AN EXAMINATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ELEMENTARY PRINCIPALS’ LEADERSHIP STYLE AND TEACHERS’ SELF-EFFICACY IN URBAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

The study was designed to examine the factors impacting the efficacy of principals and teachers in urban elementary schools as related to different leadership styles, novice and experienced teachers and level of readiness versus leadership style. Participants for this study were teachers (N = 706) and principals (N = 69) in two urban school districts in the United States. The study utilizes a non-experimental quantitative design employing both a descriptive and inferential analysis. Data were acquired from principals and teachers through the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale, Principal Sense of Efficacy Scale, Leadership Styles Questionnaire and the Teacher’s Perception of Principal Support Questionnaire. Of the four research questions posed in this body of research, research question one indicated no significant difference in principal self-efficacy by leadership style. The remaining research questions noted a significant correlation between teachers’ self-efficacy and perceptions of principal support. A statistical significance suggested a difference between the sense of efficacy of principals and teachers as well as a difference in the sense of efficacy of teachers based upon years of experience.