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Using a newly created teacher evaluation instrument, Inter-rater Reliability (IRR) analyses were conducted on four teacher videos as a means to establish instrument reliability. Raters included 42 principals and assistant principals in a southern US school district. The videos used spanned the teacher quality spectrum and the IRR findings across these levels varied. Key findings suggest that while the overall IRR coefficient may be adequate to assess the validity of a classroom observation instrument, the overall coefficient may be unstable across the various teacher performance levels. Findings also strongly suggest that raters are much more likely to agree when they see high-quality teaching when compared to levels of agreement regarding low-quality teaching.

This qualitative study examined the perspectives of principals related to professional development for teachers on formal plans of remediation for underperformance in the classroom. The principles associated with job-embedded professional development as well as cognitive dissonance provided a basis for analyzing data collected throughout the interviews and analysis. The population included 12 elementary, middle, and high school principals from 2 school systems in the United States. Data analysis from the interviews yielded three major findings clustered as themes related to: 1) Cognitive dissonance, professional development, and marginal teachers 2) Confidentiality trumps collaboration, and 3) Professional development by the numbers. By examining professional development practices for underperforming teachers, the findings contribute to our understanding about some perspectives that school principals hold about a population of teachers at-risk. Implications are offered.

QSWL in a psychosocial manner is defined as "the effect of the workplace on satisfaction with the job, satisfaction in non-work life domains, and satisfaction with overall life, personal happiness, and subjective well-being". This research aimed to develop a valid and reliable measurement instrument that is designed to measure QSWL based on literature, expert and practitioner teachers' knowledge. 784 teachers were participants in this research. The draft scale included 30 items of the instruments. To validate the scale exploratory factor analysis followed by confirmatory analysis. Exploratory factor analysis revealed that QSWL scale is composed of five dimensions. Confirmatory analysis revealed that X[superscript 2]/sd ratio was in the intermediate level, the value of RMSEA and RMR were in represents of acceptable fit whereas GFI and AGFI indexes were in weak level and finally NNFI and CFI were in sufficient value. Cronbach's Alpha coefficient values for QSWL subdimensions were ranged between 0.62 and 0.85 whereas this value was 0.87 for composite scale. Consequently, this newly developed scale is a valid and reliable instrument that serves to measure and describe schools' quality of work life.

A case study using appreciate inquiry identified and described the experiences of five educational administration doctoral students representing three universities regarding their doctoral program studies and dissertation process. Data were collected using reflective narratives and the Left Hand Right Hand Column Case Method. Data revealed (a) the student's perception of the level of caring in the doctoral program by program faculty influenced their perception of program quality; and (b) the caring relationship between the faculty and student extended to the student's work context. We concluded that doctoral students benefit from a culture of caring and link caring to high quality programs.

The perspectives of three rural middle school principals as they implement Georgia's A Plus Education Reform Act of 2000 were investigated in this study. A case study approach was used, employing both within case and cross case analyses. Three interviews were conducted with each of the three participants, resulting in a total of nine interviews. Five perspectives emerged from the data: (1) Evaluation of teacher effectiveness can be indicated only by the results of standardized tests, (2) Supervision consists of classroom visits and observations, (3) Ruralness affects how staff development is delivered, (4) Lack of funding limits the effectiveness of the staff development component of teacher evaluation, and (5) Implementation of A Plus adversely affects the traditional middle school schedule.

This study examined the work of a principal of a Midwestern urban elementary school who used instructional supervision as a means of developing a learning community for adults. Implementing a variety of approaches adapted to the culture of the school, the principal crafted a process to meet the learning needs of 125 teachers and created an environment conducive to staff development. Also examined are other complementary practices in relation to the interconnected nature of supervision and staff development. A case-study approach (Merriam 1998) was used to generate detailed descriptions of how the principal used supervision as a "glue" to promote the development of a learning community. Data were collected during a two-year period through multiple methods: on-site observations, interviews with teachers and administrators, and artifact collection and analysis. This case study is offered as a means to further the research on the principal's role in building and nurturing a learning community.

This qualitative study analyzes the career path narratives of active principals. Structural narrative analysis was supplemented with sociolinguistic theory and thematic narrative analysis to discern the similarities and differences, as well as the patterns in the language used by participating principals. Thematic analysis found four major themes in the narratives: (1) passion for teaching and education; (2) external motivation to become a principal; (3) importance of the experience as an assistant principal; and (4) recent changes in the principalship. While all of the participants acknowledged difficulties associated with the principalship, the findings revealed differences between male and female leaders' narratives in terms of structure, content, and style as well as certain similarities.

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Investigates induction programs and practices at several high schools in Illinois. Issues identified by the study that either enhanced or detracted from the induction programs; Characteristics of induction program for beginning teachers as suggested by the study; Critical component of induction programs.