INVESTIGATING PRINCIPAL SUPERVISOR ACTIONS THAT SUPPORT PRINCIPAL INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP

Abstract

This study investigated the role of principal supervisors in educational leadership within the K–12 Grand Royal School System (GRSS). It examined what principal supervisors do to build principals’ instructional leadership capacity—and to what extent their actions support principals in leading teaching and learning. Using a mixed-methods approach, including surveys, interviews, observations, and document analysis, the study explored the daily practices of principal supervisors and their interactions with principals.Findings show that GRSS principal supervisors value instructional leadership and often use goal-setting and formal observations to build principals’ capacity. However, their daily work is frequently consumed by operational demands, community concerns, and compliance tasks, which limit their ability to focus on instruction. Although most participants agreed that principal supervisors were accomplished instructional leaders, neither principals nor supervisors cited specific examples of support that led to instructional improvements. This gap was attributed to systemic barriers such as competing district priorities, ambiguous role expectations, and limited time. In addition to these core findings, interviews revealed several unexpected insights, including supervisors’ lack of control over their schedules, inconsistent implementation of site visits, and a shared sense of nostalgia for earlier support structures. Supervisors also described the emotional toll of the role, marked by stress and strain from balancing competing demands without sufficient authority or systemic support. These perspectives provided valuable context for interpreting survey results and underscored the disconnect between the role’s intended purpose and its day-to-day realities. While participants believed in the potential of the supervisor role to enhance leadership and improve learning outcomes, they acknowledged that current conditions often prevent it from functioning as intended. The study concludes with recommendations for restructuring the principal supervisor role and strengthening support for central office leaders who serve in this capacity.