The Impact of the Minnesota Principals' Academy on High School Principal Decision-Making

Abstract

Abstract High school principals make numerous decisions daily. Decision-­‐making is a complicated process requiring multiple pieces of data, synthesizing them, looking at the big picture, setting targets, and strategically thinking through actions, looking at risks, assumptions, and belief systems. If a wrong decision, even a seemingly minor one, is made, it can haunt the principal’s leadership for a long time. This research investigated the impact of the Minnesota Principals’ Academy (MPA), an 18-­‐month long executive professional development program for practicing principals on their perceptions and skills with regard to decision-­‐making. Fourteen of seventeen eligible principals who had completed the MPA agreed to be interviewed, representing a cross-­‐section of high schools from urban, suburban, and greater Minnesota schools, with student populations from under 600 to over 2,200. Using a structured interview protocol, with probes to expand responses and report experiences, principals’ responses were coded and analyzed, looking for both common and unique themes. Findings revealed that the more experienced the principal, the greater the pattern of consulting with others before making difficult decisions. Another concept that emerged from the data was the key role of vision to principals’ leadership. Having a vision appeared to shape and influence all aspects of principals’ decision-­‐making and leadership. A striking aspect of the data was the commonality of principals’ vision across all participants and their commitment to the commonality of that vision. Every principal interviewed noted that participating in the MPA deepened their belief in the importance of vision to their leadership and making sound decisions for their schools and students.