This article explores the notion that the shifting responsibilities of school principals have required the incorporation of new and different leadership styles that will require advanced skillsets in organizational management and performance and instructional leadership. Further, how teachers perceive their school leader's ability to effectively…

When people hear the term "urban", they immediately associate it with negative attributes such as poverty stricken students and families, ill-prepared students, run down facilities, and an inconsistency in teachers. When compared to any kind of school whether its' private or public, urban school districts have the worst label of all. Why is there…

For schools to be effective, staff must have ongoing professional growth opportunities. The key to any successful professional growth program is preparation, involving several essential components to ensure that both teachers and administrators receive maximum benefit from the appraisal process. Research indicates that strong administrative…

Principals should delegate leadership authority to professional school counselors to ensure high-quality guidance programs. Principal leadership tasks include organizing for program delivery, advocating for school guidance programs and staff members, defining school counselors' jobs within the guidance program, encouraging continuous professional…

The Kentucky Department of Education, Office of Leadership and School Improvement presents this revised and updated technical assistance manual for the 2004-2006 Effective Instructional Leadership Act (EILA) cycle to assist local educators as they implement EILA. The law was established to "encourage and require the maintenance and development of…

Successive waves of school reform since 1985 have brought about massive transformations in the roles and responsibilities of principals in Chicago Public Schools. The time period has also been marked by high principal turnover. This report presents findings of a study conducted in the fall of 1994 by the Department of Research, Evaluation, and…

Collaborative school cultures have been associated with achieving various school reform objectives for both teachers and students. One central dimension of school restructuring is the empowerment of teachers within a school culture that is both shared and technical. Little is known about how such cultures develop and whether or how school…

The decline in the number of Catholic sisters, brothers, and priests serving as teachers and administrators in Catholic schools has been accompanied by an increase in the number of men and women educators from the laity. This handbook presents guidelines for preparing the laity to teach and administer effectively in Catholic schools. Specifically,…

Treats educators' emotional lives as psychological, social, and political phenomena shaped by how teaching is organized and led. Presents a conceptual framework of seven elements that illustrate location and representation of emotions in teachers' work and professional development. Discusses 10 implications and recommendations for administrators…

In this book, Marilyn Grady examines the twenty most critical mistakes principals make, and provides the strategies needed to avoid them. By surveying both teachers and administrators, and applying her own experiences as both teacher and a principal, the author examines the crucial errors from the following six key categories: (1) People…

This chapter outlines the unique experiences of gay and lesbians in organizational settings and offers best practices for human resource professionals in supporting their sexual minority employees.

Leaders need to be responsive to different ethnic, linguistic, and religious subcultures or they will place many students at risk of being excluded from the benefits of a high-quality education. By valuing diversity and preserving the cultural dignity of students, cultural proficiency enables educators to create an inclusive and instructionally…

Recognizing the principal's role as the single most important factor in determining school effectiveness in the crucial early years of children's education, this document discusses four prerequisites for success as a school leader and thoroughly outlines elements of proficiency in the principalship. Specific leadership capabilities and…

This report summarizes a two-year study of supervisory officers in Ontario. The research focused on what supervisory officers do, what skills they need, how they are prepared and selected, and how they experience the job in terms of satisfaction and effectiveness. A stratified sample of 25 boards and 4 ministry offices was selected for indepth…

The range of administrative tasks performed by 679 heads of academic departments in Australian colleges of advanced education was surveyed, along with the perceptions of the administrators of their professional development needs. In addition to information about the respondent's appointment and experience, a questionnaire addressed 83 tasks,…