Elementary School and Middle School Principals' Theories of Action in Two Rural Districts

• In Event: 46.020 - Diverse Perspectives in the Decision Making of School Leaders

Abstract

As New York State implements its race-to-the-top agenda, what are rural elementary and middle school principals’ theories of action?
The research design was a comparative case study with a purposive sample of two rural school districts. Multiple methods were employed, including key informant interviews and focus group interviews during site visits, a fixed-response survey administered prior to these visits, and document reviews. Template analysis was employed to interpret the qualitative data.
This study found district-structured differences between superintendents’ and principals’ theories of action. Overall principals’ theories of action were underdeveloped and underspecified, making them vulnerable to external policy influence. In fact, state education department policy has become the de facto theory of action for principals as mediated by their superintendent.

Authors

• Lynn Lisy-Macan, University at Albany - SUNY

• Hal A. Lawson, University at Albany - SUNY