The Impact of the Accountability Movement on Principals in a Large Southern California School District

Organizations achieve uniqueness in their functions despite similarities in their structure. This uniqueness is true of school districts as well. Though there are specific similarities which have been found in effective schools and districts who have joined the accountability movement, each has its own systematic method of modifying and controlling desired behavior and possible achievement. This research focuses on one unique group of people, the site administrators in a large school district, and seeks to ascertain the effects of the effective schools' accountability movement as seen from the perspective of school principals. The three major objectives of this study were to determine the impact of the accountability movement on principal behavior, the changes it has had on the role of the school principal, and to identify areas of skill and knowledge that today's principals must possess or actively pursue in order to be effective instructional administrators. This research utilized both qualitative and quantitative methodologies to discern the impact of the accountability movement from the perspective of K-12 administrators. A Likert-like scale survey questionnaire which incorporated open-ended questions was designed to elicit information pertinent to research objectives. In addition, personal interviews were conducted to allow for dialogue and indepth understanding of the movement, its impact, and the changes it has brought with it. The results of this study indicate that the accountability movement has indeed had an impact on the role of principals and provide an evolutionary picture of the movement within the district under study.

Name thesis:degree_name

EdD Doctor of Education

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation: Open Access

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Education

Year dc:date.available

1992

Author dc:creator

• Mitchell, Dianette T., EdD

• Accountability Movement
• elementary schools
• Leadership studies
• principals
• roles
• school district
• skills
• southern California

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digital.sandiego.edu/dissertations/577

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digital.sandiego.edu:dissertations-1582