Shared Experiences of Leadership Transition: A Cross Comparative Study of Schools in England and the United States

ABSTRACT

This cross-comparative study examines the personal transitions of the leadership from academies in England with the leadership of independent and charter schools in the United States. Findings from this qualitative study revealed the many similarities in how principals from both the U.S. and England processed personal transitions and how those experiences influenced their leadership within the context of a new school environment or structure. To be effective leaders, principals had to address their personal transitions and establish a new identity in an unfamiliar environment and culture acknowledging the transition process as a time of “betwixt and between.”

Disclosure Statement

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

Notes

1. For purposes of this study, the term principal will be used synonymously with president, executive headteacher, headteacher, or head of school.

2. For purposes of this study, the terms board or board of governors will be used synonymously with board of trustees or board of directors.