Date of Award

Spring 5-25-2019

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Curriculum, Instruction, and Leadership

First Advisor

D. Randall Parker

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if principal instructional leadership practices are related to elementary teachers’ organizational commitment. Quantitative data were collected through an online survey from kindergarten through fifth grade teachers in a southern state. The survey respondents were full time regular education classroom teachers who had been teaching for at least one year under their current principal. There were 182 respondents who completed the entire survey and whose data were statistically analyzed. The 75 survey questions that were statistically analyzed measured teacher’s perceptions of principal instructional leadership and self-reported organizational commitment of teachers with a Likert scale, as well as demographic variables. There were three hypotheses tested, with three hypotheses rejected. All responses were anonymous. Conclusions drawn were (a) teachers rated principals highest on the instructional leadership function of framing and communicating school goals, (b) teachers reported greater levels of organizational commitment when principals communicated school goals, and (c) years of teaching experience, school context, school size, or grade level teaching did not affect organizational commitment of teachers. School leaders can benefit from the data by developing a better understanding of what instructional leadership practices influence teachers’ organizational commitment.

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