Designing a Model of Community School Leadership in Elementary Schools: A Qualitative Study

Community school is a concept of the school as a center available to all community organizations and citizen groups, seven days a week, twelve months a year and at all times. The present study conducted to propose a model of community school leadership in elementary schools. A qualitative research method was implemented, using the technique of qualitative content analysis. A sample of 77 documents more relevant to the research subject among 150 articles, books, summary reports and theses was selected. Open, axial and selective coding was used for data analysis. Reliability calculation and model validation were made, using the Cohen’s Kappa coefficient and the Strauss and Corbin’ ten evaluative indicators, respectively. Finally, 3 main categories, 17 subcategories and 112 codes were identified for community school leadership. School-site leadership, community-wide leadership, and intermediary leadership were determined as three main roles for community school leadership. Findings from the study indicate that community school leader with relational and collaborative skills can alter structure of the decision-making process towards a collective leadership. Also, a successful community school strategy necessitates making a change in existing structures, practices and collaborations in the school and, as a result, in its traditional leadership since expectations for schools and school administrators are changing.