In the implementation of standards-based reform: What is the leadership role of the principal in building school capacity and accountability to sustain student academic growth

The purpose of this study was to explore a high poverty high achieving intermediate school focusing on principal leadership in this era of standards-based reform. Due to federal and state mandates, educators are challenged to ensure that all students succeed as defined by scoring "proficient" on California Standards Tests (CST) in language arts and math. So why are some schools succeeding and others failing? The main research question which guided this research was: In the implementation of standards-based reform, what is the leadership role of the principal in building school capacity and accountability to sustain student academic growth? To guide the research, the following four sub-questions included: (A) How has the leadership role of the principal changed with the implementation of standards-based reform? (B) How has the principal empowered teachers in the implementation of standards-based reform and the decision-making process? (C) How does the principal hold individuals accountable for implementing standards-based reform to improve and sustain student academic growth? (D) How does the principal build school capacity to sustain student academic growth in the following five areas? (a) teachers' knowledge, skills, and dispositions; (b) professional community; (c) program coherence; (d) technical resources; (e) principal leadership.; A qualitative case study of McGarvin Intermediate School located in the Garden Grove Unified School District, who is considered a high poverty high achieving school and has sustained an Academic Performance Index (API) above the state requirement of 800 for two consecutive years was studied in-depth. Data collection included a total of 15 participants including one principal, nine teachers (one from every department), three support staff, and two parents. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted over a two month period. In addition, classroom observations, campus observations, document review, faculty and leadership meetings were observed.; Three major findings emerged from this study:; 1. The principal has used a combination of leadership styles and has created a unique leadership style through her background, training, and experience at the district level and her directness in monitoring and evaluating teacher and student performance. The researcher describes this unique direct leadership as holding individuals accountable for meeting clearly defined expectations, focusing on standards-based instruction, and providing specific support for those individuals not meeting expectations or standards.; 2. The principal empowers teachers through transparent communication, positive relationships, and collaborative decision-making. In this study, teachers report the principal openly discusses information, shares her "bottom line" on where she stands on issues, and "buffers" teachers from unnecessary tasks that distract from the goal of student success. Further, the principal maintains a laser-like focus on instruction and does not let anything or anyone take her school or teachers away from the vision of success for all.; 3. The principal has successfully built school capacity using the Building School Capacity Model described by Newmann, King & Youngs (2000) to sustain student academic growth and hold individuals accountable for improved student achievement. Specifically, the findings suggest the principal has established program coherence at McGarvin, through the coordination of school programs, collegial collaboration, targeted intervention programs, and promoting co-curricular/elective programs to support student success.; The principal is a visionary, instructional, transformational leader who uses a unique direct leadership style to build school capacity and accountability to sustain student academic growth.; This study recommends further research of successful principal leadership in high poverty high achieving schools, and the principal's perceived role as an instructional leader.