Academic literature has traditionally characterized educator burnout as a problem to be addressed through individualized solutions such as greater resilience training, grit, or self-care. A national survey of American principals conducted in January 2022 showed that they were experiencing job-related stress, burnout, depression, and difficulty…

In 2015, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was signed into law, replacing No Child Left Behind as the statutory education policy of the federal government of the United States (US). Building on prior shifts in accountability policy at the state level, ESSA focused attention and resources on building school leadership capacities. Five years on,…

Chile is undertaking an ambitious public education reform, re-centralising the administration of municipal schools in larger territories. This reform is unprecedented, both for the size of the new intermediate-level services ("Servicios Locales de Educación Pública") and the escalation of their bureaucratic complexity, facing widespread…

Educators, policymakers, philanthropists, and others have worked for decades to improve education by implementing new policies and practices to better serve students. But the desired improvement has been elusive -- more sporadic (and anecdotal) than systemic. Success can be difficult to sustain, and what works in one school may not work on the…

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, principals have taken on increased responsibilities. Principals who are thriving are praised for their resilience while those who are struggling are inundated with calls to build their resilience. In this conceptual article, we problematize the overemphasis on individual responsibility that is implicit in…

Aside from the personal and health difficulties brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers also faced tremendous work-related challenges that led to increased stress levels and poorer well-being. This is especially true for resource-constrained schools in an Eastern context. The present study aimed to examine the moderating role of principal…

The article analyzes the recent evolution of school leadership in Chile between 2009 and 2019, a decade of significant intensification in the country's school leadership policies, comparing principals' characteristics, working conditions and leadership practices, as reported by school principals and teachers. Data comes from a survey applied in…

This qualitative study explores how 60 Israeli high school principals vary in their perceptions and enactments of shared sense-making processes while engaging in strategic activities to gain teachers' support during a national reform implementation. Data analysis has yielded three major themes: (a) a common language; (b) a collaborative learning…

Purpose: The social aspect of leadership is often overlooked in the educational reform. This study aims to address the dearth of work in the social space around leadership and examines two different types of relational ties between leaders that capture the affective and work-related aspects of interpersonal relationships. Research Method: This…

Two major education system reforms were introduced by Israel's government in collaboration with the teachers' unions. These reforms redefine principals' and teachers' roles, increasing teachers' work hours, and the scope of their work. School principals absent from the reform negotiations, are expected to apply the reform, although their work…

In the "top-down" reform of the teacher personnel system, the principal is the core of policy implementation, who also serves as the secretary of the Party organization. We focus on which type of leadership should principals choose to maximize his impact on teachers' professional ability and work stress. The HLM method was used to…

The Swedish education system has undergone an extensive transformation and a new policy context characterised by external control, marketing and managerial accountability is now in place. In previous research, the new context has been presented as something school leaders have to "balance against" democratic professionalism but…

Richard DuFour, a leading advocate for creating professional learning communities in schools, shares his insights on why teaching has become an "embattled profession" and the steps teachers and school leaders can take to enhance teachers' practice and their working lives. DuFour explains how recent reforms aimed at educators themselves…

As an important symbolic figure and embodiment of the traditions and character of the school, the position of principal in Japan is crucial. Yet societal pressures and an undefined job description are serving to increase pressures of the position. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine school administrative leadership at a private…

Inspire yourself and others with the second edition of this best-selling book. With heartfelt advice, practical wisdom, and examples from the field, Todd Whitaker explains the qualities and practices that distinguish great principals. New features include: (1) Developing an accurate sense of self; (2) Understanding the dynamics of change; and (3)…