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The Status of School Leadership in Arkansas

The Status of School Leadership in Arkansas. 2008 University of Arkansas and RAN. Study Intent. Original Intent: Was there a shortage of school leaders (specifically principal’s) in Arkansas? Study Expanded: If there is a shortage. What is the cause? . What Did We Do?.

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The Status of School Leadership in Arkansas

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  1. The Status of School Leadership in Arkansas 2008 University of Arkansas and RAN

  2. Study Intent • Original Intent: Was there a shortage of school leaders (specifically principal’s) in Arkansas? • Study Expanded: If there is a shortage. What is the cause?

  3. What Did We Do? • Reviewed the Literature. • Determined our questions. Identified our subjects. • Surveyed and then analyzed. • Drew conclusions.

  4. What Did the Literature Tell Us About Administrator Shortages?

  5. Methodology • Developed Survey Instruments: • Love Dissertation (2000) • ERS Study (1998) • 11 factors • Zeitoun & Newton (2002) • Alternative Organizations

  6. Who Was Surveyed • Superintendents • 197 respondents with 80% return rate. • Teachers • Leaders, not interested in Administration! • 397 responded from 139 different school districts. Good representation from throughout the state.

  7. Is There a Shortage? • Yes and No! • A lot depends on how you look at it. • If you have one great applicant for the job, is there a shortage?

  8. Change over Time. 15 Years. • Experienced Superintendents. What is the difference today and 15 years ago for Principal Applicants? • 15 Years ago = 14.8 applicants. • Today = 8.7 applicants. • Highest in NW = 12.6 • Lowest in NE = 4.9 • Highest in Dist. +5,000 = 11.1 • Lowest in Dist. 0-499 = 6.2

  9. Mean Number of Applicants and Applicants Who Met Interview Criteria • Overall: • Mean # of Applicants = 9.5 • Lowest in 0-499 = 7.9 SE = 5.4 • Highest in 5000+ = 14.0 Central = 11.3 • Mean # of Applicants – Interview = 4.7 • Lowest in 1000-1999 = 4.2 SE = 3.2 • Highest in 5000+ = 7.0 Central = 5.7

  10. Are You Satisfied with People You Hired? • Met Most or Met All Expectations: • Size • Highest 0-499 = 100% • Lowest 5,000+ = 73.5 % • Geographical Area • Highest NW = 93.9% • Lowest SE = 71.4% (No responses in “Met All Expectations)

  11. Number of Principal Vacancies in the Last Three Years • Elementary = 196 • Middle School = 174 • High School = 194 • (Note: this doesn’t represent all vacancies, only the 80% of respondents. ADE Reports 600 elementary schools, 201 middle schools and 311 high schools.)

  12. Superintendents Perception of Shortage of Qualified Candidates • No Shortage & Some Shortage: • Overall = 49.2% • Lowest Shortage in NW = 54.6% • Lowest Shortage 0-499 = 76.5% • Significant Shortage & Extreme Shortage: • Overall = 20.6 % • Highest Shortage in Central = 22.8% • Highest Shortage in 5000+ = 28.6%

  13. Teachers – Reason Against Admin. • Testing/Accountability Pressures 3.72 • Job Too Stressful 3.70 • Too Much Time Required 3.48 • Societal Problems/ Can Educate 3.18 • Demands of Parents and Comm. 3.12 • Salary Not Sufficient 2.62 • Schools Aren’t Funded Well 2.53 • Job Not as Satisfying as In Past 2.38 • Bad Press and PR 2.34 • Job Security 2.03 • Openings Not Publicized 1.67

  14. Sample Comments – Representative of the Group • “Administration is very demanding and a high stress job situation. Administrators spend too much time dealing with complaints and not enough time on education.” • “I feel being a principal is a highly stressful job. Our principals work overtime, all the time, and usually it is a thankless job. I feel many teachers, like myself, feel the stress and effort are too much.” • “Today the principal has to be four to five people rolled into one. The job has changed a lot. Students and parents have changed. The job is very difficult and the pay is not equal to the job.”

  15. More Comments • “The main reason I haven’t chosen to go into administration and the reason I feel others don’t chose to move is because of time. Being a teacher alone consumes so much time that I don’t feel adding to those responsibilities would be a very wise decision.” • Etcetera!

  16. Superintendents Reasons Against • Testing/Accountability Pressures 3.72 4.35 • Job Too Stressful 3.70 4.36 • Too Much Time Required 3.48 4.45 • Societal Problems/ Can Educate 3.18 4.18 • Demands of Parents and Comm. 3.12 4.12 • Salary Not Sufficient 2.62 3.99 • Schools Aren’t Funded Well 2.53 3.47 • Job Not as Satisfying as In Past 2.38 3.77 • Bad Press and PR 2.34 3.51 • Job Security 2.03 3.15 • Openings Not Publicized 1.67 2.15

  17. Superintendents Solutions • Raise Compensation 4.20 • Improve Training at IHE’s 3.83 • Redefine the Principalship 3.64 • Aspiring Principal Workshops 3.43 • IHE’s Improve Recruiting 3.36

  18. Redefining the Role • No Interest = 1……….. High Interest = 5 • Co-Principal Model 3.35 • Prin./Bus. Manager 2.94 • Prin./Ed. Specialist 2.80 • Prin./Assoc. Principal 2.79 • Multi-Principal 2.72 • Prin. Teacher/Admin. Model 2.67

  19. What Did Teachers Tell Us About the Alternative Models?

  20. Co-Principal • "Sharing the duties would help to ease the everyday stresses.“ • "I am very attracted to the idea of an instructional based administrator or one who is primarily in charge of the faculty and their instructional needs while a co-principal might manage behavioral/budgeting needs.“

  21. Principal/Business Manager Model • "Typically the principal has to maintain the dual role of manager and curriculum - instructional leader. This model appeals to me because it divides these responsibilities.“ • "I thought the principal/business manager model was attractive because as ACSIP Chair I see this as a way to divide responsibilities that would work well in my current school.“

  22. Principal/Educational Specialist Model • "I like the idea of having a principal in charge of instruction and one in charge of management and scheduling issues. I think principals are weighted down with so many tasks that there is little time left over to be a leader to teachers and instruction.“ • "This would allow me to avoid many of the more unattractive duties of the principal. I don't want all the headaches.“ • "This allows the principal to focus on instructional issues rather than building management.

  23. Principal/Associate Principal Model • “This model is effective because you have one focused on all phases of instruction and the other responsible for management.“ • "I believe this model allows for more direct communication between students and administration and allows principals to focus on areas instead of dealing with everything.“

  24. Multi-Principal Model • "You could work as a team and all responsibility wouldn't be placed on one persons shoulders. It would allow for grade specific principals for more focus on student achievement.“ • "Dividing responsibilities eases pressure on each principal.“ • "I believe this model is most attractive. There could be real value in the "looping" of grade level principals. I would even adda counselor to that model that would loop all four years.

  25. Principal Teacher/Administrator Model • "Most principals are going to be better suited for one particular area and this item really lets a principal job candidate move toward the area he/she is most comfortable in." • "I like this because it places the principal in a position of being the instructional leader.“

  26. Follow-up Question • 15 Respondents were called and given a follow-up question. • “All the Alternative Models are possible under the current staffing at most schools, why not just use the existing staff to re-organize?”

  27. Here’s a Sample of What Was Said • “Just making the assistant principal a co-principal won’t change anything. They are both overloaded as it is. They need more help. You just can’t change job titles.” • “Since we don’t have a business manager, I thought we’d add that position to support the principal and vice principal.” • If there wasn’t additional help I wouldn’t be interested in the job, no matter how you organized it.”

  28. Other Interesting “Stuff” • Job Less Satisfying as It Was in Past • 0-5 years exp. = 1.99 • 16-20 years Exp. = 2.92 • Too Much Time Required • 0-5 years exp. = 2.99 • 6-10 years exp. = 3.41 • 11-15 years exp = 3.67 • 16-20 years exp. 3.73 • 26+ years exp. = 3.65

  29. Interesting Stuff (Cont.) • No significant difference between “Regular Teachers” and “Teachers with Leadership Responsibilities” on any measure. • Gender showed a difference only on “Job Generally Too Stressful” (.001 level) • Males 3.13 Females 3.88 • Females, generally scored every reason for not becoming an admin. Higher than males.

  30. Conclusions • Rate the Admin. Shortage as Moderate. • Candidate pool is shrinking. • Massive Turnover of Principalships in Arkansas. Musical Chairs? • Pressure, Stress and Time are the reasons teachers don’t want to be principals. • Teachers are interested in being principals, but not the current job.

  31. Study Available at: http://cied.uark.edu/PrincipalStudy2008.pdf

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