Journal of K-12 Educational Research 53 school district leaders. This theory will assist leaders in successfully navigating through fast growth if fully implemented. The theory created by the researcher is called Proactive Perception Theory and is represented in Figure 2. As a school district’s enrollment begins to increase at an accelerated rate, it will meet the criteria to be categorized as a fast growth school district. As enrollment increases in the school district, the district leaders have to make changes and decisions for the school district. How the district leaders proceed with making those decisions is critical in the success of the school district and the perceptions stakeholders develop. The Proactive Perception Theory shows that a school district can successfully navigate through the changes that come with fast growth if it is mindful of how the four components interact together. The four components of the Proactive Perception Theory are: a) District Leadership Decisions, b) Stakeholder Perceptions, c) Stakeholder Expectations, and d) Social Media and Communication. The first component is District Leadership Decisions. District leaders will be making decisions as the school district grows. Changes are often a result of those decisions. The changes will impact facilities, programs, personnel, and other important aspects to the district. Those changes will impact all stakeholders in the school district community. Due to the importance of decision making for a fast growth community it is at the center of the Proactive Perception Theory. The second component of the theory is Stakeholder Perceptions. Stakeholders’ perceptions have the greatest impact on a school district’s success of the four components. Their perceptions are the driving force behind the decisions made and the success of those decisions. For example, perceptions can positively or negatively impact how a school district can attain funds for those decisions. When a school district has stakeholders who are in support of the decisions, those stakeholders spread the word to others and in turn bonds are passed to support the decisions and changes. However, when a school district has stakeholders who are vocally against the decisions and begin to share that with others, a school district can fail at passing a bond to fund the growth needs. The perceptions of the district stakeholders are formed in many ways. Stakeholders form their perceptions through their experiences with the school district, interactions on social media, and the district’s ability to meet stakeholder expectations. When stakeholders have expectations that are not being met, negative perceptions will develop. Therefore, these two components make the final two parts of the Proactive Perception Theory. Figure 2 Proactive Percepton Theory
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