Dimensions of Literacy Leadership: An Analysis of Middle-Level Principals' Literacy Leadership Proficiencies and Student Reading Achievement
Open AccessThis study was designed to determine the extent to which middle-level principals reported the use of literacy leadership dimensions and whether or not a predictive relationship exists between the use of these dimensions and student reading proficiency in Grades 6 through 8 in Region 2 in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Also examined was the relationship between principals' literacy leadership practices and student reading achievement in three of the lowest performing No Child Left Behind (NCLB) groups: economically disadvantaged students, Black students, and students with disabilities. Literacy leadership dimensions include the cluster of behaviors, actions, and strategies defined by Murphy (2002, 2004a, 2004b) and supported by the literature that foster successful student reading performance. A survey modified from a study by Guastella (2004) was sent to 65 principals; 32 surveys, representing a 49% response rate, were included in the analysis. For the criterion variable, the Virginia Standards of Learning reading assessment was utilized.Data indicated that principals reported the use of all literacy leadership dimensions. Based on a rating scale of 1 (never practiced) to 5 (extensively practiced), the means yielded for the dimensions were between 3.28 (SD = .74) and 4.4 (SD = .44). Eight dimensions were rated in the often practiced and extensively practiced categories. One dimension, forging links between home and school, was rated in the sometimes practiced category. Simple regression analyses indicated that the relationships between reported use of the dimensions and percentage of students passing the reading assessment for the overall student body were nonsignificant with the exception of the dimension of forging links between home and school. The tests for each of the dimensions and student reading proficiency in the targeted NCLB groups failed to support a predictive relationship. Previous literature suggested that the identified literacy leadership practices would promote student achievement on reading assessments. This study, however, was unable to capture the predictive relationship between the literacy leadership dimensions and reading achievement for eight of the nine dimensions. The findings suggest that the use of the dimension of forging links between home and school may increase student success on the Virginia reading assessment.
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