The Identification of Key Indicators that Predict a Female’s Chance of Becoming a High School Principal

Dr. Patrice HarrisDr. Pamela M. Christian

ACSA Women’s Leadership Forum

Introduction of Speakers

● Dr. Patrice Harris

● Dr. Pamela M. Christian

Introduction

The central focus of research about female educational leaders has been about female superintendents and female principals in general. The emphasis of this discourse has been about: ● Success ● Barriers

● Attributes ● Ethnicity ● Professional Development ● Gender

What does research say?

● Research indicates female educational leaders have a positive influence on students and school climate.

● According to the NCES (National Council of Educational Statistics) 29% of Secondary Principals (Middle School, Jr. High, and High School) in the U.S are Female

Purpose of the Study

● Identify key indicators of female high school principals may predict their transition into leadership.

● Provide a more detailed synthesis of what key indicators predict which teachers may become a high school principal.

● Describe the experiences of female high school principals prior to becoming principals to help women who may consider pursuing principalship at the high school level.

Why is this Important?When hiring staff people are more likely to hire others who look like them or remind them of themselves.(Loeb, S., Kalogrides, D., & Horng, E. H. 2010)

Therefore, if a workforce has more males with the ability to hire there will be fewer females hired.

What does the literature say?Equity Literature● International Norms● Barriers● Societal Influences● Gender● Labyrinth

Theories● Feminist

theory● Network

theory● Mentor theory● Contest

Mobility● Sponsored

Mobility● Tapping

Women and the Labyrinth Eagly and Carli ● Rare to see women in “elite positions of power”● Examine why women’s paths to leadership are difficult to map● Propose that the glass ceiling no longer exists and replace it with a

labyrinth● Ask the following questions:

a. How far have women actually come as leaders? b. Do stereotypes and prejudices still limit women's opportunities? c. Do people resist women's leadership more than men's? d. And, do organisations create obstacles to women who would be

leaders?There is a wealth of research in this book and the authors discuss possible solutions.

Where’s the gap?

● Lack of quantitative analysis of women in leadership.

● We have yet to identify what indicators exist to predict high school principalships.

● Researchers discussed the barriers, social influences, and gender in educational research but statistical analysis is lacking.

Research Questions

The following questions were explored in this research:

1. Which predictor variables are key indicators that predict females’ chances to become a high school principal?

2. What other positions have female teachers held who have become a high school principal?

Methodology

● Research Design● Participants● Variables● Instrument● Data Collection

Research DesignLogistic Regression

● A predictive statistical model that estimates the probability of a specific event occurring.

● This predictive statistical model was used to

predict the likelihood whether a female teacher or female high school principals' years as a teacher, years of education, years in a position outside of education and years in other positions (outside of teaching and principalship) will become a high school principal.

Participants

● Female secondary teachers (N=52)● Female secondary principals (N=28)

VariablesCriterion Variable

● Position

Predictor Variables● ethnicity● years of education ● years of teaching● years in positions outside of

education ● years in other positions in

education ● years of professional development● years with a mentor

Instrument

Questionnaire● 35 questions● Online google docs

Data Collection

● Convenient Sample ● Collected by google docs● Referrals ● Email current female high school

principals (N=28)● Email current female secondary

teachers (N=52)

Findings

● Overall Findings● Statistical Analysis Results

○ T-test○ Logistic Regression

General Findings● Many of the principals have taken university courses related to school

administration (89%), followed by teachers who have taken university courses related to school administration (23%).

● The total number of master’s degrees among participants was 88% and a total of 76% of the participants earned a masters degree in Educational Leadership of the total sample size (n=80).

● Responses to the survey also revealed the 61% of the principals have obtained a master’s degree in educational leadership and 85% of the teachers have earned a master’s degree in educational leadership.

Independent Sample T-test An independent samples t-test revealed marginal significance for:● The year female teachers and principals started teaching● The year they received their bachelor’s degree● Positions that both female teachers and female principals worked in a

position outside of education● The year that participants started teaching, the year participants received

their bachelor’s degree● The year participants received their master’s degree● Working closely with a master teacher or mentor assigned by the

participant’s school district during their first year of teaching or administration

Logistic Regression

In order to provide a valid answer to the research question Logistic Regression Analysis was conducted. Results are as follows:1. Taking university courses in school administration did

distinguish between females who became high school principals was statistically significant (𝛘2 (15, N=80)=48.109, p <.001).

2. The year that a female received her master’s degree was also statistically significant (𝛘2 (15, N=80)=42.855, p <.001).

Overall Findings

Based on the estimation of odds ratio as well as relative risk,

female educators who take university courses in school

administration will be 3.87 times more likely to be school

principals, while female educators who have a master degree will

have 1.12 times higher chances to be school principals.

Implications● Females who attain high school principalship can be identified by their

educational backgrounds and the year they receive their master’s degree.

● Quantitative research for school districts to validate a change in how female secondary principals are identified.

● Specific information for females who seek high school principalship

● How and where school districts and policy makers may seek viable female candidates to diversify the gender representation in their respective school districts.

Conclusion

The need for gender equality in high school principalship has been considered for many years without clear criteria to identify viable candidates. Perhaps this study will contribute to the discourse and be considered a source of information that will be considered by school districts, county districts, and state policy makers to bring equity in gender representation in secondary school principalship.

Conclusion

● The Labyrinth ● Research Questions● Literature Review● Independent T-test ● Logistic Regression● Findings● Implication

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