Date

Winter 5-3-2026

ESRP 9000 Professor

Jason Abreu, Ed.D.

Executive Summary

From Policy to Practice: Strategic Leadership Support as a Catalyst for School Improvement. Rachel Michele Key, 2026. Strategic Research Project, Nova Southeastern University, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice. Keywords: coherent implementation, community-engaged research (CER), contextual responsiveness, collaborative leadership, data-driven decision making, distributed leadership practices, feedback loops, instructional leadership, job-embedded learning, leadership, leadership support, organizational culture, organizational coherence, professional development for leaders, relational trust, researcher reflexivity, resource allocation, strategic planning, school diversity, standardized assessments, structured feedback systems, targeted professional development, vision statements.

This Strategic Research Project was designed to provide a comprehensive examination of how strategic leadership support functions as a catalyst for school improvement within a large urban public school division. The study focused on the extent to which district and school leadership practices support the translation of policy frameworks into effective instructional practices that improve teacher performance, organizational coherence, and student outcomes.

The findings of this project revealed that sustained leadership support is essential for bridging the gap between policy intent and school-level implementation. The analysis identified communication, targeted professional development, collaborative leadership structures, and resource allocation as critical components influencing school improvement efforts. Data from the organizational analysis, SWOT, internal and external factor evaluations, and literature synthesis demonstrated that inconsistencies in leadership communication and support systems contribute to teacher burnout, reduced morale, and fragmented implementation of district initiatives. Additionally, the study found that organizational strengths such as community engagement, academic programming, and staff diversity provide a strong foundation for improvement when aligned with intentional leadership practices. Based on the findings, the recommended solution emphasizes targeted professional development for leaders, strengthened communication and feedback systems between district and school leadership, and strategic allocation of resources to support collaborative leadership practices. The project concludes that coherent and sustained strategic leadership support is necessary to improve instructional quality, strengthen teacher retention, and promote long-term organizational effectiveness and student success.

Document Type

Strategic Research Project-NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

College

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education

Concentration

Organizational Leadership

Language

English

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