A Content Analysis of Secondary School Department Leader Position Descriptions

This study examines a sample of secondary school department leader position descriptions in the United States to compare understanding of the change and continuity in the role of the secondary school department chair as a curriculum leader and manager of learning. Position descriptions include general descriptions for all content areas as well as a specific position description for K-12 computer science, art, and social studies. These are compared for their thematic similarities and differences with implications for how the role of secondary school department leader has been officially envisioned and what these data suggest in comparison to the literature. As such, this study addresses a gap in the literature on department leader roles in reference to their official job descriptions. Implications for teacher leadership are discussed for instructional leadership and the department chair's role in learning measurement.