Principals, Leadership and Policy in Urban, Metro-city and Suburban Elementary Schools

Interview data from principals at suburban, metro-city and urban school districts on leadership and policy showed differences in the leadership practice of superintendents in three school districts. Two principals from a suburban district, two principals from a metro-city district and four principals from an urban district were interviewed three separate times on their views of policy, job preparation, professional development, and leadership practice in their schools. Analysis of interview content showed that the leadership of the district superintendent and the leadership practice of the school district had an impact on the leadership practice of principals in their schools. Reading achievement of the average student in the suburban district was the greatest, followed by achievement of metro-city students and then achievement of urban students. In the suburban and metro-city districts, the superintendent was involved with principals during professional development and in leadership activities at their schools. The difference between the reading achievement of students in the metro-city district and the lower average level of student reading achievement in the urban district with similar populations of poverty was attributed to leadership practice of the school superintendent.