Date of Award

Summer 8-19-2019

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Organizational Leadership

First Advisor

Laurie Goodman, Ed.D.

Second Advisor

Keith Larick, Ed.D.

Third Advisor

Lois Zercher-Wynne, Ed.D.,

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this Delphi study was to identify the most important professional development topics and practices for preparing teachers to become elementary assistant principals, as perceived by panel of experts. An additional purpose was to identify strategies for implementing the most important practices for the preparation of teachers to become elementary assistant principals.

Methodology: A classical Delphi method was utilized to collect perceptual data from a panel of California elementary school principals and administrators at county, district offices of education, and at the university level in California that met specific criteria regarding their education, years of experience, completion of formal training in mentoring, and involvement in formal coaching or mentoring of elementary assistant principals. For the purposes of this Delphi study, an electronic questionnaire was distributed in three rounds to assess the participants’ perceptions of the most important professional development topics and practices for preparing teachers to become elementary assistant principals.

Findings: In Round One, the expert panel members identified 30 professional development topics that were narrowed down in Round Two to the top ten professional development topics that are necessary for preparation of elementary assistant principals. The experts also named nine most important practices for preparation of elementary assistant principals. In Round Three, the panel suggested a wide range of strategies for implementation of the most important practices that were grouped into eight categories and were presented as key findings of this study.

Conclusions: Based on the data and research findings, eight conclusions were drawn related to the training of elementary assistant principals.

Recommendations: There were five recommendations for further research covering these topic areas: (a) examination of experiences and perceptions of novice assistant principals regarding their leadership development before and after their leadership assignment; (b) replication of the study with a secondary panel of experts;

(c) models for training and supports of aspiring elementary assistant principals at the school, district, and county office levels.

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