The School Leadership/School Climate Relation: Identification of School Configurations Associated With Change in Principals

This study examined the relation of school leadership to school climate, school structure, and student population characteristics, together referred to as school configuration. Archival and survey data were obtained from 122 elementary schools. Some schools had changed principals under less than positive circumstances, whereas other schools had not. Schools having principal changes had greater use and more students who were new to the district, new to the school, economically disadvantaged, and minority. Schools having principal changes also had slightly lower scores on criterion-referenced tests. Students and their parents also perceived these schools as less ordered and disciplined, and parents reported lower levels of school empowerment and participation in school activities. As predicted, within schools having principal changes, students and their parents showed less agreement in perceptions of the school environment. Implications of results for effectively configured school organizations and effective principal leadership are discussed.