Date of Award

7-15-2010

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

Sherryl A. Houdek

Abstract

The researcher studied eight Minnesota school district leadership systems, strategies, and structures and the effect on student achievement. Quantitative research methods were used to collect data from the eight Minnesota school districts. The population included eight northwestern Minnesota public school districts identified for "Needing Improvement" by the Minnesota Department of Education. Eight Minnesota school districts were selected for the study based upon the AYP status of the school district. The researcher identified the school districts by reviewing school district information regarding needs improvement and the use of the archived Quality Indicators Survey as provided by school improvement specialists from the Minnesota Department of Education. The information from the survey provided data regarding school district leadership systems, strategies, and structures for improving student learning State test achievement data available through public websites were used to determine the pattern of student achievement. Teachers in individual school districts completed the survey. The results of the surveys were aggregated to build the district data file. The researcher used a Pearson Product Coefficient Correlation to identify the relationship of the school district leadership systems, strategies, and structures to student achievement recorded from the MCA-II reading scores. The percentage of student reading proficiency was used for the measurement of student achievement. The test score data from individual grades and schools were aggregated as a district score to determine overall reading proficiency. The researcher found no correlation regarding the teachers' perceptions and a relationship of school district systems, strategies, and structures with the effect on student reading assessment scores. Using the teacher perceptions and the literature review, the researcher identified leadership strategies and recommendations for school district administrators to lead high-performing school districts.

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