Date of Award
2003
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Fischler Graduate School of Education and Human Services
Advisor
James Ann Lynch
Committee Member
Anne Joslin
Committee Member
Barbara Packer
Keywords
aspiring leaders, Atlanta, curriculum, educational leaders, Georgia, leadership, leadership effectiveness, leadership knowledge, leadership skills, leadership training, mentors, perceptions, principals, Project LEAD, reflection journals, Rockdale County, Rockdale County Public Schools, school administration, school improvement projects, shadowing experiences, staff development, Stephen Covey, suburban communities, surveys, teacher administrators, teachers, vision statements
Abstract
This applied dissertation was a study of the implementation of a staff development initiative for aspiring leaders in Rockdale County Public Schools located in Rockdale County, Georgia, a suburban community of Atlanta. By the year 2005, 30% of Rockdale County’s 60 educational leaders will have become eligible for retirement, creating an unprecedented requirement for new leadership. Although staff development opportunities in the areas of technology, curriculum, and instruction had been offered by the school system, no staff development for aspiring leaders had been designed or implemented for teachers desiring to step into an administrative position.
Candidates in Project LEAD were asked to attend seven meetings and a 3-day Stephen Covey Seminar. Other requirements of the program were to (a) participate in two shadowing experiences, (b) meet regularly with a mentor, (c) write their vision, (d) plan a school improvement project, and (e) keep a reflection journal. Outstanding district administrators shared their expertise in areas of leadership.
Through the use of empirical data and descriptive analysis, this study provided information gathered from surveys and interviews. An analysis of the data revealed that the aspiring leaders participating in Project LEAD improved their perceptions of their leadership knowledge and skills. The data also highlighted specific program components that current leaders and candidates of Project LEAD deemed important to aspiring leaders in Rockdale County Public Schools.