Exploring the Influences of Contextual Variables on Beginning Principals

Abstract

Beginning school principals work within distinct school district contexts, influencing how they think and act as school leaders. This discussion describes how their perceptions compare across three geo-political contexts: urban, suburban and rural. The results are presented as storylines, emphasizing how contextual variables interact to influence differences in school leadership. As storylines, the implications concern social issues beyond any one school district or any one isolated context variable such as race or gender.