A Qualitative Study of How Instructional Leaders Describe the Actions and Reflections of Organizational Management

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to describe the influence of organizational management on the actions and decision-making of instructional leaders in Title I secondary schools in Nevada. The theory guiding this study was Argyris and Schön’s theory of practice, which states that human beings generally need to become competent by adopting a theory of action and then reflecting on this action to learn from it. This study's theory of practice aligns with the role of instructional leaders in shaping organizational management through actions and reflections. This study employed a phenomenological approach and qualitative research methods focusing on the lived experiences of principals in a Title I secondary school in Nevada. It included 10 principals leading Title I secondary schools in the state. Data was collected through interviews, focus groups, and data analysis which was the Nevada state report card. The data analysis involved sending out a demographic email and then scheduling interviews with the participants. After the interviews, a focus group was held and conducted. From the data collection, three themes emerged: support systems and structures, data-driven decision-making, and challenges in leadership. Each theme had two subthemes that delved deeper into the specific topic. The data collected was used to answer the central research question and the sub-questions.