Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of high school principals who lead career technical education (CTE) and their influence on student participation in career technical student organizations (CTSOs).
Methodology. The research methodology used for this study was a qualitative phenomenological research design. A phenomenological study describes the lived experiences of high school principals leading CTE and their influence on student participation in CTSOs. The research participants responded to semistructured interview questions. The participants were all high school principals with 3 or more years of experience at their school sites with multiple CTE pathways and opportunities for students to participate in at least two CTSO’s aligned with their CTE pathway.
Findings. This study identified four themes describing the experience of high school principals leading CTE and their influence on student participation in CTSOs. These themes were empowering workplace culture, strategic partnerships, advocacy, and showcasing. These themes are aligned with the four Is of transformational leadership including individual consideration, intellectual stimulation, inspirational motivation, and idealized influence.
Conclusions. The results of this research linked the literature to the experiences of high school principals and their influence on student participation in CTSOs through transformational leadership practices. Transformational leadership can be used to fulfill the goals of equity in Perkins V with a focus on access for all CTE student groups to participate in CTSOs.
Recommendations. Transformational leadership practices can help guide high school principals to promote their vision of equity in influencing student participation in CTSOs. High school principals can use transformational leadership practices such as individual consideration to empower workplace culture, intellectual stimulation to create strategic partnerships, inspirational motivation to advocate and idealized influence to showcase CTSOs as a way of influencing student participation in these beneficial cocurricular CTE programs on the college and career readiness for all students.