CCEA 2019 Conference "Moving into the Future Together"

The purpose of this presentation is to examine and discuss the findings of research regarding the effective leadership beliefs and practices of principals from California Model Continuation High Schools (MCHS) based on Transformational Leadership Theory (Avolio, Bass, & Jung, 1999). Quantitative and qualitative data was collected and triangulated using an Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods design. As a point of comparison, a Non-MCHS was researched utilizing the same methodology. Based on survey results from the MLQ-5X (Avolio & Bass, 2004), principals from the MCHS and Non-MCHS settings were rated by their teachers as predominantly transformational leaders. The second most prevalent leadership style was transactional; they were least rated as passive/avoidant leaders. Five salient transformational leadership traits and practices that surfaced from this research across principals are: cultivating a school culture of resilience through caring and positive relationships (IIA and IC) and a compelling vision and mission (IIB and IM), innovation (IS), lifelong learning (IIA, IC and IM), and high expectations (IM). The principals expressed state accountability is needed to improve equity and access to quality education for at-risk youth. Consequently, principals demonstrated transformational leadership by leveraging the power of internal accountability within their respective sites for their students.  The findings coincide with the research base which states although there are serious challenges inherent to continuation education, effective leadership at the principal level is foundational to high performing continuation schools (Bush, 2012; Farris, 2014; Hemmer, Madsen, & Torres, 2013; Perez & Johnson, 2008; Ruiz de Velasco & McLaughlin, 2012; Ruiz de Velasco et al., 2008; Sumbera, 2017).