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This study analyzes the unanswered problem of how to lead successful turnaround efforts in challenging schools today, noting a lack of effective leadership models for urban and rural leaders. A critical review suggests current models do not adequately address leadership for these contexts. 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This study examines the unanswered question as to how to lead successful turnaround efforts in challenging schools today. A critical analysis of studies found the absence of an effective leadership model for urban and rural school leaders. We sought to develop a new model to answer the guiding question of how to effectively lead urban and rural school leaders presented with a unique challenge.. The Torchbearer leadership model, developed from this study, could be a conceptual process as an option for urban and rural principals who are struggling to lead challenging schools.  \nKeywords: leadership  \nLead author’s note: The authors provide permission to publish this manuscript. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to [sgill@jsu.edu](sgill@jsu.edu) or 256.782.5086.  \nIntroduction  \nIt is widely accepted that effective leadership is very challenging in terms of leading an educational organization through difficult times or change, especially when there is so much that is not fully understood about effective leadership (Leithwood, 2003) . Educational leadership embodies the totality of vision, implementation, and successful outcomes. Essentially, leaders create the vision, execute the strategies that make the vision a reality, and follow through to ensure that things are done the right way (Hoerr, 2005) . When implementing these strategies, urban and rural principals ought to have the audacity to lead and be deliberate changing the academic performance of economically disadvantaged students (Tajalli & Opheim, 2005) and failing schools. Urban and rural principals should take ownership of the current affairs which reside in urban and rural schools. These affairs include but are not limited to the academically unprepared student (Barnes, 2010) . In addition, these affairs include the academic achievement gap between African American students and Hispanic students in relationship to their Caucasian peers (Barnes, 2010), the lack of parental support (Topper et al., 2010) and the threats of sanctions from local and state policymakers on low performing schools (Chiang, 2009). Yet, Bridwell (2012) found that the use of“high-stakes testing, and accountability mandates are experienced disproportionately in high poverty urban schools” are detrimental (p. 53) .  \nDespite all the societal roadblocks and obstacles, students face in and out of the home, there is an opportunity for principals who lead struggling schools to turn their schools around. The opportunity to turn their schools around is through leadership in the best interest of students. Leithwood and Strauss (2010) surmised that the affairs in urban and rural schools present a unique mission and character in leading effective turnaround efforts. Nevertheless, the possibility is present and reasonable if principals in charge of difficult schools would take ownership of their challenges and lead with the intent to overcome them. By doing so, these principals can use their knowledge regarding the plight of their schools and what effective practices yielding positive change to begin building the bridge towards success.  \nStatement of the Problem  \nManufacturing sustainable change in urban and rural schools is very daunting for principals. Hewitt and Reitzug (2015) found that “out of every 1,000 turnaround-designates schools, less than 25% were able to improve their achievement in one year significantly, and only 1% was able to sustain significant improvement over two years”(p. 20) . However, the research gap appears to study effective leadership models for urban and rural school leaders to lead successf","cbCaifH8RWra7cns","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaifH8RWra7cns","pdf",296113,17,"English","# Abstract\n# Introduction\n# Statement of the Problem\n# Purpose of the Study\n# Review of the Literature","[{\"question\":\"What central challenge does the study address about school leadership?\",\"answer\":\"It examines how to lead successful turnaround efforts in challenging schools, highlighting the difficulty school leaders face without an effective leadership model designed for students’ best interests.\"},{\"question\":\"What gap does the study identify in existing research and leadership models?\",\"answer\":\"It finds an absence of effective leadership models specifically supporting urban and rural school leaders, and notes that available turnaround evidence and leadership model literature are limited or insufficient.\"},{\"question\":\"What is the purpose and intended contribution of the Torchbearer leadership model?\",\"answer\":\"The study develops the Torchbearer leadership model as a conceptual process that urban and rural principals can use to address the unique challenges of leading failing or struggling schools.\"}]","Higher Education Studies - TORCHBEARER LEADERSHIP: A CONCEPTUAL MODEL FOR LEADING CHALLENGING SCHOOLS | PDF",1792071283,43]