A STUDY OF THE PROCESS FOR SELECTION OF PUBLIC SCHOOL PRINCIPALS IN THE STATE OF TENNESSEE
Abstract
The study investigated the processes and procedures used in the selection of public school principals in the state of Tennessee. The factors measured were the criteria used in the selection process, how the general qualifications of the candidate were considered, and how much importance was placed on the personal qualifications of the applicant for the principalship. The instruments were distributed to the superintendents of all 142 school districts in the state of Tennessee. There was a response from 88 percent of the sample population. From this response, usable data were analyzed from 122 school districts, which represented 85.9 percent of the population. Demographic information was collected and reported on 84.5 percent of the sample population. Characteristics of the respondents such as age, sex, experience, qualifications, and other pertinent information were collected, analyzed, and reported. Data compiled from survey instruments were analyzed and compared with earlier studies. The study findings did not support the hypothesis that the selection process for principals is the same, whether for elementary or secondary school. Other hypotheses investigated were how the applicant pool for principal is formed, criteria used for selection to principal, screening processes used, and the criteria used to assign principals to schools. Data were found to confirm that the applicant's sex, race, age, or national origin did not affect the selection process. Recommendations include the need for (1) expanded research to include supervisors of education in the school districts of Tennessee, (2) a study to ascertain the duties and responsibilities of the principalship, (3) a study to determine the effectiveness of institutions of higher learning in preparing future administrators, and (4) a study to measure the preparedness of newly appointed principals to accept the responsibilities of the principalship.
Subject Area
School administration
Recommended Citation
ELI DEXTER NEYMAN,
"A STUDY OF THE PROCESS FOR SELECTION OF PUBLIC SCHOOL PRINCIPALS IN THE STATE OF TENNESSEE"
(1986).
ETD Collection for Tennessee State University.
Paper AAI8802618.
https://digitalscholarship.tnstate.edu/dissertations/AAI8802618