The principal’s focus was on defining the school’s mission, managing theinstructional program, and promoting a positive school climate; however, itremained unclear how teachers' perceptions affect instructional leadershipfunctions, or perceived behaviors, through the lens of gender (Eagly et al., 1992;Gallon, 1998; Hallinger, 2011; Hallinger & Murphy, 1985; Hallinger et al., 2013;Hallinger et al., 2016; Krüger, 2008; Terry, 1996). Questions remain aboutteachers' perceptions of male and female principals' instructional leadershipfunctions, or perceived behaviors. In this ex–post facto quantitative study, Iexamined the teacher–perceived instructional leadership functions, or perceivedbehaviors, of male and female principals in ten elementary schools in a district inTennessee during the 2021–2022 school year. Data were collected using thePrincipal Instructional Management Rating Scale from 146 classroom teachers.Multivariate analysis of covariance results revealed no significant differencesamong the principals’ gender on the combined dependent variable of the teninstructional leadership functions, or perceived behaviors. Multivariate analysis ofcovariance results revealed no significant differences among the teachers’ genderon the ten instructional leadership functions, or perceived behaviors, as thedependent variable. Individual linear regressions revealed the gender of theprincipal did not significantly predict any of the ten instructional leadershipfunctions, but the gender of the teacher did significantly predict four of the teninstructional leadership functions, or perceived behaviors.

Research has shown that various leadership styles have different impacts on leader outcomes such as satisfaction, extra effort, and effectiveness. Specifically, researchers have found that transformational leadership positively impacts follower perceptions of satisfaction, extra effort, and leader effectiveness (Avolio, Bass, & lung, 1995; Philbin, 1997; Yammarino, Spangler, & Bass, 1993). However, research has shown that not all leaders display transformational leadership. In fact, Eagly, Karau, & lohnson (1992) and their colleagues have shown transformational leadership in education to be linked to the extent to which male and female principals carry out their gender roles - referring to role congruity. Currently, not much is known empirically about the relationship between the role of the elementary school principal leadership and gender roles and its combined effects on teachers' perceived satisfaction, perceived effectiveness of their principals, and their assessment of extra effort put forth towards their job. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between leadership style (transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire) and psychological gender role group (masculine, feminine, undifferentiated, androgynous) of elementary school principals. Exploration of this topic filled a void in empirical investigations of the psychological gender perspective of school leadership. Multivariate Analysis of Variance techniques were used to examine the relationships between and among principal psychological gender role, biological gender, principal effectiveness, teacher satisfaction, and teacher extra effort. Additionally, canonical correlation was used to examine the relationship between leadership factor variable set and psychological gender role variable set. Results detected one relationship exists between psychological gender role and leadership behavior variable sets. Specifically, findings suggest femininity, masculinity, idealized influence attribute, idealized influence behavior, inspiration-motivation, intellection stimulation, individual consideration, contingent reward, and laissez-faire provide the best linear combinations of Pearson correlations between the leadership behavior and psychological gender role variable sets. In addition, results indicated statistically significant differences in perceived principal effectiveness, teacher perceived satisfaction, and teacher extra effort based on teacher perceived level of principal psychological gender. Teachers who perceived their principals as androgynous and feminine reported higher levels of extra effort, satisfaction, and principal effectiveness. Leadership behavior did not appear to have a significant influence on extra effort, satisfaction, and principal effectiveness. Additionally, the interaction effect between perceived principal psychological gender role group and principal biological gender was not statistically significant.

This volume provides a succinct up-to-date summary of global research on principal instructional leadership as it has evolved over the past 50 years. The book’s particular focus is on the development and use of the Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (PIMRS). The PIMRS is the most widely used survey instrument designed for assessing instructional leadership for research and practice. It has been used in more than 250 studies in more than 30 countries around the world. The authors provide a detailed conceptual and data-based description of the rationale and development of the instrument as well as the ways in which it has been used in practice. The book also provides, for the first time, a comprehensive assessment of the scale’s measurement properties. This represents essential information for future users of the instrument across different national contexts. Finally, the volume outlines an agenda for improving future research on the role of principal instructional leadership in student learning and school effectiveness.

A total of 278 teachers participated in this study. This study was designed to examine how teachers from "distinguished" (high performing) and "needs improvement" (low performing) middle schools perceived the roles of their principals as instructional leaders who could provide schools with the necessary leadership characteristics for school improvement. This study also examined if differences existed among teachers' perceptions of their principals' roles based on school type and demographics (gender, age, years of work experience, and educational attainment). The principal leadership questionnaire (PLQ) was used to collect data based on the five factors: identify and articulate vision and provide inspiration, foster acceptance of group goals, provide appropriate model, provide intellectual stimulation, and provide individualized support. Cronbach alpha was used to establish the internal consistency of the instrument. Data were analyzed using mean scores, percentages, t-tests and ANOVA. The findings indicated that the participants had positive perceptions with strongly agreed to agreed responses on most of the questionnaire items indicating that teachers perceived their principals should possess the characteristics associated with instructional leadership. Female participants consistently agreed with higher mean scores on all five PLQ factors than did male participants. The researcher recommended that further research and a longitudinal study be conducted on this topic to examine and compare leadership preparation programs in Georgia and other states across the nation and to determine the long-term effects of instructional leadership roles on student achievement.