James Zoll, Ph.D.
Area(s) of Expertise: Educational Leadership, Teacher Evaluation, Principal Effectiveness, Professional Learning Communities
Overview
Courses Taught
- EDL 6003 - Honing Instructional Leadership to Improve Student Learning
- EDL 6004 - Managing School Operations and Resources to Promote Staff and Student Success
- EDL 6006 – Developing a Culture of Data-Driven School Improvement
- EDL 6101-04 -Clinical Performances in School Leadership - Tier 1
- EDL 8201 - Developing a Culture of High-Performance Learning Expectations
- EDL 8203 - Building Leadership Structures to Impact Student Learning and Effective Professional Development
Education
- Ph.D., Education Leadership, Mercer University, 2014
- Ed.S., Education Leadership, University of West Georgia, 1997
- M.A., Social Science Education, Georgia State University, 1987
- B.S., Education, University of Georgia, 1984
Research/Special Interests
- Teacher Evaluation
- Principal Effectiveness
- Principal Selection
- Tier 1 and Tier 2 Leadership
Publications
Zoll, J. A. (2014). The View of Principals on Standards Based Evaluation Systems and Their Role as Instructional Leaders. ProQuest LLC.
Zoll, J. A. (2016). Instructional Leadership and Standards Based Evaluation: The Principals View. Southern Regional Council of Educational Administration, 16(1). Retrieved from http://epubs.library.msstate.edu/index.php/srcea/article/view/304
Zoll, J. A., Hardee, S. C., & Hebert, B. (2024). “Grace Space of Understanding”: The Third Space in Principal Leadership During the Covid Pandemic. Journal of School Leadership, 34(4), 390-407. https://doi.org/10.1177/10526846241245084
Berry, J. R., Bryant, K. C., Hebert, B., Zoll, J., Johnson, T., Schinella, S., & Williams, C. 2024). Georgia’s leaders in a time of crisis: Stories of resilience from the field. Leading schools through and beyond the pandemic. Information Age Publishing.
Zoll, J.A., Hardee, S., & Rosa, C. (2024) Understanding the Third Space as Vital for Inclusive Leadership. In S. Cowart-Moss & R. Justice-Emenuga (Eds). Inclusive Leadership: From Theory to Practice
Hebert, B., Zoll, J., & Hardee, S. (2023). “What if we don’t get it right?”: Leading Schools
When the World Shuts Down. Education Leadership Review, 24(1), 27-43.
Zoll, J., Hardee, S., & Rosa, C. (2020). Navigating the In-Between: Defining the Third Space for Educational Leadership Programs. Education Leadership Review, 21(1), 99–131
Exhibitions
Hebert, B., & Zoll, J. (2025, April 23-27). Preparing for a “Radical Shift”:Exploring New Approaches to Principal Preparation. [Round Table Presentation], American Educational Research Association 2025 annual Meeting, Denver, CO.
Zoll, J., Hardee, S., & Hebert, B. (2023, November 16-18). Finding the Third Space in Principal Leadership During the Covid Pandemic. [Paper presentation], University Council for Educational Administration 2023 Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, MN.
Zoll, J. & Hardee, S. (2021, April 21-26). Principal Preparation Programs as Third Spaces: Developing a Framework for Emerging Leaders. [Paper presentation] American Educational Research Association 2022 Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA.
Adams, K., Chang, D., Governor, D., Hardee, S., Hebert, B., McFaden, K., Nelms, A., Whelan-Kim, K., Whitaker, W., & Zoll, J. (2021, April 21-26) Accreditation Self-Study: The Development of a Community of Practice through Qualitative Inquiry. [Paper presentation] American Educational Research Association 2022 Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA.
Work Experience
- Fulton County Schools 1984-2017
- Teacher
- Assistant Principal
- Principal Elementary (Brookview, State Bridge Crossing, Wilson Creek)
- Principal Middle (Autrey Mill Middle School)
- Principal High (Johns Creek High)
Personal Information
Two sons, Andrew and Christopher.