http://www.loc.gov/mods/v3 http://www.loc.gov/standards/mods/v3/mods-3-2.xsd
Sensemaking and the Selection of Principals to Open Campuses in Fast-Growth Districts in Suburban Austin
More than 75 school districts in Texas are experiencing a rapid increase in student enrollment. This necessitates the selection of principals to open new campuses. The present study aims to explore the challenges of fast-growth, how principals are selected to open new campuses in fast-growth districts, and what traits hiring personnel desire in these principals. The data for the present study was collected from one fast-growth district in a suburb of Austin, Texas using semi-structured interviews with three central office administrators and two principals who were selected to open a new campus. Additional data was collected by obtaining human resource documents associated with principal selection. Interview transcripts and hiring documents were analyzed and coded using the constant comparative method. Data was coded using a prior-research-driven approach utilizing the components of Karl Weick⁰́₉s (1976) sensemaking framework. Codes were organized into broader themes including fast-growth challenges, principal selection, and desired traits. In selecting principals to open new campuses and identifying desired traits in those principals, the hiring personnel utilizes the components of Weick⁰́₉s sensemaking framework. The participants identified four primary areas of challenge for their fast-growth district including the pace of the growth, the pace of hiring, maintaining alignment among campuses, and changing demographics. Multiple principal selection practices are used by the district, including the use of an internal leadership academy, a stakeholder survey, and panel interviews with multiple stakeholders. Finally, hiring personnel prioritize organizational skills when selecting a principal to open a campus. The electronic version of this dissertation is accessible from https://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/197293
"Major Subject: Educational Administration"
Doctor of Education Texas A&M University 2022 https://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/197293