Examination of the Professional Development and District Support Needed for Leadership Success from the Perspective of Middle School Principals in Low-Performing Urban Schools

Author

• Jamarious L. Harris

Date of Award

2026

Type

Dissertation

Major

Doctor of Education

Degree Type

Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Leadership (Educational Leadership Track)

Department

Teacher Education

First Advisor

Dr. Dana M. Griggs

Second Advisor

Dr. Christopher LeMieux

Third Advisor

Dr. Anna Hart

Abstract

Principals leading low-performing urban middle schools operate in complex, high-accountability environments characterized by diverse student populations, elevated expectations, and high leadership turnover rates. Although principals play a critical role in school improvement, limited research has examined how they experience professional development and district support within these settings. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine the professional development and district support that middle school principals in low-performing urban schools perceive as most helpful for strengthening leadership effectiveness, as well as the challenges that influence their access to and use of these supports. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with six current and former middle school principals in a southeastern state who had led low-performing urban schools. Former principals were included if they had exited their roles within the past five years to ensure relevance of experience while addressing high turnover rates in these settings. Data were analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding procedures, guided by the Four Domains of Rapid School Improvement framework: turnaround leadership, talent development, instructional transformation, and culture shift. Findings indicated that principals valued context-specific, job-embedded, and relational professional development, particularly leadership coaching, mentoring, and peer collaboration. District support was perceived as most effective when it addressed operational and technical demands; however, variability existed in the alignment between district initiatives and school-level needs. Time constraints, accountability pressures, and structural conditions limited sustained engagement in professional learning. The findings underscore the need for coherent, differentiated leadership support systems designed to strengthen principal capacity and promote leadership stability in low-performing urban middle schools.

Recommended Citation

Harris, Jamarious L., "Examination of the Professional Development and District Support Needed for Leadership Success from the Perspective of Middle School Principals in Low-Performing Urban Schools" (2026). Theses and Dissertations. 772.
https://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/theses_dissertations/772