RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SECONDARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS' PERCEPTIONS OF ADMINISTRATIVE DISCIPLINARY FUNCTIONS AND SCHOOL ORGANIZATIONAL CLIMATE

GEORGE ELLIS STONE, Purdue University

Abstract

Certain underlying factors of the secondary school principal's role as a disciplinarian and the relationship between principal perceptions of the importance of various administrative disciplinary functions and school organizational climate were examined. Specifically, the study sought to determine among principals, when grouped according to openness of organizational climate of the schools they administer, perceived differences in relative importance of specific disciplinary functions. Additionally, the study examined possible differences in relative importance between particular disciplinary functions as perceived by principals of open climate schools and by principals of closed climate schools. The research sample consisted of the principals and faculties of 45 secondary schools in Indiana. To establish relative openness of organizational climate, Halpin and Croft's Organizational Climate Description Questionnaire was administered to the principal and respective faculty of each school. The Q Sort of Administrative Disciplinary Functions was developed by the researcher to determine the principal's perceived importance of each of six administrative disciplinary functions (planning, organizing, directing, coordinating, controlling, and decision-making). Statistical tests were performed utilizing principals of the 10 schools perceived by teachers as having most open climate and principals of the 10 most closed climate schools. Open climate school principals perceived the planning function as more important than did closed climate school principals. Organizing was perceived as more important by closed climate school principals. No differences in perceived importance relative to directing, coordinating, controlling, or decision-making were observed. It was determined that open climate school principals perceived directing, planning, and coordinating as more important than organizing. No difference in perceived importance between disciplinary functions was noted for principals of closed climate schools. In answering three ancillary questions it was found that principals, when taken as a group, viewed the organizational climate of their schools as more open than did their faculties. When only open climate schools were considered, there was no difference in principals' and teachers' perceptions. Principals of closed climate schools perceived the climate of their schools as more open than did their teachers.

Degree

Ph.D.

Subject Area

School administration

COinS