Campus Location
Dallas Campus (Online)
Date of Award
8-2025
ORCID
https://orcid.org/0009-0003-7855-6789
Document Type
Dissertation
Department
Organizational Leadership
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Committee Chair or Primary Advisor
John Kellmayer I
Second Committee Member or Secondary Advisor
Mark Weatherly
Third Committee Member or Committee Reader
Jerrel Moore
Abstract
This qualitative study explored elementary principals’ perspectives on the importance of selfefficacy in relation to management responsibilities, instructional leadership, and moral leadership as they impact student achievement measured by the STAAR in a Central Texas school district. The research addressed the growing challenges principals face in high-accountability environments, focusing on how their beliefs in their leadership abilities affect school performance and student outcomes. The purpose was to examine principals’ views on selfefficacy across three domains and to consider implications for leadership preparation, district support, and policy. The study was grounded in a constructivist paradigm and employed a qualitative case study methodology. Data were collected through in-depth, semistructured interviews with 12 elementary school principals, representing varied school contexts and campus ratings. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis approach to identify recurrent themes and patterns. Systematic coding, iterative theme development, and member checking ensured analytic rigor and trustworthiness. Key results indicated that principals with higher self-efficacy identified strategic time management, resilience, and collaborative policy implementation as vital to effective management responsibilities. Regarding instructional leadership, participants described the centrality of data-driven decision making, targeted teacher development, and purposeful alignment of instructional goals with student achievement. In the realm of moral leadership, principals emphasized the importance of modeling ethical behavior, cultivating a positive and inclusive school culture, and actively engaging with the values and expectations of the school community. Overall, findings suggested that principal self-efficacy significantly shapes how leaders navigate complex school contexts, influences the effectiveness of their leadership vi practices, and contributes positively to student achievement outcomes. The study concluded that fostering principal self-efficacy through ongoing professional development, supportive leadership networks, and reflective practice can enhance both school performance and student learning. Recommendations include targeted training for aspiring and current principals, district policies that prioritize principal support, and future research to further examine the link between self-efficacy and student achievement in diverse educational settings.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Self, Vance E., "Principal Self-Efficacy: A Qualitative Study" (2025). Digital Commons @ ACU, Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 928.
https://digitalcommons.acu.edu/etd/928