Date of Award

5-27-2014

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

Angela Sewall

Abstract

A leadership shortage has been documented across professions. Emotional intelligence skills, traits, and abilities have received much attention as a tool for business leaders in the past decade as a way to increase leadership skill, meet organizational goals, and enhance profits. The study sought to determine whether public school superintendents in the state of Arkansas who self-reported high levels of emotional intelligence traits on the Test of Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form (TEIQue-SF) managed school districts with higher student achievement and larger school district budgets as compared to superintendents who reported lower levels of emotional intelligence traits. If so, results might trigger further study that may determine that these skills are in fact beneficial for public school leaders as well. Additionally, personal characteristics of the participating superintendents were sought as little is known about these leaders in the educational literature (Johnson, 1996). The characteristics of interest included educational level, years of experience as a superintendent, and classroom teaching experience in comparison to their level of emotional intelligence traits. The population of interest was the 242 public school superintendents in the state of Arkansas. A total of 242 surveys were sent electronically with 101 useable surveys returned within a period of seven days. Financial incentives, study results, study reference list, and receipt of participant score were used as encouragement for participation. Results indicated significance on one question.

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