Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

3-1985

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Major

Educational Administration and Supervision

Major Professor

Dewey H. Stollar

Committee Members

Frederick P. Venditti, Charles A. Chance, James A. Spencer

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if consensus existed among educational practitioners and policy makers in Tennessee relative to the perceived importance of professional competencies for the elementary school principal; and, to identify those competencies which were perceived as most and least critical to the role of the elementary school principal. The competencies used in this study were those contained in the PEEL (Performance Evaluation of the Educational Leader) definition of administrative competence. The competencies in the PEEL definition are divided into seven major areas of administrative responsibility and represent a set of nationally validated competencies for the school administrator.

Data were gathered from 344 elementary school principals, school superintendents, and chairpersons of the boards of education in Tennessee. Each participant in the study was mailed a questionnaire containing the competencies in the PEEL definition and asked to rate each competency using a five point Likert Scale ranging from very low importance to very high importance. Participants were also asked to select the competencies which were the most and least critical to the role of the elementary school principal. Information was gathered relative to the participants' school district, administrative or school board experience, and educational background.

Major findings of the study were:

1. Elementary principals, superintendents, and chairpersons of the boards of education in Tennessee were not in agreement as to the importance of certain competencies relative to the role of the elementary school principal.

2. The area of personnel administration was rated most often as of very high importance and the most critical area of administrative competence for the elementary school principal.

3. Differences in the perceived importance of individual competencies for the elementary school principal were present relative to the geographic region of Tennessee in which the school district was located.

4. The year in which a school superintendent earned his or her highest academic degree and the institution of higher education attended significantly affected the value superintendents placed on certain competencies for the elementary school principal.

5. There was a major discrepancy among elementary principals as to the importance of their role as the leader of guidance and special educational services.

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