This qualitative study investigated teachers' perceptions regarding the principal's role in establishing a positive environment, enhancing the instructional process, and empowering teachers to become leaders. Participants from one public high school in southeastern Pennsylvania completed the researcher-developed online survey and participated in face-to-face interviews. Results of this study indicated that participants noted the importance of the principal in establishing a culture that fostered student achievement. Results of this study also pointed to the overall school environment as a critical component in establishing a culture for student success and teacher leadership capacity. Participants in this study often referenced the important part the principal plays in establishing the framework for teacher professional growth and teacher collaboration. These findings may provide direction for high school principals and future principals in understanding the impact principals do have in creating a positive school environment.

This quantitative case study examined teacher perceptions within one rural, public East Tennessee school district of principal leadership styles based upon Kouzes and Posner's five domains: challenge the process, enable others to act, encourage the heart, inspire a shared vision, and model the way to determine if a dominate domain existed within teacher perception of the principal's leadership style. Principals who understand the effectiveness and impact that different leadership styles have upon the school environment, specifically teacher perceptions, generally identify with a particular style allowing the creation of a positive educational environment (Rowland, 2008). Teacher understanding of principals' leadership styles increased self-awareness and job satisfaction the teacher achieved. Effectively decreasing the chances of teacher burnout and job-related stress (Meador, 2016).

This qualitative study of elementary school climate explored the actions principals take to create or maintain a positive school climate for their teachers and teachers' perceptions of those efforts. The study included individual interviews of four elementary school principals to determine what they intentionally did to create or maintain a positive school climate. Next, focus group interviews of general education teachers from within the four participating schools were conducted to determine how teachers perceived the efforts of the principals. The findings in three of the four schools indicated several discrepancies between perceptions of the participating principals and teachers. While teachers acknowledged and appreciated some of the efforts of the principals, the teachers did not recognize those efforts as contributing to the climate of the school. The participants of the fourth school shared perceptions that the efforts of the principal had created a positive school climate. The principal maintained an open-door policy and built strong relationships with faculty members. The teachers perceived those efforts as contributing to the positive climate of the school.

This study examined the perceptions of teachers regarding the influence of the actions and behaviors of principals that impact school culture, school climate, and teacher self-efficacy. Sixty-five elementary public school teachers of grades kindergarten through fifth grade, across all subject and content areas, participated in this study. Data were collected through the use of online surveys as well as interviews with a limited number of participants. The results suggested the participating teachers agreed that particular aspects of a principal's actions and behaviors have an impact on school culture, school climate, and teacher self-efficacy. Particularly, the results of this study revealed that the aspects of support from the principal, trust among stakeholders, along with mutual respect among all, contribute to a positive school environment. Since this study was focused on three particular public school districts in southeastern Pennsylvania, the perceptions of the participants of this study may not be generalized to all teachers in elementary education. However, the impact of actions and behaviors of principals on school culture, school climate, and teacher self-efficacy was supported by research, which may prove beneficial to current and future educators.

Build a positive school climate to impact students, teachers, and the community! Is improving school climate on your to-do list? Do you think about it as a top-down directive or as a dialogue to build equity within the school? A healthy school environment should never be seen as an option, but instead supported as a must-have. Peter DeWitt offers leaders practical high impact strategies to improve school climate, deepen involvement in student learning, and engage a broader family network. In addition to international vignettes focused on community stakeholders and research-based practices, this book features tools such as · a leadership growth cycle to help leaders build their self-efficacy · a teacher observation cycle centered on building collective efficacy · an early warning system to identify potential at-risk students · action steps following each chapter to apply to your own setting · discussion questions for use in team environments Establishing a supportive and inclusive school climate where professionals can take risks to improve the lives of students is vital to maximize learning in any school community.

In 1988, the Chicago public school system decentralized, granting parents and communities significant resources and authority to reform their schools in dramatic ways. To track the effects of this bold experiment, the authors of Organizing Schools for Improvement collected a wealth of data on elementary schools in Chicago. Over a seven-year period they identified one hundred elementary schools that had substantially improved—and one hundred that had not. What did the successful schools do to accelerate student learning? The authors of this illuminating book identify a comprehensive set of practices and conditions that were key factors for improvement, including school leadership, the professional capacity of the faculty and staff, and a student-centered learning climate. In addition, they analyze the impact of social dynamics, including crime, critically examining the inextricable link between schools and their communities. Putting their data onto a more human scale, they also chronicle the stories of two neighboring schools with very different trajectories. The lessons gleaned from this groundbreaking study will be invaluable for anyone involved with urban education.