Perceptions of the role of the principal in promoting collaborative leadership in magnet schools in the United States

ABSTRACT

In this article, we explore the role of school leaders in magnet schools, a particular school reform model in the United States. To do this, we review the literature on magnet schools, and cite results from a study based on semi-structured qualitative interviews conducted with participants affiliated with magnet schools who received federal funding to implement magnet programmes. Building on the theoretical model of collaborative school leadership, we find that magnet school personnel felt their schools were most functional when magnet principals (1) showed trust in and respect for their faculty and students, (2) created a functional team atmosphere with effective coordination between administration, magnet resource teachers and general faculty, (3) supported and demonstrated investment in the magnet theme, and (4) promoted their faculty members’ leadership potential.

KEYWORDS:

• Magnet schools
• principals
• administration
• collaborative leadership

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 For a larger discussion of our findings regarding the impact of magnet participation on student achievement in participating districts, see Wang, Schweig, and Herman (2017).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Magnet School Assistance Program, U.S. Department of Education and American Enterprise Solutions [grant number 20110692].

Notes on contributors

Rolf Straubhaar

Rolf Straubhaar is an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership and School Improvement at Texas State University.

Jia Wang

Jia Wang is an adjunct professor in the Department of Education and a senior research scientist and project director at the National Centre for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing at UCLA (CRESST).