Chapter 6 of a revised volume on school leadership, this chapter defines and explains management teams and describes several successful examples of team management. Superintendents have come to rely on their management team's expertise to resolve increasingly complex policy, administrative, and instructional issues. Although team management has…

The study investigated the effectiveness of the Partner Project, a participation strategy on the participation of learning disabled high school students and their parents during the annual individualized education program (IEP) conference. Eleven students and their parents received the IEP participation strategy training which focused on…

In response to legislative mandate and pressure from its accrediting agency, Blue Ridge Community College (BRCC) began to develop a system to measure the effectiveness of its instructional programs. The system was designed to improve curricula, be managed by faculty, be inexpensive and uncomplicated, and focus on qualitative rather than…

Instructional leadership is long-term dedication to instructional excellence that includes both instructional and school management issues. Recent research suggests that effective principals can make a significant difference in their schools' instructional programs through a combination of personal traits, particularly a strong belief in their…

This paper describes networking evaluation, an alternative to traditional evaluation, in which students work cooperatively in small groups to solve specific problems and are evaluated collectively by their teacher. Steps in the networking evaluation model are: (1) explaining the networking concept to students and preparing them for the evaluation;…

Reactions to college and university retrenchment (a significant decline in financial resources that results in a reduction in permanent staff and/or elimination of existing programs) and political influences are considered. Responses to retrenchment may include the following: protective reactions by individual faculty members and reduced…

Study of three urban high schools revealed the following: (1) themes dominating principals' attitudes toward teacher involvement in decision making; (2) the influence of teachers on decision making; and (3) the paradox in principals' relations with faculty. Implications for faculty relations and school improvement are discussed. (BJV)

Argues for a reexamination of goals and methods of traditional parent involvement which has revolved around the welfare of children rather than emphasizing the benefits for parents themselves. Calls for a reconceptualization of parent involvement based on: (1) being sensitive to family needs, (2) offering real support for families, and (3)…

The image of school as a knowledge work organization provides guidance for improvement efforts which use suggestions from new management literature. A systemic reform should be based on the following: (1) professionalization of teaching; (2) integration of theory, research, and practice; and (3) transformational leadership. (Author/PS)

Since changing political, economic, and social forces determine the success of educationally innovative policies, there are limitations to the idea that formal education is a field built upon scientific and technical knowledge with teachers as its expert professionals. Various strategies for improving the autonomy and control of classroom…

Discusses management by objectives (MBO) as a sound organizational process that has great potential as an administrative tool in education systems. Provides definitions, stresses the participative nature of the process, cites successful examples of MBO in schools, and describes six conditions for the successful implementation of MBO. (JHZ)

The benefits of an institution's planning ahead for possible financial exigencies are examined and the procedures on several campuses are outlined in the context of the American Association of University Professors' guidelines on faculty involvement in policy formation. (MSE)

Case studies of school-based curriculum development (SBCD) were analyzed. The process of SBCD, including planning, implementation, evaluation, and teacher professionalism, is discussed. So that future researchers can use the historian's method on a good range of cases dealing with SBCE, a national case study archive is needed. (RM)

A detailed analysis of the structure, use, and effectiveness of the quality circles concept includes a school district case study and offers advice to school systems in labor relations trouble. The appendixes include a bibliography, two models, a resource guide, and a school district decision-making accountability chart. (MLF)

Situational leadership theory suggests that to reach maximum leadership effectiveness, the leader must adapt his/her behavior to different situations. For athletic coaches, this means that the amount of direction provided for students should increase or decrease according to the students' maturity levels. Applications of the theory are discussed.…