Dissertation Defense Announcement Ed.D. Program: Amanda Reardon “The ‘Many Hats’ of Preschool Leadership: A Qualitative Case Study Exploring the Complex Work of Directors in New Jersey’s Private, Non-Profit Preschool Programs”

For decades, researchers have explored preschool directors’ leadership pathways, professional development needs, and innumerable responsibilities. Still, less is known about how directors approach leadership or manage their responsibilities, which can vary significantly based on each program’s size, philosophy, auspice, and profit-status. Given the contextualized nature of preschool leadership, particularly within a female-dominated workforce, qualitative inquiry grounded in a feminine leadership framework is warranted. Through the lens of Pedagogical Leadership, this study sought to understand the strengths and limitations of preschool leadership in New Jersey’s private, non-profit preschool programs, and identified (1) how directors understand and enact their leadership roles, (2) how they spend their time and manage competing priorities, and (3) how, and in what ways, their leadership practices align with the theory of Pedagogical Leadership.

Using a qualitative case study design, data were collected through semi-structured interviews, interval-contingent time-use logs, field observations, and artifacts. Findings indicate tension between the PL framework and the lived realities of directors in New Jersey’s underregulated and poorly valued early childhood system, raising further questions about what constitutes effective leadership. Instead, directors’ leadership practices can be better understood by examining the intersection of their personal characteristics, institutional factors, and program needs. Implications underscore the need for a clearer conceptualization of preschool leadership, tighter regulations and professional development opportunities specific to preschool directors, and further research exploring the connections between leadership and program quality.

Keywords: pedagogical leadership, preschool, early childhood, time use, competing priorities