A district is as stable and grounded as its superintendent, according to some leaders and education experts. And given findings in a recent report from the Council of the Great City Schools (CGCS), which specifically states that the average tenure of urban superintendents increased from 2.3 years in 1999 to 3.6 years in 2010, an increase of 56…

In a time of transformation in higher education, "Leading Change: How Boards and Presidents Build Exceptional Institutions" fills a significant void in leadership literature and focuses on the changing level of board engagement. This book examines 18 institutions, across the spectrum of higher education, at which the board played a…

Situated in the broader context of academic administration and senior executive university leadership, this study examined variables correlated with self-reported satisfaction and performance among community college and four-year university presidents in four densely populated north American states. The results of our analysis suggest that…

This article describes how a school district's use of a transparent tool coalesced support for systemic improvement. The author was looking for a way to push improvement in his 4,000-student school system when he discovered the balanced scorecard, a strategic tool for performance management. The author details how the balanced scorecard helped him…

Locally controlled public schools are one of the cornerstones of our nation's democracy, yet many schools are not preparing students for success. Far too many students are not graduating, and many of those who do graduate are woefully unprepared for college or a meaningful career. Successfully initiating and sustaining meaningful improvements in…

In elementary and secondary education governance, the need to build an effective system of public education is the driving force behind the selection of a state's key education leaders. This paper provides a snapshot of what state K-12 governance looks like in SREB states. (Contains 7 tables.)

An effective school requires an effective leader, but great principals rarely just happen. They are cultivated. This Wallace Perspective draws on a decade of foundation research and work in school leadership to show how urban school districts can play a major role in ensuring they have principals who can boost teaching and learning in troubled…

The implementation of selected coordinating functions by the professional staffs of state Junior College Boards in Florida and Illinois, and effects of the implementation practices on individual community-junior college integrity were investigated in this study. A survey of the literature revealed the generally recognized functions for which state…

Prepared as a guide for community college trustees, this monograph discusses issues involved in the legislatively mandated annual evaluation of community college presidents in Florida. Following a general overview of presidential evaluation and legal bases for evaluation, eight issues, phrased as questions relating to presidential evaluation, are…

Although many states have been moving toward central boards, the opposite is true in Florida. The reasons why Florida's ten regents have come under attack from legislators are outlined, and a feud between the governor and the legislature over building a quality higher education system is discussed. (MLW)

This collection of information booklets offers an orientation for Florida community college trustees to various aspects of the state system. The collection includes: (1) an introduction to and history of the community colleges, including an overview of governance, admissions, student costs, and public service; (2) a description of the powers and…

Four addresses presented at the workshop are included in these proceedings. The remarks of Governor Reubin O'D. Askew consider the Florida state system of education, the community college system, and the responsibilities of trustees. William H. Meardy discusses the working relationship between presidents and trustees, the gray area between…

The primary mission of Florida's community colleges is to respond to community needs for postsecondary academic and degree career education. Local community college boards of trustees are charged with setting policies to accomplish this mission. It is important that local boards of trustees, rather than outside state agencies, maintain control of…