The chair of the board of trustees leads the board and facilitates board processes. He or she plays an important role in ensuring that the board effectively governs the institution and that trustees work together well. The chair is often perceived as the major spokesperson for the board. She or he is usually the primary point of contact with the…

After 12 years as a building administrator, the author became Executive Director of School Leadership in Littleton Elementary School District #65, Avondale, Arizona. The district created this position to focus on the professional and personal growth of building leaders while ensuring district initiatives were implemented with fidelity. The…

One increasingly utilized option for rural school districts under fiscal constraints is to utilize one person to fulfill both administrative positions of superintendent and building principal in the same school district. This study compared the perceptions of rural school administrators in this Midwest state who are serving in these dual-roles…

The purpose of this study was to investigate New York State school superintendent job satisfaction and the potential contributing factors to their job satisfaction in an era of reduced resources and increased accountability. Sharp, Malone and Walter (2002) created a 49-item survey entitled the Positive Aspects and Motivation Survey and used it in…

One of the most important and influential persons in the governance structure of the local school district is the Superintendent of Schools. Functioning as the CEO of the district, the superintendent is responsible for a myriad of functions. Examples include daily operations inclusive of transportation and finance, curriculum and policy…

There is little information on the topic of stress experienced by public school superintendents. There are gaps in research regarding the stressors that increase the occupational stress experienced by public school superintendents and methods these individuals use to combat occupational stress. This study searched for clarification of these…

Too often, boards spend too little time discussing student learning, student outcomes, and student success. As stewards of the whole of the institution, the oversight of educational quality is a primary obligation of governing boards. AGB--with support from the Teagle Foundation, an advisory committee, and teams from eight diverse…

Previous research on stress in the workplace has demonstrated that it can have not only a current, but lasting effect on a worker's health. The superintendency is a stressful job due to all of the competing demands of running a school system, no matter the size. This exploratory study reexamined qualitative interview transcripts from Robinson's…

Chief communicators at many U.S. institutions are interested in forging closer ties with governing boards. Proponents say such relationships can increase board trust and confidence in communicators before a crisis occurs, making it easier to manage the institution's reputation and limit negative publicity when one does. At some institutions, such…

The paper presents in brief the need and importance of effective, imaginative and responsible governing boards in colleges and universities, so as to ensure educational quality. BOG should engage fruitfully with the principal and activities in college/ university. UGC, AICTE have now prescribed creation of effective boards for both government and…

School district leadership matters, as evidenced by a meta-analysis of 27 reports and 1,210 districts conducted by Waters and Marzano (2006) which highlights a statistically significant correlation between district leadership and student achievement. Because this relationship is significant, it is important for school districts to have effective…

In 1922, Ellwood Cubberley characterized the superintendency by stating, "No profession offers such large personal rewards for the opportunity of living one's life in molding other lives, and in helping to improve materially the intellectual tone and moral character of a community" (Public school administration: A statement of the…

In the face of public controversies, presidents and board chairs are often called upon to resolve difficult and divisive issues. When they are faced with public controversies and other challenges, a strong working relationship grounded in mutual respect and trust can make the difference between meeting the challenge head on and falling behind.…

Presidential evaluations--especially annual evaluations based on presidents' self-assessments--have become much more prevalent, as part of accreditors' expectations for institutional accountability and for many other reasons. More recently, some experts, including the Association of Governing Boards, have been making the case for a comprehensive…

This "Statement on Board Responsibility for the Oversight of Educational Quality," approved by the Board of Directors of the Association of Governing Boards (AGB) in March 2011, urges institutional administrators and governing boards to engage fully in this area of board responsibility. The seven principles in this statement offer suggestions to…