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- Title
Rural Principal Perspectives of Leadership Development Needs.
- Authors
Wells, Tommy; Chimka, Madeline; Kaur, Sukhdeep
- Abstract
Rural school principals often face issues of professional isolation and lack of access to leadership development opportunities, particularly when compared to principals from larger school districts. To address these challenges, the Elgin Children's Foundation launched its Principal Support Program (PSP) in 2017 to support the development of effective school leaders in three states with high rural student populations in the Appalachian region. The PSP posited four components as essential for principal development: professional development, networking, mentoring, and learning plans. The aim of this qualitative study is to determine what participants of the PSP believe to be the most effective in terms of principal development. Research questions include: 1) What is the impact of the PSP on rural principal mindsets and practices? and 2) What components of the PSP are most beneficial for rural principal development? Data were collected via semi-structured interviews and observations. Results indicate that because of PSP training, rural principals grew from managers to instructional leaders, as well as changed their mindsets and practices regarding shared leadership. Most importantly, principals believed that they benefited most from the networking and coaching that the PSP provided. Future professional development for rural principals should consider a focus on providing opportunities to learn with and through others.
- Subjects
ELGIN (Ill.); LEADERSHIP training; SCHOOL administrators; SCHOOL principals; RURAL development; SCHOOL districts; MENTORING; SHARED leadership
- Publication
Rural Educator, 2021, Vol 42, Issue 3, p45
- ISSN
0273-446X
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.35608/ruraled.v42i3.1111