Date of Award

4-5-2018

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

School of Education

First Advisor

Karen Buchanan, Ed.D.

Second Advisor

Dane Joseph, Ph.D.

Third Advisor

Gary Sehorn, Ed.D.

Abstract

This study sought to examine the mentoring experiences of new principals in Washington State and its impact on their job satisfaction. This quantitative study employed the Principal Induction and Mentoring Survey (PIMS) to 496 Washington State public elementary school principals who were serving in their first five years of their principalship. Using a correlational design, this study explored (1) the impact mentoring had on job satisfaction for elementary school principals, (2) the relationship between job satisfaction and gender, (3) the relationship between job satisfaction and teaching experience, and (4) the underlying structure of the PIMS. Results from this study suggest the overall job satisfaction of mentored principals is higher than those who were not mentored. However, job satisfaction did not differ between genders or years of teaching experience. The data indicated mentoring as a strong system of support for new principals, and it is a practice increasingly implemented across the state. The scale analyses of the PIMS suggest the need for retooling to better measure and understand job satisfaction of new school principals. This study may be used to inform future research regarding implications of mentoring new principals, as well as efforts to increase the effectiveness with interested stakeholders of their mentoring programs.

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