A Study of the Relationship Between School Leadership and the Condition of School Buildings

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between school leadership and the quality, condition, maintenance, improvements, and renovations of public school buildings. The first question examined the relationship between building conditions and perceptions of school board members, superintendent and central office staff, board of supervisors, and principals. The second question examined the relationship between building conditions and the financial support of leadership positions. The third question examined the relationship between the behavioral effort of leadership and the condition of school buildings. This study had three major data components. These components are (a) perceptions of school board members, superintendent and central office staff, board of supervisors, and principals concerning the condition of school buildings; (b) findings of an independent contractor on condition of school buildings; and (c) the cyclical budgetary process of building maintenance and improvement requests from leadership within the school division over the past five years and subsequent budgetary approvals. Survey responses were used to compile descriptive statistics and correlations. Actual observation data by an independent contractor were analyzed by percentage of scaled scores in each category and compared to the perceptions of the leadership surveys on school building conditions and subsequently categorized into ratings of above standard, standard, or below standard. Descriptive comparisons of budget requests for building maintenance and improvements were used in determining the extent of responsiveness by school board members, superintendent and central office staff, board of supervisors, and principals to the future of the quality and condition of school buildings. The findings in this study indicate there is a positive relationship between building conditions and leadership and financial support. The perceptions of the corporate leadership of the school division that maintaining school facilities was a high priority were related to their subsequent requests and allocations of funds.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Education

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

Department dc:contributor.department

Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2000

Author dc:creator

• Brannon, William Lee

Chairs dc:contributor.committeechair

• Dawson, Christina M.
• Earthman, Glen I.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Salmon, Richard G.
• Twiford, Travis W.
• Cash, Carol S.

• financial support
• assessment of facilities
• perceptions
• Leadership
• building conditions

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

etd-04172000-22110019

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/26925