Volume 6, Number 1 (January - March 2011)
This study examined Alabama school superintendents' perceptions of the new Alabama instructional leadership standards as related to the superintendency, and superintendents' professional needs related to the knowledge indicators in the standards. Also explored were superintendents' perceptions towards professional development delivery methods, which standards are most important for increasing student achievement, how superintendents allocate their time among the standards, barriers that hinder or prevent superintendents from implementing the standards, and whether district demographic variables impacted superintendents' perceptions. No significant difference in time allocation in relation to district enrollment was indicated and district enrollment did not significantly impact superintendents' ranking of the importance of the standards for increasing student achievement. Teaching and learning was identified as the most important standard for improving student achievement, followed by planning for continuous improvement. Time, financial restraints, and resistance to change were identified as the most significant barriers to implementing the leadership standards. FULL MANUSCRIPT AVAILABLE AT: http://cnx.org/content/m36715/latest/