AN EXPLORATION OF INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP APPROACHES IN THE CONTEXT OF SUPPORT FOR DUAL CREDIT

Abstract

Dual credit programs provide college courses in the high school setting, whereby high school students receives both high school and college credit. These programs provide high school students opportunities to experience college coursework while honing their academic and study skills in preparation for matriculation to a college or university. The delivery of dual credit courses is influenced by academic and structural conditions, school-wide objectives, resources, personnel constraints, and other conditions that are mediated through effective instructional leadership. Instructional leaders play a significant role in encouraging student learning and curricular efficacy; this study seeks to understand what instructional leaders do to support dual credit courses and alignment with standards of delivery (NACEP Standards). The study uses a mixed methods approach including anonymous surveys and semi-structured interviews. Findings suggest that supporting dual credit courses requires leadership strategies that (1) manage differences between high school courses and college courses, and that the primary approach to managing the differences is to (2) put teachers in position to effectively deliver dual credit courses. Four recommendations emerge from the findings (1) leaders should balance teacher autonomy with leader engagement, (2) leaders should establish and share a vision for fidelity to dual credit standards, (3) leaders should keep teachers and other partners informed of support strategies, and (4) leaders should use the previous three strategies to inform strategic buffering and bridging.