Semester

Spring

Date of Graduation

2011

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

EdD

College

College of Education and Human Services

Department

Curriculum & Instruction/Literacy Studies

Committee Chair

Helen Hazi.

Abstract

This study examined the reading instructional leadership practices of 56 principals in West Virginia K-5 public elementary schools. The purpose of this study was to compare the reading instructional leadership practices and professional development of 40 Reading First principals with 40 non-Reading First principals in West Virginia. The study also compared the percentage of students who have scored mastery or above as measured by the third grade Reading/Language Arts West Virginia Educational Standards Test (WESTEST) in the years 2005, 2006, and 2007. An electronic survey with Likert-type items was distributed to all 40 Reading First Principals and 303 K-5 public elementary principals in West Virginia. There was a 70% response rate from the Reading First Principals. The survey was a self-reporting, web-based survey, developed utilizing Survey Monkey. Study results reveal that reading First Principals were better Resource Providers than non-Reading First Principals. Additionally, Reading First Principals support reading professional development activities for teachers at the school level at a statistically significantly higher rate than did the non-Reading First. Finally, there was no statically significantly impact on student achievement as measured by standardized test scores in the Reading First Schools.

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