Leading Through Crisis: Gifted Coordinators’ Pandemic Experiences

Balanced research and practice

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to explore the leadership experiences of district advanced academic coordinators during the COVID-19 pandemic. We investigated challenges, opportunities, and leadership traits of central office administrators who oversee K-12 advanced learning programs in the United States.Theoretical FrameworkWe utilized Bandura’s (1977) self-efficacy theoretical framework to examine individual level traits. We also utilized the meta-leader framework by Marcus et al (2019) that describes leadership during a crisis and the roles of self-concept and emotional intelligence.