The roles of principal leadership behaviors and organizational routines in Montana's distinguished Title I schools

Abstract

This embedded multiple-case study addressed the lack of qualitative research on the contributions of principal leadership behaviors and organizational routines in Montana's distinguished Title I schools. This study was guided by the research question, "How do principal leadership behaviors and organizational routines contribute to the high achievement of Montana's distinguished Title I Schools?" A supporting subquestion for principal leadership behaviors was, "How does relational trust contribute to the high achievement of Montana's distinguished Title I schools?" A supporting subquestion for organizational routines was, "How does collective teacher efficacy contribute to the high achievement of Montana's distinguished Title I schools?" The purpose of this embedded multiple-case study was to describe the role played by principal leadership behaviors and organizational routines in Montana's award-winning Title I schools. Three Montana Title I schools, each of which had been recognized by the Office of Public Instruction as Distinguished Title I Schools for exceptional student achievement, 2006 to 2010, were included in the study. Following Yin's (2009) recommendation, the following data collection methods were utilized: principal and teacher interviews, focus group discussions, observation of building principals, document collection, and administration of quantitative questionnaires on transformational leadership and collective teacher efficacy. Data on principal leadership behaviors was pattern-matched to the theoretical propositions of transformational leadership and relational trust. Data on organizational routines was pattern-matched to the theoretical propositions of professional learning communities and collective teacher efficacy. This study found that principal leadership behaviors of transformational leadership and relational trust had contributed to high student achievement in the schools studied, as had professional learning communities and collective teacher efficacy. The study's cross-case analysis also revealed conclusions, which had not been reported in previous research, in regard to transformational leadership practices, relational trust, and collective teacher efficacy.