The Elusive Description of Leadership in Effective Urban Schools

• In Event: Urban School Leadership

Abstract

The quest for equity and excellence in American education turns on the quality of leadership in the nation’s urban schools. While the literature is increasing clear regarding the key practices effective principals employ (e.g., Leithwood, Seashore Lewis, Anderson, & Wahlstrom, 2004; Wallace Foundation, 2013), scholars repeatedly contend that the urban-school context provides challenges and pressures not faced by principals in nonurban schools (Leithwood, Harris, & Strauss, 2010). Using the Wallace Foundation’s (2013) five leadership responsibilities as the framework, this qualitative study examined the leadership practices from 76 high-performing urban elementary, middle, and high schools across the United States in ways that add nuance, dimension, and detail to the common descriptions of critical leadership practices.

Authors

• Lynne G. Perez, San Diego State University

• Joseph F. Johnson, San Diego State University

• Cynthia L. Uline, San Diego State University