Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

5-1-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Curriculum & Instruction

First Advisor

Uma Ganesan

Second Advisor

Laura Jewett

Third Advisor

Karin Lewis

Abstract

This study examined how principals lead schools to achieve academic outcomes that exceed projected performance. Using an explanatory sequential mixed methods design, the study first identified campuses that demonstrated statistically significant improvement between projected outcomes based on mock assessments and actual performance on state accountability measures. Quantitative analyses, including paired-samples t-tests, repeated measures ANOVA, and correlation analyses, revealed significant differences between projected and actual outcomes, variation across assessment cycles, and increasing alignment between mock and summative assessments over time. Standardized mean difference scores were used to identify campuses that demonstrated the greatest positive deviation from projected performance.

In Phase 2, qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with principals from identified outperforming campuses to explore the leadership practices associated with these outcomes. Thematic analysis, guided by Saldaña’s codes-to-theory model, was used to analyze interview data. Coding included both inductive and deductive approaches and progressed through multiple cycles, including in vivo coding, code mapping, and co-occurrence analysis. This process resulted in the development of five themes: real-time responsiveness through data systems, the principal as systems architect, collective ownership of student outcomes, intensive differentiated coaching, and technology as an amplifier of instruction.

Findings indicate that academic improvement was not driven by isolated strategies, but by the coordination of leadership practices that operated as an integrated system. Principals established structures that enabled real-time instructional adjustments, aligned resources to instructional priorities, fostered shared responsibility among staff, embedded coaching into daily practice, and used technology to accelerate decision-making. These findings contribute to the literature by illustrating how leadership practices function collectively to support short-cycle instructional improvement and by providing practical insights for school leaders seeking to improve student outcomes beyond projected expectations.

Comments

Copyright 2026 John Martinez. All Rights Reserved. https://proquest.com/docview/3371110631

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