Principal Longevity and the Grit Factor Diamond L. Howell B.A
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Principal Longevity and the Grit Factor Diamond L. Howell B.A., Benedictine College, 2007 M.A., Pittsburg State University, 2010 Submitted to the Graduate Department and Faculty of the School of Education of Baker University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership Date Defended: April 2, 2018 Copyright 2018 by Diamond L. Howell Abstract The focus of this study was an investigation of the impact of principal longevity on grit and whether that relationship was affected by the location of a school district. The study was conducted using a quantitative analysis of survey data from two large school districts, one suburban and one urban, in the Kansas City metropolitan area. The population (N = 88) included the principal of each of the schools in both districts during the 2017-2018 academic session. Two-factor analyses of variance (ANOVA) were conducted to analyze the variables of principal longevity, grit, and location of the school district. The results of the analyses indicated that principal longevity had no impact on grit and that the location of the school district did not affect that relationship. ii In Loving Memory Tyauna C. Anthony (5/2/1980 – 1/22/2004) F. Virginia Harper (1/9/1930 – 10/28/2000) Rev. Willie L. Roper (10/30/1942 – 08/14/2005) Keith S. Watson (3/17/1985 – 1/8/2005) iii Acknowledgements First and foremost, I want to thank God for keeping me throughout this journey all the way to successful completion. THANK YOU for creating me for greatness! To Dr. Myers, Dr. Tucker-Nevels, and Dr. Waterman – THANK YOU! Thank you for your time and effort in helping me to succeed in this endeavor. To Dr. Kokoruda – THANK YOU! I greatly appreciate your guidance and support. Thank you for believing in me, especially when this felt impossible to complete. To all my family and friends – THANK YOU! I am grateful for the prayers, words, and acts of support along the way. To Dwayne, Qiana, Durell, Kim, Craig, Francine, John, Regina, and Summer – THANK YOU! I appreciate you for all of the moments you patiently and lovingly listened to me vent and celebrated my small successes along the way. To Momma and Daddy – THANK YOU! The foundation that you established for me and my brothers is unspeakable, and we have been able to achieve because of your sacrifice and commitment to being Godly parents. I am eternally grateful to you. To Dianalynn, Derrick, and Theamos – THANK YOU! The three of you are collectively my reason for doing all that I do. Being your mother is the achievement I am most proud of, and my successful completion of this dissertation, is for you. Be great, Children. You each were created for greatness! To my DJ – THANK YOU! You. Hold. Me. Down. I can never repay you for all that you do for our family and me. Thank you for supporting me in this endeavor so unselfishly. We just keep getting better with time, Husband. Wherever you lead, I will follow… iv Table of Contents Abstract ..............................................................................................................................ii In Loving Memory ............................................................................................................ iii Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................... iv Table of Contents ................................................................................................................ v List of Tables ..................................................................................................................viii Chapter 1: Introduction ....................................................................................................... 1 Background ............................................................................................................ 2 Statement of the Problem ........................................................................................ 3 Purpose of the Study .............................................................................................. 4 Significance of the Study ....................................................................................... 5 Delimitations .......................................................................................................... 5 Assumptions ........................................................................................................... 6 Research Questions ................................................................................................ 6 Definition of Terms ................................................................................................ 6 Organization of the Study .................................................................................... .7 Chapter 2: Review of the Literature .................................................................................. .8 Qualities of Effective Leaders .............................................................................. .8 Qualities of Effective Principals ........................................................................... 11 Effective Principals in Urban Settings ...................................................... 13 Principal Applicant Screening Tools ........................................................ 17 Principal Retention and Turnover ............................................................. 21 v Grit ........................................................................................................................ 25 Summary ............................................................................................................... 29 Chapter 3: Methods ........................................................................................................... 30 Research Design.................................................................................................... 30 Selection of Participants ....................................................................................... 30 Measurement ......................................................................................................... 31 Data Collection Procedures ................................................................................... 32 Data Analysis and Hypothesis Testing ................................................................. 33 Limitations ............................................................................................................ 34 Summary ............................................................................................................... 35 Chapter 4: Results ............................................................................................................. 36 Descriptive Statistics ............................................................................................. 36 Hypothesis Testing................................................................................................ 38 Summary ............................................................................................................... 40 Chapter 5: Interpretation and Recommendations ............................................................. 41 Study Summary ..................................................................................................... 41 Overview of the Problem .......................................................................... 41 Purpose Statement and Research Questions ............................................. 42 Review of the Methodology...................................................................... 42 Major Findings .......................................................................................... 42 Findings Related to the Literature......................................................................... 43 Conclusions ........................................................................................................... 44 Implications for Action ............................................................................. 44 vi Recommendations for Future Research .................................................... 45 Concluding Remarks ................................................................................. 46 References ......................................................................................................................... 47 Appendices ........................................................................................................................ 54 Appendix A. Request to Use 12-Item Grit Scale .................................................. 55 Appendix B. Approval to Use The Grit Scale ...................................................... 57 Appendix C. Baker University IRB Form ............................................................ 59 Appendix D. Baker University IRB Approval Letter ........................................... 65 Appendix E. District A IRB Form ........................................................................ 67 Appendix F. District B IRB Form......................................................................... 72 Appendix G. District A IRB Approval Email ....................................................... 77 Appendix H. District B IRB Approval Email ....................................................... 79 Appendix I. Individual Respondent Data .............................................................. 81 vii List of Tables Table 1. Prior Principal Positions