Provide a brief explanation of how you will address that step and then
provide at least one reference support for that step. The required steps are below:
Identify at least two educational leadership theories that you could use to lead the process of
developing the strategic plan with the school principals.
Describe how the educational leadership theories would be applied. Provide detailed examples
supported by research.
Discuss how the selected educational leadership theories would influence your decisions and
actions. Provide detailed examples supported by research.
Determine the most effective educational leadership theory.
Defend your choice of the most effective educational leadership theory. Explain why you feel it
would be the most effective. Provide a synthesis of the research to support your choice.
Attach the approved scenario as an appendix if you are using a different scenario than the one
provided below; remember that this scenario had to be approved by your professor by the end
of Week 5.
Scenario
You have been recently appointed to a school-district level position in a school district that
serves approximately 55,000 students (mid-sized) in a suburban school district. You are excited
about the possibilities of this appointment and having the opportunity to make a positive impact
on student achievement. As you study the demographics of the school district’s population, you
find that the student demographics of the school district are as follows:
White—40%
African American—15 %
Hispanic/Latino—25%
Asian—12 %
Two or more races—8%
In addition, 55% of the students qualify for free and reduced meals, and 25% of the students are
identified as being English language learners (ELLs) and are enrolled in English as a second
language (ESL) services.
As you review the student testing data for the district, you note that no student group in any of
the district’s middle schools (Grades 6, 7, or 8) met proficiency in reading on the state test. You
discuss the situation with other district leaders. You hear a variety of possible causes, including
low teacher morale, over-referrals to special education, an overwhelming number of new district
mandates that take teacher time away from instruction, large numbers of students who do not
speak English as a first language, large numbers of students being suspended for misbehavior,
and poor communication of instructional objectives between principals and teachers.
You convene a meeting with school principals to get their input on the causes. They explain that
the school district recently switched to a new middle school reading curriculum. Teachers did not
receive appropriate professional development on the new reading curriculum, especially in how
to provide the instruction to students who are struggling readers or who do not speak English as
a first language. They say that teachers are also concerned about student behavior interfering
with classroom instruction. Principals say that teachers often send students out of the classroom
to the office, and the students are frequently suspended. Everyone is frustrated. Some of the
principals admit to feeling that the situation is hopeless.
You decide to convene monthly meetings with the middle school principals to collaboratively
develop a strategic plan that can be used to support middle school reading achievement in the
school district. The strategic plan is one that will be applied to all middle schools and will
address causes for students’ low reading achievement (low teacher morale, student
misbehavior, students who speak English as a second language, etc.). You understand the
importance of gaining the principals’ cooperation and commitment in the planning process. You
think back to what you have learned about educational leadership theory and the application of
those theories to practice.
Sample Solution