Effective teacher leadership: a quantitative study of the relationship between school structures and effective teacher leaders

Abstract

The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the relationship between certain types of school structures and the effectiveness of teacher leaders. The study focused on teachers who lead from within their classrooms, as opposed to those who have left the classroom to take on different responsibilities. Structural components identified through analysis of nine qualitative studies were utilized to develop the SSTLQ (School Structures and Teacher Leadership Questionnaire). The questionnaire was completed by 158 teachers from various grade ranges who were enrolled in a professional development program for teacher leaders in a Midwestern state. Data from the survey was analyzed and each of the structural components was found to have a statistically significant correlation to teacher leader effectiveness. The category of role clarity had the highest correlation and was found to be the most predictive of teacher leader effectiveness of the three categories included in the study. These findings have significance for school leaders as they develop and implement programs to support teacher leaders.