Understanding School District Support for Early Education Principal Leadership

In this study, we investigate school district support for early education principal leadership in North Carolina. Drawing on a statewide survey of 520 lead and assistant principals, supplemented by 19 in-depth interviews, this study employs a mixed-methods approach to explore the research questions. Central to the investigation is (1) to what extent do principal orientations towards Pre-K leadership vary both within and between districts, (2) how do elementary school principals describe their relationships with district-level Pre-K leadership supports, and (3) how do principals incorporate tools in their practice in light of their relationships with district-level Pre-K leadership. We find that most of the variation in principal orientation to early grades leadership is at the individual level, with limited evidence of district-level variation. Interviews suggest interactions between principals and district-level Pre-K leadership were limited, shedding light on the predominantly individual-level differences found in our quantitative analysis. This research suggests a potential need for increased district involvement in supporting principal leadership of Pre-K programs.