Elementary School Size and Differences in What Principals Emphasize and How They Train Their Teachers: A National Analysis

Abstract

In this investigation, differences in what principals emphasized, in how they spent their work time, and how they trained their teachers were examined as a function of student enrollment numbers.  Data were acquired from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Kindergarten Class of 2010-2011 principal survey.  Three school categories were generated with student enrolment data: Small-size schools, Moderate-size schools, and Large-size schools.  Inferential statistical analyses revealed the presence of statistically significant differences in the way principals reporting spending their time and the training areas they emphasized.  Principals of Large-size schools spent more hours at work, invested more time working with teachers, and emphasized more training their teachers than principals of Small-size schools and Moderate-size schools.  Suggestions for future research and implications for policy and practice were made.