Anticipated shifts in leadership and accountability under the requirements of the No Child Left Behind law: A study of the elementary school principal evaluation

The No Child Left Behind legislation, signed into law by President George W. Bush on January 8, 2002, has had a profound effect on the accountability of individual schools and, by extension, the school leader. The purpose of this researcher was to contribute to the understanding of any shifts in leadership, accountability, and evaluation of the elementary school principal in Suffolk County, Long Island, New York, under the requirements of No Child Left Behind.; Three years of quantitative data from the Basic Educational Data System (BEDS) of New York State were used to identify school districts with significant achievement gaps between White and typically underserved populations in English/Language Arts and mathematics grade four assessments. Additionally, the research consisted of interviews with 11 elementary school principals from the identified districts and document analysis. Data from the interviews were coded and analyzed using Qualrus(TM), a qualitative software package.; The results of the study were that significant changes are planned in the assessment of elementary school students and how data from assessments are received and analyzed. Leadership themes emerged on curriculum, instruction, and data. There is no link between documents for evaluation and standards of accountability required under No Child Left Behind as well as little actual or anticipated change in the system of evaluation for the school leader. Positive caring relationships between the principal and district officials appear essential to the success of the school leader. Finally, the consequences of evaluation, including incentives and rewards were given trivial or no attention.