| Summary: | <p> In recent years, much emphasis has been placed on student outcomes on high stakes summative assessments. This call for accountability has forced educators to look critically at themselves and their schools to determine what they can do to improve the outcomes (Suber, 2011). Generally, in the United States, schools with high percentages of poor students have low achievement relative to schools with wealthy student bodies (Suber, 2011). However, there are a select number of educational institutions that seem to be beating the odds. These schools have both high concentrations of poverty and exceptional outcomes on federal, state and local assessments (Edmonds, 1979). Teachers in those schools tend to report positive perceptions of school administrators, and school administrators tend to have a significant impact on outcomes (Edwards, 1979). </p><p> The purpose of the study is to better understand principal leadership policies, practices, behaviors that are present in high achieving, high poverty schools. Furthermore, building level data will be used to identify specific areas of strength/weakness within individual schools. In order to accomplish this goal, the research focus will be teacher perceptions of leadership qualities of the administrators in high achieving, high poverty schools in Russelburg (a pseudonym) Illinois District #1. By looking inside individual schools, the district can compare and contrast the perceptions to determine what specific leadership characteristics are present. As a result, professional development goals can be developed that focus on the areas of weakness found in the results.</p><p>
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