The Reopening of a School during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Administrative Lens

Abstract

In an effort to investigate school administrator self-efficacy during the COVID-19 pandemic, two public high school administrators in a Southeastern U. S. state were interviewed via computer teleconferencing during the first six weeks of the 2020-2021 school year. Additionally, the participants were surveyed before and after the study using questions from the Principal Self-Efficacy Survey (PSES) (Tschannen-Moran & Gareis, 2004) as well as researcher-developed questions specifically related to work life during the pandemic. Using open systems theory as a theoretical perspective, the study revealed six emergent themes: (a) technology access/instruction, (b) informational/procedural ambiguity, (c) resource dependency, (d) policy adaptability, (e) stakeholder disposition, and (f) methods of communication. Focused on a principal and assistant principal at a single high school, this case-study illuminates the personal and professional challenges faced by these administrators during the COVID-19 pandemic.