Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to identify change-focused trainings elementary principals had received. A second purpose was to examine the principles identified by elementary school principals as important when initiating and implementing change. A third purpose of the study was to determine what principles of change are actually used by elementary school principals as validated by their staffs. Methodology. This quantitative study used descriptive and causal comparative (ex post facto research to collect, analyze, and report data that identified change principles elementary school principals use. The population included thirteen elementary school principals and 71 elementary school teachers in Southern California who had been at their current school sites for at least three years. An online survey for each group was used to collect data to answer eight research questions. Findings. All but one elementary school principal reported some formal training in change principles, and all reported some informal training. Elementary school principals rated every change principle higher than the teachers' reported their principals implementing them. Eleven of the 19 true change principles showed significant differences in principals' ratings and teachers' observations of principals implementing these change principles. Elementary school principals rated establishing trust as the most important change principle. However, teachers ranked establishing trust 11th based on observations of their principals. Conclusions. There is a major disconnect regarding several change principles by principals and teachers. Elementary school principals are at the helm of leading change at the school site. It is imperative that districts implement a training program for leading change in their organization. Recommendations. Based on this study, it is recommended that district-level training programs incorporate effective implementation of the change principles discussed in this study. Further research is advised including replications of this study with elementary school principals and teachers in Central and Northern California. Additionally, a qualitative case study of high school principals and elementary school principals based on the change principle establishing trust should be conducted.