Inclusive Leadership of School Management from the View of Families: Construction and Validation of LEI-Q

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to validate a questionnaire aimed at assessing, from the point of view of families, the degree to which school administrations foster inclusion in compulsory education. In order to determine the psychometric properties of the “Cuestionario liderando la educación inclusiva en centros de educación obligatoria-Familias” [Leading inclusive education in compulsory-education schools Questionnaire] (LEI-Q-Families), we carried out descriptive, exploratory, and confirmatory factor analysis. For the sample used in this study, 150 families participated. The results confirmed that it is a valid and reliable scale with a two-factor structure. One of these factors included the initiatives carried out by the school management teams to enhance the openness of each school to the community and the surrounding area. The second factor encompassed actions aimed at promoting participation in the school and turning it into an inclusive space. LEI-Q-Families proved to be an instrument of great theoretical and practical worth that has made it possible to expand our currently slender knowledge on the perceptions families have of the work done by school managers to encourage inclusion in their institutions. It facilitates family participation in processes of improvement and provides a useful self-assessment tool for school administrations that wish to improve their schools and turn them into inclusive environments.

Keywords

• school leaders
• inclusion
• families
• leadership evaluation
• school improvement