The Perceptions of Career Ladder I, Career Ladder Ii, and Career Ladder Iii Elementary Principals Regarding Instructional Leadership

The purpose of this study was to determine if Career Ladder I, Career Ladder II, and Career Ladder III Tennessee Elementary Principals perceived differently their role as instructional leaders. The amount of time principals spent in six identified dimensions of instructional leadership was examined. The study examined selected independent variables, such as, grade level configuration of the school, years of experience as a principal, number of years of classroom experience, and gender for any effect on the Career Ladder I, Career Ladder II, and Career Ladder III elementary principals\u27 perceptions of their instructional leadership role. The research design included three research questions with 16 null hypotheses testing for differences among Career Ladder I, Career Ladder II, and Career Ladder III elementary principals\u27 perceptions of their instructional leadership role. Data were obtained using the Instructional Leadership Survey of Elementary School Principals, a 48-item instrument, administered to 125 elementary principals in the First Tennessee Development District. Both Career Ladder I and Career Ladder III elementary principals indicated significantly greater importance than Career Ladder II elementary principals in their perceptions of their instructional leadership role in the instructional leadership dimensions of observing teachers and classrooms, evaluating and supervising teachers, instructional problem-solving, and planning and developing instructional programs. Female principals indicated greater importance than did male principals in their perceptions of their instructional leadership role in all six identified dimensions of instructional leadership