Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to identify whether the expressed strategies used by elementary school principals to empower assistant principals differ from the perceptions held by assistant principals regarding their empowerment. This study also determined whether a significant difference exists between the perceptions of principals and assistant principals regarding the empowerment of assistant principles. Finally, this study assessed the difference between the perceptions of assistant principals of their empowerment and the ratings of their principals regarding their job effectiveness. Methodology. A thirty-four-item questionnaire was used to collect data provided from the responses of eighty elementary school principals and seventy assistant principals employed in public schools in San Bernardino County, California. Completed surveys were sorted and the responses for items were calculated. The responses of principals and assistant principals to each survey item were compared using a t-test of independent samples. Findings. Statistically significant differences were found between the responses of elementary school principals and assistant principals on fourteen individual survey items, each item representing an empowering strategy, and on three categories of empowering strategies. Assistant principals recorded higher scores more frequently than principals on individual strategies and on categories of strategies. Conclusions and recommendations. Survey research lacks a definitive means to verify the accuracy between respondent ratings and reality. Direct observations of principals at work, diaries, systematic visitations, and videocassette recordings of principals, assistant principals, and teachers interacting would provide useful data for determining the application of empowering strategies.