•  
  •  
 

Abstract

The initial COVID-19 outbreak within the United States necessitated the implementation of rapid safety measures, prompting educational leadership to establish unprecedented protocols. In the spring of 2020, schools throughout Tennessee closed for in-person learning before re-opening with new protocols in the fall. The purpose of this study was to gain insight from Tennessee educators about the challenges they faced because of these educational protocols enacted by leadership. The study employed a phenomenological qualitative design. The study sample was comprised of ten educators enrolled in the Tennessee Department of Education's Aspiring Assistant Principal Network. The data were collected using open-ended interview questions about participants’ experiences with educational protocols enacted by leadership in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The data were analyzed utilizing the content analysis method to identify emergent themes. The results of the study indicate that improving communication from leadership, addressing educator workload with additional support, providing support systems to prevent burnout, enhancing technology integration through training and resources, and the review and revision of impractical policies, could support educators implementing protocols in a similar context.

Share

COinS