The purpose of this evaluation was to analyze the leadership characteristics of principals and determine how the characteristics influenced science achievement. The context of this inquiry was a school system in the southern United States where 55% of elementary students scored below grade level on the end-of-grade science assessment compared to the state average of 36%. I conducted a mixed-method study using extant science achievement data, science teacher survey data, principal survey data, and principal interview data. The survey and interview data demonstrated a disconnect between teachers’ perceptions and principals’ perceptions of science leadership provided by principals. I recommended a policy to improve science scores by providing professional development for principals. The policy included eight action steps to improve student proficiency in science: analyze science performance, set science goals, define instructional practices, establish clear priorities and parameters in which to act, build instructional capacity in the principals, establish indicators to monitor, align leadership behaviors to facilitate the change, and celebrate small wins (Odden, 2012; Kotter, 2012).
","abstract_html":"<p>The purpose of this evaluation was to analyze the leadership characteristics of principals and determine how the characteristics influenced science achievement. The context of this inquiry was a school system in the southern United States where 55% of elementary students scored below grade level on the end-of-grade science assessment compared to the state average of 36%. I conducted a mixed-method study using extant science achievement data, science teacher survey data, principal survey data, and principal interview data. The survey and interview data demonstrated a disconnect between teachers’ perceptions and principals’ perceptions of science leadership provided by principals. I recommended a policy to improve science scores by providing professional development for principals. <a id="x-LPlnk715599"></a>The policy included eight action steps to improve student proficiency in science: analyze science performance, set science goals, define instructional practices, establish clear priorities and parameters in which to act, build instructional capacity in the principals, establish indicators to monitor, align leadership behaviors to facilitate the change, and celebrate small wins (Odden, 2012; Kotter, 2012). </p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Lirio, Patricia"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Ed.D. Doctor of Education","degree_level":"Dissertation - Public Access","degree_discipline":"Educational Leadership","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Lorrie Butler","Carla Sparks"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2022,"date_issued":"2022-09-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2022-09-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:21:12Z","subjects":["leadership and science achievement","principal impact on science achievement","district improvement centered around science","increased science achievement","Curriculum and Instruction","Educational Administration and Supervision","Educational Leadership"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/686","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Lorrie Butler","Carla Sparks"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Lirio, Patricia"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2022-08-27T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Educational Leadership"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation - Public Access"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Ed.D. Doctor of Education"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["leadership and science achievement","principal impact on science achievement","district improvement centered around science","increased science achievement","Curriculum and Instruction","Educational Administration and Supervision","Educational Leadership"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/686"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The purpose of this evaluation was to analyze the leadership characteristics of principals and determine how the characteristics influenced science achievement. The context of this inquiry was a school system in the southern United States where 55% of elementary students scored below grade level on the end-of-grade science assessment compared to the state average of 36%. I conducted a mixed-method study using extant science achievement data, science teacher survey data, principal survey data, and principal interview data. The survey and interview data demonstrated a disconnect between teachers’ perceptions and principals’ perceptions of science leadership provided by principals. I recommended a policy to improve science scores by providing professional development for principals. The policy included eight action steps to improve student proficiency in science: analyze science performance, set science goals, define instructional practices, establish clear priorities and parameters in which to act, build instructional capacity in the principals, establish indicators to monitor, align leadership behaviors to facilitate the change, and celebrate small wins (Odden, 2012; Kotter, 2012).
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["How Principal Characteristics Including Experience, Leadership Style, Philosophy, and Education Influence Science Achievement"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Lorrie Butler","Carla Sparks"],"dc:creator":["Lirio, Patricia"],"dc:date.available":["2022-08-27T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The purpose of this evaluation was to analyze the leadership characteristics of principals and determine how the characteristics influenced science achievement. The context of this inquiry was a school system in the southern United States where 55% of elementary students scored below grade level on the end-of-grade science assessment compared to the state average of 36%. I conducted a mixed-method study using extant science achievement data, science teacher survey data, principal survey data, and principal interview data. The survey and interview data demonstrated a disconnect between teachers’ perceptions and principals’ perceptions of science leadership provided by principals. I recommended a policy to improve science scores by providing professional development for principals. The policy included eight action steps to improve student proficiency in science: analyze science performance, set science goals, define instructional practices, establish clear priorities and parameters in which to act, build instructional capacity in the principals, establish indicators to monitor, align leadership behaviors to facilitate the change, and celebrate small wins (Odden, 2012; Kotter, 2012).
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/686"],"dc:subject":["leadership and science achievement","principal impact on science achievement","district improvement centered around science","increased science achievement","Curriculum and Instruction","Educational Administration and Supervision","Educational Leadership"],"dc:title":["How Principal Characteristics Including Experience, Leadership Style, Philosophy, and Education Influence Science Achievement"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Educational Leadership"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation - Public Access"],"thesis:degree_name":["Ed.D. Doctor of Education"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:21:12Z"}