Transformational Leadership Study of Catholic Inner-City Schools in the United States
This study explored transformational leadership and cultural characteristics in Catholic inner-city elementary schools as well as the relationship between transformational leadership and cultural characteristics in predicting school vitality in these same schools. Transformational leadership was conceptualized by Burns (1978) and developed by Bass and Avolio (2000) to identify leaders capable of change in organizational culture and processes by effectively communicating a vision, building consensus, fostering creativity, engaging in problem solving and risk taking, in addition, to motivating followers to do more than they originally intended and often even more than they thought possible (Bass and Riggio, 2008). Cultural characteristics was conceptualized through conciliar (Abbot, 1996) and USSCB (Brothers and Sisters to Us, 1979) documents detailing essential elements of Catholic schools, as well as, preferential treatment of the poor (Bryk, Lee, and Holland, 1993; USCCB, 2005) rigorous academic program (Ciriello, 1998), communal nature of schools (Coleman and Hoffer, 1987), and opportunities outside the classroom for prayer and service (NCEA, 2012; USCCB, 1973). School vitality was operationalized as the ability of a school to develop as an effective institution of learning in the realization of its educational mission and to sustain adaptive challenges (Hobbie, 2009; Fullan, 2005; Purkey and Smith, 1983). This study identified those key components as mission results, culture of academic excellence and rigor, climate of collaboration and shared values, and an atmosphere of community buy-in and evidence of parental involvement. Data for this national study came from anonymous surveys responded to by 158 Catholic elementary school principals from each of the twelve elementary regions of the National Catholic Educational Association. Data were analyzed across schools through descriptive statistics, T-tests, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis. There are two major findings of this dissertation research. The first is that principals of inner-city Catholic elementary schools practice strong transformational leadership skills. The second overall finding is that cultural characteristics of Catholic schools came forth as the most important predictors of vitality of inner-city Catholic schools. In particular, these results repeatedly revealed that a school's commitment to their Catholic mission, the development of a positive learning environment, and the school's commitment to academic excellence and rigor were the strongest predictors of vitality. Essentially, the qualities that make Catholic schools Catholic were the most influential factors in determining school vitality as measured by the culture of excellence and rigor, climate of collaboration and shared values, and mission results. This study's information enables diocesan leaders and principals to evaluate the vitality of Catholic inner-city elementary schools in a manner which offers an alternative to financial and enrollment factors which typically dominate sustainability and viability assessments. While more research needs to be done in examining all the facets of viability of Catholic schools, all those involved in Catholic inner-city education can take stock in the most important findings of this study.
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