Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to analyze the perception of relationships between the degree of empowerment of middle school principals and their perception of the degree of empowerment of their teaching staffs. Findings were analyzed in relation to gender, school and district size, longevity in the principal position, and educational field. Findings from this study were compared with an earlier study of elementary school principals' empowerment and perception of their staff. Methodology. The researcher used descriptive and correlational research. The population was randomly selected from the middle school principals in the state of California. This study used the Empowerment Profile survey which consisted of ninety-nine questions (Jones and Bearley 1988) to measure eight dimensions of empowerment. Data were tabulated and analyzed by measuring and comparing statistics for each dimension. These data were compared to the results of an earlier study of elementary principals. Findings. Principals in this study perceived themselves as very empowered. A strong relationship existed between the middle school principal's perceived empowerment and the perceived empowerment of his/her staff. Within the eight dimensions of empowerment, the highest correlations between the middle school principal's perceived empowerment and the perceived empowerment of his/her staff were in the dimensions of autonomy and strengths. Empowerment scores were significantly higher overall for female middle school principals than for male middle school principals. Empowerment of middle school principals was similar between principals from schools and districts of different sizes. Likewise, empowerment was similar between principals with varying years of experience as middle school principals. Empowerment scores were higher overall for principals with fifteen years or fewer of educational experience. There was a trend for middle school principals' perceptions of their empowerment to be higher than elementary school principals' perceptions of their empowerment. Conclusions and recommendations. This study showed that middle school principals in California feel very empowered and that a relationship exists between the perceived empowerment of the principal and his/her perception of empowerment of his/her staff. Middle school principals felt more empowered than they perceived their staff's level of empowerment. There were no differences in empowerment related to school size, district size, or years of experience serving in the middle school principal position. Middle school principals feel more empowered than do elementary school principals.