Principals' Leadership & Teacher Motivation in the Black Belt Region

The primary purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between elementary school principals' leadership strategies and teachers' work motivation and job satisfaction levels in the Black Belt region of Alabama. The participants for this case study research included teachers from a stratified random sample of 8 elementary schools containing grades 3-6 and the principals of those schools in the Black Belt region. The participating schools were also selected based on their current Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) status and the gender of their principal. The study focused primarily on populations (each school), rather than samples. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the leadership styles of principals and motivation levels of teachers. Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient was used to determine whether, and to what degree, principals' leadership styles and teacher motivation and job satisfaction levels related. Qualitative thematic analysis was utilized to address the rewards and advancement opportunities provided to teachers and the influential factors that principals perceive may impact teacher motivation.