PREPARING EMOTIONALLY INTELLIGENT SCHOOL LEADERS

There is a negative impact on school functioning and student learning resulting from paying insufficient attention to principals' emotional intelligence in their leadership preparation. Very few resources are currently in place to develop and support principals in the area of emotional intelligence. A principal's ability to manage, express, and regulate their emotions and attitudes may impact leadership success and, in turn, student outcomes. This qualitative case study explores the relationship between the principal's emotional intelligence and their leadership practices. The results of this study may inform principal leadership preparation, in-service training, professional growth opportunities, and hiring practices. This qualitative case study examined the extent to which there is a relationship, if any, between the Leadership Education for Anaheim Union High School District (LEAD) curriculum and the awareness and development of self-knowledge in program graduates in the Anaheim Union High School District. Furthermore, this study explored how this self-knowledge informs the program graduates' leadership practices to understand better how to support educational administrators in developing emotional intelligence and leadership practices through preservice training and in-service professional development. Findings suggest that there is a relationship between the LEAD curriculum and the development of self-knowledge in the program graduates in the areas of self-awareness and social awareness that influences the program graduates’ leadership practices. This conclusion aligns with this study’s conceptual framework, which captures my working theory for how emotional intelligence and leadership preparation affects effective educational leadership and, in turn, student outcomes