The Relationship of Principals' Perceptions of Professional Development Practices and Student Achievement in High Poverty Schools

Abstract

This study investigated if there are differences among Torchbearer and Non- Torchbearer Schools principals’ professional development practices as measured by principals’ perceptions of the implementation of the NSDC standards. The study also examined the factors these principals perceived as facilitating and hindering the implementation of NSDC standards in their schools. A secondary purpose was to describe the differences in characteristics and school size of these two groups. Data were collected from NSDC survey, demographic survey and an open-ended questionnaire. Findings from this study suggest that gender, age, experience and school size may be factors that have impacted the roles of principals in improving student achievement in Alabama Torchbearer Schools. Although the factors hindering the facilitation of the implementation of the NSDC standards were similar, findings from this study also indicated that principals in Torchbearer Schools perceived high levels of implementation of the NSDC standards than their counterparts, principals in Non-Torchbearer Schools and there were differences between the two groups in the factors that facilitated the implementation of the standards.