The Influence of Principal Coaching and District Level Professional Learning Communities on Principals' Self Efficacy regarding Leadership, Campus Climate and Improving Academic Outcomes for Students in Special Education

The problem of professional practice that this research study attempts to address is the achievement gap between students in the special education program and their general education peers is persistently greater than the district goal (set by district leadership) of a gap of less than 10 percentage points even after numerous training sessions for teachers and many years as a district-level focus. The leadership tools currently being employed by campus leadership hasn’t effectively led teachers in narrowing the achievement gap and growing students in special education. The purpose of this design-based research study was to determine the influence of a principal coaching program in conjunction with model, district-level authentic professional learning communities on a principal’s self-efficacy in regard to leading a campus while addressing deficit thinking, having critical professional expectation conversations, and maintaining a positive campus climate.