The effects of transformational leadership on organizational conditions and student engagement with school

TLDR

School restructuring initiatives rely on capacity development and motivation, and transformational leadership has been shown to foster these capacities and commitment. The study seeks to determine whether transformational leadership’s socio‑psychological effects translate into organizational change and improved outcomes. The authors surveyed 1,762 teachers and 9,941 students in a large district to examine how transformational leadership practices affect organizational conditions and student engagement. The analysis revealed strong significant effects on organizational conditions and moderate significant effects on student engagement.

Abstract

Most school restucturing initiatives assume significant capacity development on the part of individuals, as well as whole organizations; they also depend on high levels of motivation and commitment to solving the substantial problems associated with the implementation of restructuring initiatives. Transformational approaches to leadership have long been advocated as productive under these conditions, and evidence suggests that transformational practices do contribute to the development of capacity and commitment. Much less evidence is available, however, about whether these socio‐psychological effects actually result in organizational change and enhanced organizational outcomes. Survey data from an achieved sample of 1,762 teachers and 9,941 students in one large school district were used to explore the relative effects of transformational leadership practices on selected organizational conditions and student engagement with school. Results demonstrated strong significant effects of such leadership on organizational conditions, and moderate but still significant total effects on student engagement.