Date of Award

1993

Degree Name

EdD Doctor of Education

Dissertation Committee

Joseph C. Rost, PhD, Director; Edward Kujawa Jr., PhD; Raymond F. Latta, PhD

Keywords

bilingual education policies, education, leadership relationships, Leadership studies, qualitative, school administration, staff development programs, Vista Unified School District (Vista, CA)

Abstract

Leadership in the 1990s is perceived as the primary solution to the political, social, economic and educational problems encountered today by our western society. The solutions that have worked in the industrialized society of the past are being re-evaluated and questioned by our technocratic society of today. The concept of leadership is undergoing a change. The old industrial view of leadership is making way for the emerging postindustrial view--a view that regards leadership as an inter-relational process among people who intend real, substantive changes berthed from a mutuality of purpose. This research focused on the leadership relationships forged in the Vista Unified School District among the superintendent, administrators, staff members, school board members and community members which created changes in the traditional school calendar, the education of Spanish-speaking students and the professional growth of district employees. Qualitative methodologies were used by the researcher to paint a descriptive and interpretive picture of how people in the VUSD's educational community worked together to adopt and implement year-round and bilingual education policies and a staff development program. A postindustrial leadership model was utilized to further examine how these complex changes evolved over time. This investigation's findings demonstrated the significance of involving people in the change process and the importance of allowing many individuals to act as both leaders and followers in an effort to promote changes. The leadership relationships that were present in this study played a pivotal role in the adoption and implementation of the policies proving that leadership may be operant in a traditionally, hierarchical system like a school district.

Document Type

Dissertation: Open Access

Department

Education

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