Who Defines “Democratic Leadership”?: Three High School Principals Respond to Site-Based Reforms

Abstract

This article focuses on the behaviors and activities of three high school principals as they respond to their district's decision to implement a model of shared decision making designed to give teachers and parents a larger voice at the building level. The varying responses of the three building administrators are described, along with the way democratic leadership was multilaterally defined in each school by the principal, teachers, and others.