Gender, Diversity and Secondary School Principals:

How do Patterns of Succession/Rotation Impact

on Sustaining School Effectiveness in a Diverse

World?

Three Year Study (2003-Three Year Study (2003-2006)2006)

FundedFunded by Social Sciences and by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of CanadaHumanities Research Council of Canada

PurposesPurposes::IdentifyIdentify patterns and consequences patterns and consequences

of secondary principal succession to of secondary principal succession to determine areas of concern and best determine areas of concern and best practicepractice

ExamineExamine district and provincial district and provincial leaders’ perspectivesleaders’ perspectives

Focus Focus on gender and diversityon gender and diversity

Pan-Canadian Research Pan-Canadian Research TeamTeam

• Cecilia Reynolds, University of SaskatchewanCecilia Reynolds, University of Saskatchewan

• Robert White, St Francis Xavier UniversityRobert White, St Francis Xavier University

• Carol Brayman, OISE/University of TorontoCarol Brayman, OISE/University of Toronto

• Shawn Moore, OISE/University of TorontoShawn Moore, OISE/University of Toronto

SuccessionSuccession refers to the departure of one leader and the arrival refers to the departure of one leader and the arrival of another. of another.

It includes: It includes: • IdentificationIdentification• SelectionSelection• InductionInduction• PlacementPlacement• Ongoing trainingOngoing training• RotationRotation• RecruitmentRecruitment• ExitingExiting

RotationRotation is an organizational mechanism for transfer of leaders is an organizational mechanism for transfer of leaders within a system. within a system.

ConceptsConcepts

Relevant LiteratureRelevant Literature

• Conger, J.A. & Fulmer, R.M. (2003). Developing Your Conger, J.A. & Fulmer, R.M. (2003). Developing Your Leadership Pipeline.Leadership Pipeline.

Harvard Business ReviewHarvard Business Review, December, 2003, 76-84., December, 2003, 76-84.• Fink, D. (2005). Fink, D. (2005). Leadership for Mortals: developing and Leadership for Mortals: developing and

sustaining leaders in learningsustaining leaders in learning. . London: Paul Chapman London: Paul Chapman Publishing/SAGE. Publishing/SAGE.

• Fink, D. & Brayman, C. (2004) Principals’ succession and Fink, D. & Brayman, C. (2004) Principals’ succession and educational change educational change Journal of Educational Administration.Journal of Educational Administration. 42 42 (4), .431-449.(4), .431-449.

• Fink, D. & Brayman C. (2005). Leadership Succession and the Fink, D. & Brayman C. (2005). Leadership Succession and the challenges of challenges of change. Educational Change Special change. Educational Change Special Issue .Issue .Educational Administration Educational Administration QuarterlyQuarterly. 41(4) SAGE. 41(4) SAGE

• Fullan, M. (2000). ‘Leadership for the Twenty-first Century: Fullan, M. (2000). ‘Leadership for the Twenty-first Century: Breaking the Breaking the Bonds of Dependency’. Bonds of Dependency’. The Jossey-Bass Reader The Jossey-Bass Reader on Educational Leadershipon Educational Leadership. . San Francisco: Wiley Co. 156-162.San Francisco: Wiley Co. 156-162.

• Hargreaves, A. & Fink, D. (2002). Sustaining Leadership. In Hargreaves, A. & Fink, D. (2002). Sustaining Leadership. In Davies, B. & Davies, B. & West-Burnham, J. (Eds.) West-Burnham, J. (Eds.) Handbook of Leadership Handbook of Leadership and Managementand Management. London: . London: Pearson Education.Pearson Education.

• Hargreaves, A. & Fink, D. (2004). The seven principles of Hargreaves, A. & Fink, D. (2004). The seven principles of sustainable sustainable leadership. leadership. Educational Leadership, 61Educational Leadership, 61(7), 8-13.(7), 8-13.

• Hargreaves, A., Moore, S. & Fink, D. (2002). Hargreaves, A., Moore, S. & Fink, D. (2002). An investigation An investigation of secondary school of secondary school principal rotation and succession in times principal rotation and succession in times of standards-based reform and rapidof standards-based reform and rapid demographic demographic changechange. Ontario Principals Council Report. Toronto: . Ontario Principals Council Report. Toronto: OISE/UT.OISE/UT.

• Hargreaves, A., Moore, S., Fink, D., Brayman, C., & White, R. Hargreaves, A., Moore, S., Fink, D., Brayman, C., & White, R. (2003). (2003). Succeeding Leaders? A study of principal Succeeding Leaders? A study of principal succession and sustainability. succession and sustainability. Toronto: Toronto: Ontario Principals Ontario Principals Council.Council.

• Hargreaves, A., Shaw, P., Fink, D., Giles, C., & Moore, S. Hargreaves, A., Shaw, P., Fink, D., Giles, C., & Moore, S. (2002) (2002) Secondary Secondary School Reform: The Experiences and School Reform: The Experiences and Interpretations of Teachers and Interpretations of Teachers and Administrators in Six Administrators in Six Ontario Secondary SchoolsOntario Secondary Schools. Toronto: The Ontario . Toronto: The Ontario Institute for Studies in Education/ University of Toronto.Institute for Studies in Education/ University of Toronto.

• Hart, A.W. (1993) Hart, A.W. (1993) Principal Succession: Establishing Principal Succession: Establishing Leadership in Schools.Leadership in Schools. Albany: Albany: State University of New State University of New York Press.York Press.

• Liebman, M., Bruer, R. & Maki, B. (1996) Succession Liebman, M., Bruer, R. & Maki, B. (1996) Succession Management: The Next Management: The Next Generation of Succession Generation of Succession Planning. Planning. Human Resource PlanningHuman Resource Planning, 19, 3, 16-, 19, 3, 16- 29.29.

• Leithwood, K. (2001). School leadership in the context of Leithwood, K. (2001). School leadership in the context of accountability accountability policies. policies. International Journal of International Journal of Leadership in Education, 4Leadership in Education, 4(3), 217-236.(3), 217-236.

• Macmillan, R. (2001). Leadership Succession, Cultures of Macmillan, R. (2001). Leadership Succession, Cultures of Teaching and Teaching and Education Change in Education Change in The Sharp Edge The Sharp Edge of Educational Changeof Educational Change. London: . London: Palmer Press.Palmer Press.

• Moore, S. (2002). Talisman Park Collegiate: Discourse of Moore, S. (2002). Talisman Park Collegiate: Discourse of Nostalgia. Toronto: Nostalgia. Toronto: Ontario Institute for Studies in Ontario Institute for Studies in Education/ University of Toronto. Education/ University of Toronto. Unpublished case study Unpublished case study for Spencer Project, “Change Over Time”.for Spencer Project, “Change Over Time”.

• National Academy of Public Administration. National Academy of Public Administration. (1992) (1992) Paths to Leadership:Paths to Leadership: Executive Executive Succession Planning in the Succession Planning in the Federal Federal GovernmentGovernment. Washington, DC: NAPA.. Washington, DC: NAPA.

• National Academy of Public Administration National Academy of Public Administration (1997). (1997). Managing Succession and Developing Managing Succession and Developing Leadership: Growing Leadership: Growing the Next Generation of the Next Generation of Public Service Leaders.Public Service Leaders. Washington, DC: NAPA.Washington, DC: NAPA.

• Reynolds, C., White, R., Moore, S. & Brayman, C. Reynolds, C., White, R., Moore, S. & Brayman, C. (2005). (2005). The Implications and Challenges of The Implications and Challenges of

Leadership Leadership Succession/Rotation for the Succession/Rotation for the Sustainability of School Reform.Sustainability of School Reform. Paper Paper presented at the International Congress on presented at the International Congress on School Effectiveness and Improvement. School Effectiveness and Improvement. Barcelona.Barcelona.

• Rothwell, W.J. (1994). Rothwell, W.J. (1994). Effective Succession Planning – Effective Succession Planning – Ensuring Ensuring Leadership Continuity and Building Talent Leadership Continuity and Building Talent from Withinfrom Within. New . New York: Amacom.York: Amacom.

• Ruderman, M., Ohlott, P., & Kram, K. (2001). Managerial Ruderman, M., Ohlott, P., & Kram, K. (2001). Managerial Promotion: The Dynamics of Men and Women. Promotion: The Dynamics of Men and Women.

Greensboro, MC: Center for Creative Leadership.Greensboro, MC: Center for Creative Leadership.• Souque, J. P. (1997). Souque, J. P. (1997). Recruiting and Retaining High Recruiting and Retaining High

Technology Talent Technology Talent inin Canada.Canada. Ottawa, ON: Ottawa, ON: Conference Board of Canada.Conference Board of Canada.

• Wenger, E. (1998). Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning, Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and meaning, and identity.identity. Cambridge: Cambridge Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.University Press.

• Williams, T. (2001). Williams, T. (2001). Unrecognized exodus, unaccepted Unrecognized exodus, unaccepted accountability: accountability: The looming shortage of principals and The looming shortage of principals and vice principals in Ontario vice principals in Ontario public school boards.public school boards. Toronto: Ontario Principals Council. Toronto: Ontario Principals Council.

MethodologyMethodology

Data CollectionData CollectionInterviews:To date: 29 semi-structured, telephone :To date: 29 semi-structured, telephone

interviews of approximately one hour with the interviews of approximately one hour with the following respondents:following respondents:

Directors of EducationDirectors of Education SuperintendentsSuperintendents School Board ChairsSchool Board Chairs Executives of Principal AssociationsExecutives of Principal Associations Leaders in Higher EducationLeaders in Higher Education

ArtifactsArtifacts: District rotation and succession policy : District rotation and succession policy documents were also collected, in cases where documents were also collected, in cases where they were availablethey were available

SAMPLESAMPLE

4 provinces across 4 provinces across CanadaCanada

2 districts within each 2 districts within each province (representing a province (representing a rural, urban, large and rural, urban, large and small demographic)small demographic)

Provinces Included in Provinces Included in StudyStudy

FindingsFindings

Research suggests that Research suggests that principal rotation every principal rotation every 5-7 years is essential to 5-7 years is essential to

professional growth professional growth and development.and development.

•In urban districts, principal In urban districts, principal rotation tends to occur with rotation tends to occur with regularity every 3 to 5 yearsregularity every 3 to 5 years

•While systematic principal While systematic principal rotation is not the norm in rotation is not the norm in the rural districts we studiedthe rural districts we studied

Administrators in rural Administrators in rural districts must contend districts must contend

with the isolation factor: with the isolation factor:

dispersal of communities dispersal of communities across wide geographic across wide geographic

areasareas

Amalgamation Amalgamation

has been a fact of life forhas been a fact of life for

small school districts in small school districts in all four provinces in our all four provinces in our

studystudy

District amalgamation, while District amalgamation, while organizationally destabilizing, organizationally destabilizing,

provides provides administrators with administrators with the opportunity to review the opportunity to review long-standing rotation and long-standing rotation and

succession policiessuccession policies

In 8 districts we studied since In 8 districts we studied since 2003:2003:

Five have male Directors of Five have male Directors of EducationEducation

In one rural district, a In one rural district, a women succeeded a male women succeeded a male DirectorDirector

One female administrator articulated One female administrator articulated the invisible role of gender relations the invisible role of gender relations within school systems, within school systems,

““Gender's always a factor. Are we Gender's always a factor. Are we allowed to weight it? No…Hiring allowed to weight it? No…Hiring policies…are masculinist in policies…are masculinist in orientation that favor men…We orientation that favor men…We always make sure there's a always make sure there's a woman on the interview woman on the interview committee…to avoid grievance…” committee…to avoid grievance…”

Recruitment of leaders from First Recruitment of leaders from First Nations, African-Canadian, and Nations, African-Canadian, and other under-represented groups, is other under-represented groups, is a growing concern of a growing concern of administrators.administrators.

““The challenge ... (is) ensuring that The challenge ... (is) ensuring that our leadership group is our leadership group is representative of our teacher group representative of our teacher group and of our wider community. The and of our wider community. The community is changing, there's a community is changing, there's a huge demographic shift…in relation huge demographic shift…in relation to the numbers of Aboriginal people…to the numbers of Aboriginal people…We need to make sure that we're We need to make sure that we're encouraging, training and promoting encouraging, training and promoting people of Aboriginal background”people of Aboriginal background”

ConclusionsConclusions

While some school districts While some school districts have made progress in have made progress in developing integrated developing integrated

programs of rotation and programs of rotation and leadership succession, others leadership succession, others

have virtually no formal have virtually no formal succession plan ─ other than succession plan ─ other than

leadership developmentleadership development

Administrators operate in crisis Administrators operate in crisis management mode because of:management mode because of:

Decline in professional interest in Decline in professional interest in formal leadership rolesformal leadership roles

Shrinking numbers of qualified Shrinking numbers of qualified leadersleaders

Accelerating pace of educational Accelerating pace of educational changechange

System restructuringSystem restructuring

Misconceptions about female Misconceptions about female capacity to manage capacity to manage

leadership roles traditionally leadership roles traditionally held by males have their held by males have their

roots in deeper political and roots in deeper political and social structures in society. social structures in society.

The following factors influence the number of The following factors influence the number of women principals placed in secondary women principals placed in secondary schools: schools:

(1)(1)Policies of inclusionPolicies of inclusion(2)(2)Male enlightenmentMale enlightenment(3)(3)Female educators’ higher Female educators’ higher

academic qualifications and academic qualifications and professional leadership ambitionsprofessional leadership ambitions

Rotation policy is more Rotation policy is more effective when integrated effective when integrated within a coherent, system-within a coherent, system-

wide leadership wide leadership succession plansuccession plan

Principal succession Principal succession planning should involve key planning should involve key

stakeholders, including stakeholders, including principals, teachers, principals, teachers,

parents and community parents and community members in more than members in more than

perfunctory rolesperfunctory roles

ImplicationsImplications

An unplanned “carousel” of An unplanned “carousel” of principal rotation jeopardizes principal rotation jeopardizes school improvement efforts school improvement efforts by creating cultures of by creating cultures of professional distrust and professional distrust and organizational uncertaintyorganizational uncertainty

School communities School communities can stagnate when can stagnate when leaders stay too long leaders stay too long and become too and become too comfortable in one comfortable in one settingsetting

““Masculinist” attitudes, policies and Masculinist” attitudes, policies and practices:practices:oExclude qualified women from Exclude qualified women from

leadership positionsleadership positionsoWaste valuable, needed leadership Waste valuable, needed leadership

talenttalentoReduce school capacityReduce school capacityoGenerate cynicism in the succession Generate cynicism in the succession

processprocess

Under-representation of certain Under-representation of certain groups in leadership positions (e.g., groups in leadership positions (e.g., African and Native Canadians), African and Native Canadians), deprives schools of leaders who can deprives schools of leaders who can bring unique cultural and political bring unique cultural and political sensitivities to their work inside and sensitivities to their work inside and outside their schoolsoutside their schools

When key stakeholders ─ When key stakeholders ─ principals, teachers, parents ─ principals, teachers, parents ─ are marginalized from principal are marginalized from principal succession decision-making, it succession decision-making, it makes it that much more makes it that much more difficult to build a school difficult to build a school climate of shared vision and climate of shared vision and commitment commitment

Future PlansFuture Plans

In year three, we are interviewing district and In year three, we are interviewing district and provincial leaders in Nova Scotia and British provincial leaders in Nova Scotia and British Columbia, along with key informants in higher Columbia, along with key informants in higher education. These new data will be analyzed in education. These new data will be analyzed in relation to the following emerging themes:relation to the following emerging themes:

Attracting secondary principals who Attracting secondary principals who represent diverse communitiesrepresent diverse communities

SES and its influence on district policies of SES and its influence on district policies of rotation and successionrotation and succession

Silence on deeper issues of gender, women Silence on deeper issues of gender, women and leadership and leadership

Carol_Brayman@hotmail.comsmoore@oise.utoronto.ca