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Virginia Tech

Leadership Practices of Successful Elementary Turnaround Principals

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

Educational leaders have shared concerns of the shortage of qualified candidates applying for principal openings, particularly at challenging schools, such as turnaround schools (Gurley, Anast-May, and Lee, 2015; Kutash et al., 2010). The challenge of turning around a failing school makes it essential to study when and how successful turnaround principals adapt their leadership practices in their unique contexts. Kouzes and Posner (2017) studied leaders at all levels from a variety of organizations. Their research identified five common leadership practices. Good leaders model the way, inspire a shared vision, challenge the process, enable others to act, and encourage the heart (Kouzes and Posner, 2017). The purpose of this study was to compare Kouzes and Posner's five leadership practices with what successful elementary school turnaround principals described as performing at their personal best. This research was conducted at a Mid-Atlantic school district, Riverdale Public Schools (pseudonym). Seven successful elementary school turnaround principals were interviewed. The leadership practices of these principals were compared to Kouzes and Posner's five leadership practices to determine where their leadership practices were consistent with what turnaround principals described as their personal best experiences. The information gained will contribute to the knowledge base of prioritizing essential leadership actions for turnaround leadership.

Degree

thesis:*
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
Counselor Education
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
2019

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Petrich, Evangeline Rizal
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Glenn, William Joseph
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Mallory, Walter D.
  • Price, Ted S.
  • Banbury, John A.

Subjects

dc:subject × 3

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
vt_gsexam:20937
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/89888

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Petrich, Evangeline Rizal. Leadership Practices of Successful Elementary Turnaround Principals. doctoral thesis, Virginia Tech, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/89888