PRINCIPALS AS STRATEGIC VOLUNTEER TALENT MANAGERS: MATCHING TALENTS AND TASKS

Abstract

This quantitative research study was designed to investigate the extent to which principals are implementing strategic volunteer talent management strategies and how that work is correlated to student achievement and school climate. Public school leaders face increasingly complex work environments due to fiscal constraints and changing student demographics. Greater numbers of students live in poverty, exhibit multiple learning styles, require individualized educational programs, and come to school as second language English learners (Crouch, Zakariya, & Jiandani, 2012). Therefore, the study sought to assist principals enhance their knowledge and inform their practice of volunteer management in order to meet the diverse needs of students today.

The study examined how elementary principals managed volunteers in their school buildings using a researcher-created strategic volunteer talent management survey, school-level volunteer and student poverty data, and publicly available student achievement (reading and math) and parent engagement data. The study produced mixed results. The most significant findings were: (1) a positive correlation between parent engagement and volunteer program management; (2) a link between math achievement and schools that reported volunteer hours; and (3) a positive statistically significant correlation between math achievement and overall satisfaction. Given the variation in principals' survey responses, they should follow three key steps outlined in volunteer management literature: (1) identify and prioritize which student needs remain unmet before they develop volunteer tasks, (2) develop a clear understanding of the talents and experience of each volunteer, and (3) prioritize placing volunteers in school-based tasks that best align with their unique talents.

Suggestions for further research include studying how elementary principals manage volunteers in multiple districts, studying how all levels of principals manage volunteers, surveying volunteers about their experiences and perceptions working in schools, studying the distribution of volunteers within a district, and performing a cost analysis based on the volunteer distribution within a district.