School culture and leadership of
professional learning
communities
Daniel Carpenter
Department of Curriculum & Instruction, Texas Tech University,
Lubbock, Texas, USA
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore supportive and shared leadership structures at
schools as a function of school culture policies and procedures.
Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative study was conducted at three secondary schools in
the Midwestern USA. Administrators and teachers were interviewed, professional learning
communities observed and artifacts collected to explore school culture policies, procedures and
leadership in the implementation of professional learning community practice.
Findings – This study concludes that school leaders must provide supportive and shared leadership
structures for teachers in order to ensure a positive school culture and effective professional learning
communities that impact school improvement. Leaders in schools must work directly with teachers to
create policies and procedures that provide teachers the leadership structure to directly impact school
improvement through professional learning community collaborative efforts.
Originality/value – This study builds on the school culture and professional learning communities
literature by exploring existent policies and practices in schools as unique cases. Much of the literature
calls for specific case studies to identify issues in the implementation of effective practice. This study is
important to the community as specific cases that may inform educational leaders on mechanisms
that may be leveraged to ensure successful implementation of policies and procedures outline in school
culture and professional learning community literature.
Keywords Leadership, School culture, Professional learning communities
Paper type Case study