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Abstract
This 3-year case study examined middle grades principal leadership in a takeover charter school. The researcher analyzed principal and teacher interviews, field notes, and documents in relationship to a middle grades model of principal leadership. Results suggest the principals’ limited experience, organizational factors unique to takeover charter schools, an emphasis on student test scores, and a personal educational philosophy of teacher autonomy, precluded the advocacy and implementation of elements of the middle grades principal leadership model.
Keywords principal leadership, middle grades, charter school
References
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Author Biography
Dana L. Bickmore is assistant professor of Educational Leadership at Louisiana State University. Her research focus is the principal as instructional leader in middle grades and charter school contexts. Dr. Bickmore is a former NASSP state middle school principal of the year.
Margaret-Mary Sulentic Dowell is associate professor of literacy and urban education. Her research interests include literacy in urban settings—specifically literacy leadership in public, nonpublic, and charter settings; providing access to literature; and service learning as a pathway to prepare pre-service teachers to teach literacy in urban environs.
