Leading Through COVID-19: K-12 Administrators’ Perspectives Concerning Leadership Roles

Date of Award

Spring 2023

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Instructional Support

First Advisor

Ronald A. Grace

Second Advisor

Sonja Harrington Weston

Third Advisor

Dwight Varnum

Abstract

The COVID-19 outbreak in March 2020 threatened education systems worldwide. K-12 administrators had to efficiently alter their operations while putting students' interests first to manage the substantial problems and exceptional conditions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Learning more about K-12 administrators' attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors as they continued to exercise leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic might contribute to the body of research on crisis leadership. The mixed-methods explanatory sequential study sought to discover and explain K-12 administrators' leadership practices and perspectives as they navigated the COVID-19 pandemic in one rural Alabama school district. The study's research yielded four themes: Hands-on, Limited Interactions, Valuable Insights, and Viable Solutions. The four themes cover general perceptions of K-12 principal duties and responsibilities before and after the COVID-19 outbreak, challenges encountered while leading through the COVID-19 pandemic, insights into leading during the COVID-19 crisis, and recommendations for future leaders who may lead during a crisis. Ultimately, the four themes addressed the essential school leadership concepts for five Alabama administrators during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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