Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to identify, using a Delphi technique, what the experts believe to be the most effective way to structure the high school administrative team if the school wide goal is to improve student achievement. Methodology. The subjects in the present study were seventeen expert panelists comprised of both theorists and practitioners in the area of organizational leadership. Subjects responded to three rounds during the Delphi process. The first round was an open ended question asking them what they believe is the most effective way to structure a high school administrative team if the school wide goal is to improve student achievement. The two subsequent rounds asked the panelists to respond to a survey/input form which consisted of a series of statements describing different configurations for high school administrative teams as well as different responsibilities for the various administrative positions in high schools. The panelists were asked to rank each statement based on its importance towards improving student achievement and rate each statement based on the likelihood of its implementation. The instrument used for data collection was a secure web site for round one and then email transmission sent to each panelist for rounds two and three. Findings. Examination of the quantitative and qualitative data from the expert panel indicate that the following conditions are most important to improving student achievement and most likely to be implemented within a high school: Segment the school into smaller learning communities, create one administrative team that is dedicated to improving student achievement and/or modify the existing administrative team so that the focus is on improved student achievement. Conclusions. The study data supports the conclusion that the most important factor to improving student achievement is not the exact structure of the administrative team but rather the leadership style and the organizational form of the team. Keeping the focus on all those aspects of the school that contribute to student learning while using a collaborative leadership style will have a profound impact on achievement. Recommendations. (1) Replicating this study using different criteria for panel selection, (2) expanding the study to include elementary and/or middle schools, (3) conducting a correlation study between leadership styles and team configurations between public education and private industry, and (4) conducting a study in which public high schools institute a business model of leadership and then determine if there is improvement in student achievement.