A Review of Transformational School Leadership Research 1996–2005

Abstract

This paper uses evidence about transformational forms of leadership in schools provided by 32 empirical studies published between 1996 and 2005 to answer questions about the nature of such leadership, its antecedents, and the variables that both moderate and mediate its effects on students. Results indicate significant, primarily indirect effects of this form of leadership on both student achievement and engagement in school. These effects are mediated by school culture, teachers’ commitment and job satisfaction, and a small number of other variables. Few studies have examined the antecedents or moderators of transformational school leadership.

Notes

¹ We did not review evidence about antecedents in our 1996 review.

² Note that the two most recent studies by Leithwood and colleagues use the same achievement data for different purposes; they could be counted as one study although we count them as two in this section.

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