Looking Behind the Curtain: The Leadership of an Exemplary Early College High School Principal

• In Event: 75.041 - MTCC Roundtable Session 33
  In Roundtable Session: 75.041-2 - Exploring the Complexities of Leadership Development and Practices

Abstract

This paper describes a case study of one highly effective, nationally acclaimed principal at a high-performing early college high school (ECHS) in a borderlands region of Texas. Drawing on interviews, observations, and documents collected over a three-year period, we identify how the principal used political savvy and advocacy to foster a culture of responsiveness and high expectations, as well as how support for students sometimes came at the expense of his staff and organizational partners. The information gleaned from this study may be useful to identify effective school leadership practices in ECHSs that are transferrable to a broad range of schooling contexts where principals are aspiring to improve college access and equity.

Authors

• Julia Cassman Duncheon, The University of Texas - El Paso

• David Edward DeMatthews, The University of Texas at Austin