Date of Award

4-1992

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

Dr. David Cowden

Second Advisor

Dr. Ralph Chandler

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between a superintendent's style of leadership and the effectiveness of the school district as measured in the Education Department of Puerto Rico.

The style of leadership of the superintendents was analyzed using the Leader Behavior Analysis II-Self (LBAII, Blanchard, Hambleton> Zigarmi, & Forsyth, 1990) questionnaire. The effectiveness of the school districts was measured using students' dropout rate, 12th grade students' graduation rate, and students' scores on three standardized tests (mathematics, English, and Spanish). The data for measuring district effectiveness were correspondent to the 1988-89 school year.

The Education Department of Puerto Rico has 100 superintendents. The LBAII questionnaire was sent to all superintendents, and a total of 60 questionnaires was completed and returned. The LBAII questionnaire placed the superintendents in one of four styles of leadership: S1 Directing , S2 Coaching , S3 Supporting, and S4 Delegating. The superintendents that returned the questionnaires identified with only two of the styles of leadership on the LBAII. Forty-three superintendents chose the S3 Supporting style of leadership, and 17 chose the S2 Coaching style of leadership.

Five hypotheses were developed, and t tests were performed to find any significant relationship between the style of leadership of the superintendents and the effectiveness of the school districts. The results of the t tests showed differences between the means. The differences between the means were considered not significant enough when comparing them with the critical values on the t table. In conclusion, this study found the style of leadership of the superintendents not to be a significant factor influencing the effectiveness of the school districts.

Access Setting

Dissertation-Open Access

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