Running head: A CRITIQUE: IS THE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL THE SINGLE AGENT OF

DROPOUT PREVENTION AS SUGGESTED BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION?

Critique: Is the High School Principal the Single Agent of Dropout Prevention as Suggested
by the State Board of Education?
Denise Stewart
Georgia Southern University
EDUR 7130
05/01/2015

A CRITIQUE: IS THE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL THE SINGLE AGENT OF

DROPOUTPREVENTION AS SUGGESTED BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION?

Table of Contents
1.0 EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY.3
2.0 INTRODUCTION ..3
3.0 DISCUSSION.....4
3.1 Importance of Research Topic.4
3.2 Design of the Article chosen....4
3.3 Sampling technique and bias....5
3.4 How variables were measured......6
3.5 How validity and reliability were addressed7
3.6 Application of the study to educators...7
4.0 RECOMMENDATIONS........8
4.1 Recommendation on sampling improvement...8
4.2 Recommendation of improvement of measurement....8
5.0 CONCLUSION...9
6.0 REFRENCES....10

A CRITIQUE: IS THE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL THE SINGLE AGENT OF

DROPOUTPREVENTION AS SUGGESTED BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION?

1.0 Executive Summary

The research paper attempts to investigate the relationship between changes in High
School Principals and dropout of cases of students in the subsequent year of the
administrators change. The study is based on a study carried out on two schools in Northern
Alabama. The data used in the study was from the State Department of Education School
Report Cards in comparison with school principals changes in the respective schools. The
methods used to carry out the study did not used acceptable standards and the results are not
generalizable therefore not representative in any way of the entire nation. The study
demonstrates that the topic should further be investigated. School dropout rates are a concern
for educators, government, parents as well as the rest of society. Therefore, it is vital that this
study be conducted in a scientific manner in the hope that it may help provide a solution to
policy makers and decision makers in their efforts of dropout prevention. This type of
research requires the generation of numerical data that can later be transformed into useable
statistics by way of observation and recording of the relevant data of dropout rates over time
(Wyse, 2011).
2.0 Introduction
A study done by the State Board Education suggested that there was a core-relation
between the rates of High School dropout and individual specific school administrators that
are commonly known as the High School Principals. The study shows that change in the High
School Administrator, the High School Principal, directly results in significant increased rates
of high school dropouts. The study tries to interrogate the University Principal Preparation
redesign process as compared to the performance of High School Principals nationally and
the efforts towards the preparation of High School Principals to their role. Other issues that

A CRITIQUE: IS THE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL THE SINGLE AGENT OF

DROPOUTPREVENTION AS SUGGESTED BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION?

could be responsible for mass dropouts have been explored such as challenges of urban high
schools as well as race and communities along urban high schools, and interventions used to
ensure that students remain in high school. There are schools that have dropped several
subjects to endear learners to continue with their education, the paper in particular points out
to certain schools that have watered down the quality of education to ensure that learners stay
in school (Brown, 2012).
3.0 Discussion
3.1 Importance of Research Topic
According to (Amundsen, Weston & McAlpine, 2008), the Research Topic defines the
subject and the scope that the study is centred on. They further explain that the research topic
must have definitive boundaries of the research area both in theory or idea as well as a
definite region that the research is conducted on. The research topic Is The High School
Principal the Single Agent of Dropout Prevention As Suggested By The State Board Of
Education does not mention the specific area that the study is based on but gives an
indication of a national focus due to the use of the term State Board of Education.
Therefore, it is demanded that the study should have a national sample as opposed to a
regional sample which the study has confined itself into. In the specific article, the study
explores the High School dropout rates in relation to High School Principal being the sole
agent of the dropout. The study and discussion therefore, revolve around the topic of High
School dropout though the study looks at other factors or agents that could be responsible for
the high school dropouts.
3.2 Design of the article chosen

A CRITIQUE: IS THE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL THE SINGLE AGENT OF

DROPOUTPREVENTION AS SUGGESTED BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION?

The study has an abstract section that introduces the subject as well as a brief
discussion of the study findings. The abstract is followed by a section titles Rationale for
Study that explains why the study is important from the viewpoint of the State Board
Education in its relating high school dropouts to individual High School Principals. The
Rationale for Study is closely followed by an exploration section that describes the
Framework of Urban High Schools. Through the use of different authorities which include
journals, research papers as well as news articles from credible media stations, the author
demonstrates that high school students are dropping out in America and it is a crisis. In this
article, the author has not collected own data but has relied on data collected by other
institutions, however in the specific section, the author fails demonstrate that dropout rates
are worse in urban areas but gives authorities that show that the problem is across the
country. The author then presents the research questions. The first research question is
specific to urban high schools in North Alabama, while the second question interrogates if the
High School agent can be the single agent of change in dropout prevention. The author then
has a section for data analysis as well as the conclusion.
3.3 Sampling Technique and Sampling bias
The author has done several mistakes in the determination of the sampling technique
as well as the sample size. It is obvious from the samples used that the author opted for
convenience rather than establishing the right sample size uniformly and consistently across
the country as mandated by the research topic of their choice. The accessible population of
Alabama and more specifically of the two schools that are said to be from the city are in no
way representative of the entire American High School going population.
Sampling is a shorter way of investigating a whole population. A researcher obtains
data from part of the whole population and uses as representative of the entire population

A CRITIQUE: IS THE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL THE SINGLE AGENT OF

DROPOUTPREVENTION AS SUGGESTED BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION?

(rgs.org, 2015). Samples are used due to limitations of time, labour, money and other
resources to obtain to investigate the larger population. In sampling technique, the researcher
should have a sample frame. A sample frame must have a list of indexes from which the
sample is selected. The accuracy of any given study is dependent on the sample frame. When
the sampling frame is incomplete, the findings of the study will be general. The author has
also not indicated the sample design. There are three major types of sampling techniques,
Random, Systematic and Stratified. The sampling technique used was systematic sampling,
though incomplete so as to include other areas across America(rgs.org, 2015). If the study
included similar data from other regions as well as Alabama, then the study would have been
representative of the whole American High School going population.
In this article, the bias is informed by the criteria used to choose the two urban
schools data from Alabama as well as the singular choice of Alabama to represent the entire
American population. According to (Amundsen, Weston & McAlpine, 2008), the accessible
population should be representative of the whole population with relative characteristics and
not part of the whole population.
3.4 How variables were measured
A variable is a measurable characteristic that assumes different values among the
subjects. Variables are attributes that are expressed quantitatively such as height, age, area
and weight. Additionally, there are Independent Variables as well as Dependent Variables. An
Independent Variable is what the presumed cause of a certain event is. The Dependent
Variable is the presumed effect of a particular event (uncp.edu, 2015). The Independent
Variable in the study are the High School Principals whereas the Dependent Variables are the
School Dropout rates. The author simply mentions the list of dropouts from the Alabama
State Department of Education School Report Cards but does not differentiate Independent

A CRITIQUE: IS THE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL THE SINGLE AGENT OF

DROPOUTPREVENTION AS SUGGESTED BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION?

and Dependent Variables. It is important to note that a researcher can manipulate Independent
Variable to demonstrate a certain effect, but the Dependent Variable should never be
manipulated (Ori.hhs.gov, 2015). The manipulation of Independent Variables in the study
would have helped to demonstrate the duration of time a High School Principal can be in a
given High School and the corresponding number of dropouts within their tenure as Principal
analysed.
3.5 How was validity and reliability addressed
The author assumes the data collected from the State Department of Education is
accurate and therefore, uses this data authoritatively. However, the collection and analysis of
this data has been done in a subjective way with an emphasis to produce a known result or
findings. This therefore warrants that the users of this information exercise caution. The data
can in no way be said to be representative of America as implied in the research topic and the
abstract, rather than representative of North Alabama and the methodology of determining the
two High Schools is not shown.
3.6 Application of the studies to educators
The study results as projected by the Alabama State Department of Education show
that changes in High School Principals has a direct impact on dropout rate in the subsequent
school year. As much as School Principals cannot be expected to stay in the same school for
all their working life, the study suggests that these changes should be as minimal as possible.
The Study shows that the students identify with the individual holding the position of High
School Principal such that the learners that choose to exit the school system once the
individual vacates office. This shows an emotional connection of the learners to the
administrator.

A CRITIQUE: IS THE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL THE SINGLE AGENT OF

DROPOUTPREVENTION AS SUGGESTED BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION?

Probably the State Department of Education should conduct another study to establish
the ideal number of years a High School Principal should stay in one school before changing
to another school.
4.0 Recommendations
4.1 Recommendations on Sampling Improvement
a) The Sample size should be representative of the entire American population.
b) The sample size should be representative of both urban high schools and those that are not
in urban areas.
c) The sample frame should consider factoring the number of years that the High School
Principals have been in the school.
4.2Recommendations on Improvement of measurement
a) The process of selecting the number of individuals in the study should be scientific and
well documented.
b) Assumptions that are made in the study and comparisons with other studies should be
objective and clear as opposed to blanket comparisons.
5.0 Conclusion
As much as the method of data collection, sampling technique and analysis of the study are
not done in the standard way, the selected data and its analysis demonstrate that there is a
need for comprehensive study on the subject. A study establishing a credible relationship
between changes in High School Principals with rates of school dropouts would greatly
inform the State Department of Education policy on changes or transfers of High School

A CRITIQUE: IS THE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL THE SINGLE AGENT OF

DROPOUTPREVENTION AS SUGGESTED BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION?

Principals. Therefore, it is significant that a thorough study on this subject be conducted other
than rely on the authors findings wholly.

A CRITIQUE: IS THE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL THE SINGLE AGENT OF

DROPOUTPREVENTION AS SUGGESTED BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION?
10

References
Amundsen, C., Weston, C., & McAlpine, L. (2008). Concept mapping to support university
academics analysis of course content. Studies In Higher Education, 33(6), 633-652.
doi:10.1080/03075070802373180
Brown, S. (2012). Is The High School Principal the Single Agent of Dropout Prevention As
Suggested By The State Board Of Education. National Forum of Educational
Administration and Supervision Journal, 29(4).
Ori.hhs.gov,. (2015). Elements of Research : Variables. Ori.hhs.gov. Retrieved 30 April 2015,
from http://ori.hhs.gov/education/products/sdsu/variables.htm
rgs.org,. (2015). Sampling techniques. Rgs.org. Retrieved 30 April 2015, from
http://www.rgs.org/OurWork/Schools/Fieldwork+and+local+learning/Fieldwork+techni
ques/Sampling+techniques.htm
uncp.edu,. (2015). Independent & Dependent Variables. Www2.uncp.edu. Retrieved 30 April
2015, from http://www2.uncp.edu/home/collierw/ivdv.htm
Wyse, S. (2011). Difference between Qualitative Research vs. Quantitative Research. Snap
Surveys Blog. Retrieved 30 April 2015, from http://www.snapsurveys.com/blog/what-isthe-difference-between-qualitative-research-and-quantitative-research/