Authority bases of Victorian primary school principals

Master of EducationThe purpose of this study was to investigate the possibility of identifying and describing the bases of authority of primary school principals. The study also attempted to determine how primary school principals have adapted to the changes in the school situation brought about by the introduction of the Schools Councils legislation of 1975. The data for this study, collected in late 1978, constitute responses from questionnaires completed by a sample of Victorian primary school Grade I and Special Class principals. The sample consisted of 100 principals of whom 92 returned the questionnaire. Four bases of authority were identified, namely, authority based on legitimacy, authority based on position, authority based on human relations skills (authority of person), and authority based on training or experience (authority of competence). The data from the completed questionnaires were subjected to a frequencies analysis using a sub-program of the computer package, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. A further sub-program of this package was used in subjecting the data to a factor analysis. Factor analysis was used to try and identify principal authority based. The study revealed that choice of consultative partners in the decision-making process was largely dependent on the area in which the decision was being made. In areas that pertained to highly sensitive professional matters senior staff were the preferred consultative partners. However, in the less sensitive area of general management a wider group from the school population was acceptable. One group that was clearly not preferred as consultative partners were the district inspectors. The data indicated that human relationship skills were a critical aspect of principalship. Principals indicated that development and maintenance of human relationships with the various members of the school population was an important consideration in the acceptance of their authority. It was further indicated that principals placed great emphasis on the value of experience in positions of management and leadership. Principals also indicated support for the notion of formal training in the areas of curriculum development and educational administration. These findings led to the development of several recommendations which may have implications for improvement in the capacity of principals to perform their tasks