Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

2025

Document Type

Dissertation - NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice

Advisor

Linda Gaughan

Committee Member

Sherilyn Poole

Committee Member

Kimberly Durham

Keywords

instructional leadership, organizational structures, school improvement, student achievement

Abstract

This applied dissertation was designed to provide an understanding of the improvement practices and leadership strategies implemented by successful principals of schools previously designated as failing by the target state department. The purpose of this study was to identify the key practices and leadership strategies implemented in targeted schools to achieve noted improvement resulting in the school’s subsequent removal from the failing school list.

Following individual interviews with six principals recognized as successful with turning around troubled schools, each of the three research questions was answered. Successful school leaders used instructional audits to determine strengths and needs of classroom teachers, ongoing and prescribed professional development, along with continuous classroom observations with direct feedback. Successful leaders implemented consistent schedules to observe classrooms and provided clear feedback to teachers, and implemented professional learning communities that addressed the instructional gaps identified through instructional audits and observations.

Positive impact on the school climate and culture included development of school and classroom management strategies that aligned with school rules, fostering opportunities for teachers and students to have a voice in school rules and processes, and engaging parents and community partners in the learning environment.

Recommendations for future research include increasing the number of participants, quantifying the findings through the usage of surveys, and expanding the participant pool beyond the geographic location to confirm replication of findings.

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