A study of principals\u27 leadership effectiveness in implementing multicultural education in North Carolina public elementary and middle schools

This study was a descriptive-analytic survey of elementary and middle school principals\u27 responses to the Principals\u27 Leadership and Multicultural Education Questionnaire. The purpose of the study was to determine if characteristics of elementary and middle school public principals are related to principals\u27 leadership effectiveness concerning multicultural education. Specifically, the research was designed to explore principals\u27 characteristics of gender, age, race/ethnicity, and years of experience in regards to leadership effectiveness in implementing programs in schools that address multicultural education. The study was guided by three research questions: (1) Is there a significant relationship between characteristics of school principals and principals\u27 leadership effectiveness? (2) Is there a significant relationship between characteristics of school principals and the implementation of multicultural education programs in schools that address multicultural education? (3) Is there a significant relationship between characteristics of school principals and the implementation of staff development programs which address multicultural education in schools? Ten null hypotheses were developed from the three research questions to guide the study. Correlational statistics were used to determine the overall strength of the relationship between principals\u27 characteristics, leadership effectiveness and the implementation of multicultural education. Statistical analysis included Pearson\u27s r correlation coefficient. The results of the study found no significant relationship between the characteristics of age, gender, race/ethnicity and years of experience of principals and principals\u27 leadership effectiveness. There was no significant relationship found between gender of principals and implementation of multicultural education programs in schools. Findings also revealed no significant relationship was found between gender and years of experience as principals and the implementation of staff development programs that address multicultural education. There was, however, a negative significant relationship found between the number of multicultural education courses principals had taken within the past four years and also the age of principals and implementation of multicultural education programs. There was also a negative significant relationship found between the number of courses principals had taken within the past four years and implementation of staff development programs that address multicultural education