The Impact of Principal Leadership on School Governance: A Parent Involvement Perspective in China

This research investigates the complex dynamics of the relationship between school managers and parents in School M context by exploring how the school principal employs his leadership practices to promote collaboration and understanding. Using in-depth interviews, the study is concerned with how head teachers effectively use their professional status and personal charisma to create a cultural tie that links home and school as a matter of common values and responsibilities. The research sheds light on the nuanced strategies employed by the principal, emphasizing the cultivation of a normative framework for parental involvement in non-instructional governance matters while delineating clear boundaries. Additionally, the study elucidates the continual communication efforts undertaken to seek consensus, ultimately garnering support and affirmation from the parental community. Moreover, the analysis also describes continuous communication efforts that are aimed at finding consensus within a parental community thereby receiving support from it. This underscores the necessity for principals to navigate diverse and conflicting expectations within the competitive educational landscape, requiring discernment to establish a prioritized developmental sequence. Overall, the findings contribute to understanding the multifaceted role of principals in building collaborative partnerships with parents and adapting to evolving market-oriented educational landscapes.