites in superintendent positions. The second-most identified ethnicity amongst
participants was Hispanic or Latino, followed by Black or African American, and Asian/Pacific
Islander.

Figure 2. Ethnicities of survey participants. Percentages are based on 28 participating
superintendents.

Los Angeles County Interview Participants
Three interviews were conducted to gain information to address the research questions.
All participants were interviewed using a semi-structured protocol for an average length of 20
minutes. All three participants’ highest level of education was a doctoral degree and all had
previously held a high school principalship. Table 2 displays each participant’s pseudonym and
corresponding demographics.

64%
14%
10%
7%
3%
Superintendents Ethnicity
White Hispanic or Latino
Black or African American Asian / Pacific Islander
Other
36
Table 2
Interview Respondents
Interview
Participant
Age Sex Ethnicity Highest Education
Completed
Dr. C Over 55 years old Male White Doctorate
Dr. P Over 55 years old Female White Doctorate
Dr. A 45 to 54 years old Male White Doctorate

Organization of Data Analysis
As this study is part of a collaborative dissertation project, the following data analysis
focuses on Los Angeles County findings. The data analysis was composed of multiple steps,
from first gathering both survey and interview data to analyzing and organizing respondents’
answers. In addition, a second tier of analysis occurred when comparing both sets of data for
correlations between survey and interview responses. The final layer of data analysis occurred in
comparison to the 21 responsibilities of the school leader as a theoretical framework (Marzano et
al., 2005). The survey and interview questions were developed intentionally to address each of
the study’s research questions; therefore, the analysis of the data served to address the research
questions guiding this study:
1. What strategies and skills should high school principals possess to ensure school success
as perceived by Los Angeles County Superintendents?
2. How do Los Angeles County Superintendents evaluate the effectiveness of high school
principals?
3. How do Los Angeles County Superintendents support high school principals in executing
successful strategies and skills?

37
Results for Research Question 1
The first research question asked about participants’ perceptions regarding the strategies
and skills high school principals should possess to ensure school success. The 28
superintendents who took the surveys were asked to indicate the importance of the 21
responsibilities of the school leader presented by Marzano et al. (2005). A Likert scale where 5
indicates “extremely important” assisted in producing an average rate of each responsibility and
its importance for high school principals’ success. In addition, interviewees were asked to name
the most crucial strategy or skill needed to succeed and what strategy or skill their strongest
principals possess. Analysis determined that superintendents in Los Angeles County believe
communication, culture, affirmation, and visibility are the most crucial for high school
principals’ success (Table 3).
Table 3
Survey Results
Responsibility Survey Statement Average Rate
Communication High school principals must establish strong lines of
communication among teachers and students.
4.89
Culture High school principals must foster shared beliefs, a sense
community and cooperation.
4.82
Affirmation High school principals must recognize and celebrate
accomplishments, as well as acknowledge failures.
4.79
Visibility High school principals must have quality contact and
interactions with teachers and students.
4.79

Communication. Communication is be the most crucial strategy and skill, as perceived
by the Los Angeles County superintendent participants. Per this study, a leader with strong
communication skills is defined as one who develops strong lines of communication among all
stakeholders, but our survey emphasized teachers and students in particular. Marzano et al.
(2005) associated communication with leaders’ developing effective means for stakeholders to
38
communicate with one another, be accessible, and maintain open and effective communication
with all stakeholders (2005, p. 47). Scribner, Cockrell, Cockrell, and Valentine (1999) explained
communication is fundamental and the “glue that holds together all the other responsibilities of
leadership” (as cited in Marzano et al., 2005, pp. 46–47).
Participants shared a similar sentiment by stating the importance of their high schools
principals’ establishing strong lines of communications to improve, progress, and reach success
at their school sites. When asked what their current high school principal’s strongest strategy or
skill was, Dr. P stated, “you build trust by hearing people’s voices and asking their opinions and
following up.” This respondent emphasized the need for high school principals’ interpersonal
skills that create trust. In addition, Dr. P stated that effective means of communication allow
high school principals to inspire stakeholders to move a school forward. Moreover, Dr. A stated
that “it takes a person that can listen and be empathetic and value what that person in front of
you is saying, and then connect it to the broader ecosystem.” An effective communicator will
then effectively navigate among everyone, and, according to Dr. A, that skill in itself is
“priceless.”
Dr. C expressed the notion of communication within the realms of marketing. This
respondent stated that the strongest skill of one of his three current principals is communicating
their vision and marketing his high school’s successes. In addition, Dr. A spoke about principals
“serving 360 degree of types of people,” which requires that each situation and person be treated
with the same authentic value. This superintendent reinforced the importance of strong
communication when saying that principals who are fired quickly are those who “tell different
things to different groups depending on the audience” in attempts to make people happy.
Communication was the highest average rated strategy or skill in the study’s survey. Marzano et
39
al. (2005) reinforce communication as fundamental to all other responsibilities, while all three
interviewees reinforced the importance of communication by making ties to trust, transparency,
and authenticity.
Culture development. Research states that culture is a natural by-product and
influences a school’s effectiveness (Marzano et al., 2005). A high school principal is responsible
for developing a positive school culture for all stakeholders, but their influence is felt most
specifically by teachers, as they, consequently, will positively influence students (Marzano et al.,
2005). Starks, Anderson, Berry, Saunders, and Vielhaber (2018) state that “effective principals
establish a culture that accepts and encourages experimentation, risk-taking, and open dialogue
that leads to norms, practices, and relationships that are unique to their schools” (p. 4). Culture,
as used in this study, includes fostering shared beliefs, a sense of community, and cooperation.
Although a positive culture is required for high school principals’ success, Dr. C
mentioned that it is a “constant challenge to bringing everybody along.” Dr. P agreed on the
importance of culture and uniting school personnel through the same vision, goals, and mindsets.
Superintendent C stated that coaching a high school principal is useless “if they are not inspiring
or projecting trust, if their actions do not lead others to believing.” The importance of culture
was also emphasized by Dr. P’s statement that a high school principal’s responsibility is to foster
a shared vision among all stakeholders. All three interviewees emphasized the importance of
their high school principal’s developing a school culture wherein to effectively influence shared
values and beliefs, move forward with visions and goals, and create a welcoming environment.
Affirmation. In this study, affirmation refers to high school principals’ recognizing
accomplishments and acknowledging failures. Marzano et al. (2005) state affirmation to involve
“a balanced and honest accounting of a school’s success and failures” (p. 43). Dr. P stated that
40
the second most important strategy or skill is “holding people accountable, including yourself,
with results.” Cottrell (2002) states that directly addressing performance is “one of the biggest
challenges” as people are open to acknowledging positives, yet “it is rather difficult to recognize
the negative” (as cited in Marzano et al., 2005, pp. 43–44). In addition, all three superintendents
spoke about the importance of their high school principals communicating progress to encourage
staff to move towards the vision and goals. Affirmation, as a strategy and skill, becomes
important to the school’s progress as it “provides evidence to the faculty that their efforts are
producing tangible results” (Marzano et al., 2005, p. 101).
Visibility. This study defines a high school principal as being visible when they have
quality contact and interactions with all stakeholders. According to Marzano et al. (2005), this
responsibility must include frequent informal and unscheduled contact. This skills is highly
valuable as a “principal’s strong presence communicates that administration and staff are a team
working together in all aspects of the school” (Marzano et al., 2005, p. 103). Dr. C explained
that a tremendous instructional leader is one who rolls up their sleeves and works with their team
of teachers as a colleague not a supervisor. In addition, Dr. P stated,
If you are the type that sits in their office and check off list and is not visible and is not
out there rolling up your sleeves, willing to do the dirty work, and just be there in
everything; then, people will just say, this is another puppet.
Dr. A defined visibility as being present in everything. Moreover, Dr. A stated that, a
high school a principal’s school day does not end when school is out, but, instead, that becomes
“half-time” due to multiple after-school activities. The research, survey, and interview data all
point to the importance of being visible to stakeholders to run, progress, and move a school
forward.
41
Results for Research Question 2
Research question two inquires how participating superintendents evaluate the
effectiveness of high school principals. To present the findings, the following analysis will be
separated into three themes: overcoming challenges, building relationships and trust, and school
progress. The main finding for principal evaluation is ability to overcome challenges and grow
from the experience. Dr. P stated, “this is how I judge if someone is a great leader or not, that
despite all odds and challenges, you rise to the occasion and you just build followers.” In
addition, Dr. C stated that evaluation of effectiveness included how his principals took charge
and dealt with issues, as that responsibility takes up the majority of high school principals’ time.
Dr. A clarified that the high school principal’s role is being evaluated every second of the day.
This superintendent looks for principals to have established processes, transparency, and be of
good character. Moreover, Dr. A gives high school principals the autonomy to grow by allowing
them to make mistakes and not “get blown out of the water.” Interviewees evaluate high school
principals by how well they overcome their daily challenges and how they learn and grow from
those experiences.
A second finding was that participants evaluate how high school principals build and
maintain strong relationships that lead to fundamental trust. In the interviews, superintendents
expressed that being a great leader amplifies the ability to build strong relationships based on
respect. Dr. A defined this by stating that principals can be very successful if they build trust
such that people “feel like you have their best interest in mind.” Similarly, Dr. P stated, “if they
don’t like you as a person… then that principal is against a lot of odds.” All three
superintendents emphasized the importance of building relationships and creating trust among all
stakeholders.
42
The third finding was that participants believe evaluating high school principals should
be based on meeting school-wide and professional goals. At Dr. A’s district, goals are co-
created to align with the district and include principals’ personal goals. Dr. A clarified that it is
extremely difficult to evaluate principals, as everyone has something to say about the decisions’
principals make. Therefore, Dr. A recommends establishing processes that will amplify
transparency and eliminate conflicts regarding fairness. Besides the ability to run their schools,
Dr. C evaluates student success and ability to move a school forward. Superintendent C spoke
about increasing honors, Advanced Placement, and International Baccalaureate courses while
lowering suspension rates. Dr. C also considers the graduation rate, students meeting college
admission requirements, and the expansion of career-tech pathways. Participants evaluate high
school principals in terms of goals achieved, capabilities in building relationships among
stakeholders, and overcoming challenges.
Results for Research Question 3
Research question three inquires how participants support high school principals in
executing successful strategies and skills. To express the findings, the researcher will first state
the supports and then the interventions mentioned by participants. All three interviewees stated
that the first step is to hire the best candidate for the position and community. Dr. C’s district
implemented a new principal program that brings all stakeholders together to give the principal
insight on the school’s status in hopes of fixing issues that will then “make him or [her] a hero
with the staff.” Moreover, for the first two years, Dr. C provides a new principal with a coach
who is an outside district staff member in a non-evaluative position. In contrast, Dr. P relies on a
support team from within the district to assist high school principals in their journey.
43
Dr. A and Dr. P concurred with allowing their high school principals autonomy to grow,
giving them moral support, and individualized teaching. Dr. A described support as a “nice
balance of giving them the agency to be themselves and their own leader, then trying to be there,
as a support, when they need you.” Additionally, Dr. A stated that it is not enough to give them
the autonomy to grow; you must also provide psychological safety so they know they can make
mistakes and “not get blown out of the water.” Superintendent A stated that a leader is always
gaining different skills and strategies through experiences; therefore, “mistakes are okay,
because that is how you learn.” Dr. P reinforced this by stating, “you have to give them the
autonomy to make decisions.” Dr. P reinforces the moral support by stating that the high school
principals “know that Dr. P is there to support and to guide them.” For both of these
superintendents, it was important that their high school principals feel morally supported and
could contact them at any time.
Moreover, participants’ types of supports and interventions offered varied depending on
community, district, and a principal’s individual needs. For example, at times, these consisted of
modeling behavior, such as having a principal observe a stressful parent meeting. At other times,
the superintendent may offer an article or book to read as a reference. Dr. P’s intervention
approach was to model and provide “a lot of supporting, and benchmarking” for struggling high
school principals. Dr. A’s intervention starts as least restrictive and leads to directives. Dr. A
states that, in his experience, principals who can take feedback and generalize it to other settings
as they move forward “become successful.” In addition, Dr. A stated that those who are
eventually fired are those in situations where “no real general learning” is occurring. Dr. C
mentioned intervention support systems as
44
Whatever they need, if they are struggling, in this area, whether it be student discipline,
maybe do more staff development around restorative justice. Okay, if it’s something
around academics, we’re probably going to bring somebody in with an academic
background to work with them. Okay, and ultimately the expectation is, they get better
or they get moved out.
Although the participants support and intervention approaches differed slightly, their focus was
on high school principals learning from their mistakes and gaining knowledge through
challenging experiences.
Summary of the Findings
This chapter presented the findings pertaining the three research questions derived from
analysis of survey and interview responses. The survey data showed that the most crucial
strategies or skills to possess as a high school principal are communication, culture development,
affirmation, and visibility (Table 3). Communication was also emphasized as highly important
during the interviews. The participants agreed a leader is someone who can effectively
communicate with all stakeholders. In addition, communication was emphasized as strong lines
of communication have a domino effect that leads to improvement, progress, and success. The
second strategy or skill that relays as crucial for high school principals is culture development,
which means fostering shared beliefs, a sense of community, and cooperation. All three
superintendents noted culture development as a central strategy or skill by stating that culture can
effectively influence shared beliefs that then move the school’s vision forward and create a
welcoming and safe environment.
Affirmation was the third finding in regards to what strategy or skill is most crucial for
high school principals to possess. Affirmation in this study was accounting for the school’s
45
achievements and failures which, in turn, becomes challenging in terms of holding self and
others. Visibility as a strategy or skill rated the same average rate as affirmation. Participants
emphasized visibility as a crucial skill for high school principals; however, principals must have
a strong presence and be willing to roll up their sleeves. Participants stated visibility was a key
responsibility for principals as they must be present in everything.
The primary finding in regards to high school principal evaluation was that participants
evaluate high school principals by analyzing how they overcome challenges, build relationships,
and by the school’s overall progress. Participants value principals’ perseverance in overcoming
challenges in addition to learning from the experience and applying that learning to future
situations. Participants agreed that principals must build and maintain strong relationships to
build fundamental trust and school progress. One participant expressed the importance of being
liked as a person because running a high school without trustworthy relationships makes moving
the forward challenging. In addition to overcoming challenges and building relationships,
principals are also evaluated based on the schools’ progress. All three interviewees agreed that
school progress and student success are highly important. Evaluation of the high school
principal relies on an analysis of goals achieved, building relationships among stakeholders, and
overcoming challenges.
The study found that participating Los Angeles County superintendents support high
school principals’ successful strategies and skills by being accessible and building a trusting
relationship. Participants stated their high school principals know they can be reached at any
time. In addition, they encourage gaining different strategies or skills and understand that
mistakes are bound to occur due to lack of experience. Participants emphasize the importance of
high school principals’ gaining knowledge through challenging experiences. They agreed that
46
interventions and supports range least restrictive, such as an article or brief comment, to
modeling, benchmarks, and directives. The study found that providing supports can be easily
implemented; however, reflection, personal growth, and overcoming challenges lead to principal
success.
This chapter presented the findings of this mixed-method study regarding high school
principal success as perceived by superintendents in addition to how high school principals are
evaluated and supported. Chapter Five discusses the research conducted, its findings, And
implications for practice. Suggestions for further research are also provided.

47
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, AND IMPLICATIONS
This study sought to understand which strategy or skill superintendents believe high
school principals need to be successful and face demanding expectations. The role of the high
school principal has become challenging and complex as more responsibilities have been added
over time. This position has become important as research states principals have an effect on
student outcomes and achievements (Backor & Gordon, 2015; Cotton, 2003; Marzano et al.,
2005). Research states that a principal who partakes in instructional leadership can support
teachers efficiently, leading to student progress (Backor & Gordon, 2015; Bamburg & Andrews,
1990).
In addition, the study sought to comprehend how superintendents evaluate and support
the role of principal. Principals have multiple school challenges occurring throughout the day;
therefore, their ability to navigate principalship becomes challenging without the proper supports
and guidance. Giese et al. (2009) concluded that high school principals have long hours, policy
mandates, political pressures, high expectations and accountability. Therefore, there is a need
for superintendents to develop and support their principals to ensure schools’ success. This
problem is important to address, as aspiring leaders must seek to understand what strategies and
skills they need to apply in order to become an efficient high school principal.
The purpose of this study was to investigate strategies and skills essential for high school
principals to adopt in their practice, according to superintendents. Moreover, high school
principals should seek to understand how superintendents perceive success and how they
demonstrate support. This study also focused on how superintendents evaluate high school
principals’ effectiveness and assist in developing their leadership skills and strategies. The
following research questions guided this study:
48
1. What strategies and skills should high school principals possess to ensure school success
as perceived by Los Angeles County Superintendents?
2. How do Los Angeles County Superintendents evaluate the effectiveness of high school
principals?
3. How do Los Angeles County Superintendents support high school principals in executing
successful strategies and skills?
Summary of Findings
The findings of this mixed-methods study are based on analysis of survey and interview
data. The overarching finding of this study was that communication, culture, affirmation, and
visibility are the most crucial strategies and skills high school principals should possess,
according to Los Angeles County superintendents. Communication was found to be the most
valued skill, as it was rated at an average of 4.89 on a Likert-scale measure where 5 indicated the
item was extremely important. Moreover, superintendents acknowledged the need for high
school principals to establish strong lines of communication with all stakeholders to improve,
progress, and reach success at their school sites. Participants stated that a leader must listen, be
empathetic, and value what is being said, as that will drive the principals’ vision. Lastly,
communication as a strategy/skill was emphasized by participants as influential in building trust,
being transparent, and becoming an authentic leader.
Culture was also a highly-valued skill, as it rated an average of 4.82. Marzano et al.
(2005) stated that principals must develop a positive school culture with all stakeholders. In this
study, culture includes fostering shared beliefs, a sense of community, and cooperation, which
then lead to a shared vision, values, and beliefs. Participants valued the development of culture
as it unites the school site, inspires trust, and is influential for teacher progress. Affirmation and
49
visibility were also considered important, as both were rated an average of 4.79. Affirmation, in
this study, pertains to holding all stakeholders accountable for results. Marzano et al. (2005)
found affirmation influences a school’s progress because it is evidence that stakeholders are
producing results. Regarding visibility, participants stated it is influential because it works to
show that high school principals are available in all aspects and are willing to do the work. The
study’s key finding regarding strategies and skills was that communication, culture, affirmation,
and visibility are influential to how high school principals run, progress, and move a school
forward.
This study found that superintendents evaluate the effectiveness of high school principals
in terms of how they overcome challenges, build trust, and make school progress. The main
finding for principal evaluation was that ability to overcome challenges was most valued.
Moreover, participants evaluate high school principals on their ability to build strong
relationships based on respect. Participants stated that high school principals are evaluated on
their ability to build trusting relationships with all stakeholders. The third basis for evaluation is
the ability to meet school-wide and professional goals. A participant stated that goals are co-
created to align with district and personal goals. A second participant was also driven by goals
focused on factors such as graduation rate, expansion of career-tech pathways, and lowering
suspension rates. This study found that participants evaluate high school principals by the goals
achieved, capability to build relationships, and overcoming challenges.
In addition, results showed that Los Angeles County superintendents support their high
school principals by being accessible and building a trusting relationship. Participants believed it
was important to give high school principals the autonomy to grow beyond their mistakes. This
50
study found that superintendents expect mistakes from their principals due to lack of experience.
A participant shared that mistakes were acceptable as long as learning and growth occurred.
In addition, it was important for participating superintendents to build a trusting
relationship with principals to have them feel morally supported. Participants utilized different
supports and interventions to meet a principal’s need. These interventions were modeling
behavior at a meeting, offering a book or article, and creating goals and benchmarking them.
Results showed that, although supports and interventions vary, participants focused on high
school principal’s ability to learn from their mistakes, reflect, and utilize that occurrence for
similar problematic situations.
Implications
This study has many implications for educational practices. This study may be replicated
in other locations and can include principals’ perceptions. Including principals will yield a
comprehensive analysis of whether superintendents are effectively communicating with their
high school principals. This study may also assist aspiring high school principals as they can
focus on the strategies and skills superintendents would like for them to master. Aspiring leaders
can navigate principalship more easily if they apply the skills of communication, culture
development, affirmation, and visibility. For a new high school principal, these strategies and
skills can influence their success. In addition, this study gives aspiring principals insight into
how superintendents will evaluate their work and provide the proper supports.
For current high school principals, this study’s findings allow for self-reflection on how
they could improve and become more successful leaders. Superintendents may utilize this study
to reflect on what they ask their high school principals to accomplish on a daily basis. It may also
inform superintendents of their values and what strategies or skills they would like to implement
51
throughout their districts. Lastly, this study analyzed participants’ evaluation methods and
interventions, which may assist school districts in reexamining their infrastructures to effectively
support high school principals.
Recommendations for Future Research
The following recommendations are made for future research in identifying how
superintendents evaluate and support high school principals. Future research could explore the
infrastructure superintendents have implemented to evaluate all of their principals and examine
differences between elementary, middle, and high school principalship. The differences may
highlight the many more activities high school principals engage in throughout their workday.
Secondly, researchers may investigate the evaluation process and include both stakeholders’
insights into the process. This is different as it would contain the principals’ perspective and
whether they understand how they are evaluated, what they are expected to accomplish, and what
type of supports superintendents are providing. Moreover, future research can utilize this study
as a guide to measure the effectiveness of different supports for struggling principals. Lastly,
researchers could investigate whether certain demographics correlate to superintendents’ choice
of strategies and skills, evaluation methods, and supports.
Conclusion
The high school principal position is challenging and complex, as it carries a heavy
workload and high expectations from all stakeholders. It is important for high school principals
to understand that communication, culture, affirmation and visibility help navigate their role.
Moreover, high school principals need to comprehend that they will be evaluated on how they
overcome challenges, as superintendents look for grit, progress, and success. Principals are also
evaluated on their ability to build and maintain trusting relationships, which assists in
52
accomplishing goals. In addition, superintendents support high school principals by being
accessible and building a trusting relationship to provide moral support, especially for principals
struggling to meet the position’s demanding expectations. The new exigencies the high school
principal position requires can be overwhelming; therefore, insight into superintendents
perspectives allows leaders to gain the knowledge necessary to be successful.

53
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Abstract (if available)

Abstract Research highlights that high school principals face increasing demands, including long hours, stressful political pressures, policy mandates, lack of support, increasing expectations, and intensive forms of accountability. This study sought to identify the traits an administrator can develop before entering this position and how superintendents evaluate, support, and develop high school principals. The following research questions guided this study: What strategies and skills should high school principals poses to ensure school success as perceived by Southern California superintendents? How do Southern California superintendents evaluate the effectiveness of high school principals? How do Southern California superintendents support high school principals in executing successful strategies and skills? This mixed-methods study includes Los Angeles County superintendents’ responses to 28 surveys and 3 interviews. The findings indicate that communication, culture, affirmation, and visibility are crucial strategies and skills for a high school principal. In addition, Los Angeles County superintendents evaluate the effectiveness of high school principals by how they overcome challenges and build relationships as well as by how their school progresses. The study found that Los Angeles County superintendents support their high school principals by giving them the autonomy to grow, moral support, and individualized teaching. This study is instrumental for aspiring high school principals as they learn what strategies and skills to focus on and receive insight into how superintendents evaluate and support the principalship.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Balcazar, Estephany (author)

Core Title Successful strategies and skills utilized by high school principals as perceived by Southern California superintendents

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Education (Leadership)

Publication Date 05/15/2020

Defense Date 04/28/2020

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

Tag affirmation,Autonomy,Communication,culture,develop,effective,evaluate,high expectations,high school principal,moral support,OAI-PMH Harvest,school progress,skills,strategies,Success,superintendent,support,visibility

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Castruita, Rudy (committee chair), Escalante, Michael (committee member), Roach, John (committee member)

Creator Email balcazar@usc.edu,estephanybt@gmail.com

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c89-310937

Unique identifier UC11666138

Identifier etd-BalcazarEs-8531.pdf (filename),usctheses-c89-310937 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-BalcazarEs-8531.pdf

Dmrecord 310937

Document Type Dissertation

Rights Balcazar, Estephany

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