Date of Award

Spring 2010

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Curriculum, Instruction, and Leadership

First Advisor

David Gullatt

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the different types of leadership styles of public school administrators of Title I elementary schools in order to determine how these different types of leadership styles may affect student academic achievement. Specifically, the leadership style behaviors of flexibility and effectiveness were considered. A casual-comparative research design was used in this study. The participants in the study included 61 principals and 301 teachers from 28 school districts in Regions VI, VII, and VIII in Louisiana. Data were analyzed using Standard Multiple Regression.

The study suggested that perceived leadership styles, flexibility and effectiveness, did not affect school performance scores. Neither principal perceived, nor teacher perceived principal leadership styles were found to have an effect on student academic achievement. However, a key finding was that teachers scored their principal's flexibility higher than principals scored themselves. Another key finding was that principals scored themselves almost three points higher than teachers scored principals in regard to effectiveness. Although teacher perceived principal flexibility mean scores fell in the normal range, it was less than one point from falling in the high range In addition, although teacher perceived principal effectiveness mean scores fell in the normal range, it was within a point of falling in the low range It is recommended that further research be conducted regarding leadership styles and academic achievement.

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