Over the last 25 years, the field of school administration has experienced turmoil as it has struggled to grow out of its adolescence. A good deal of energy has been invested in coming to grips with the question of what ideas should shape school administration. This paper chronicles the role of one of the most significant reshaping initiatives to…

A study of deans' characteristics looks at demographic variables, career paths and aspirations, hours spent in various activities, difficulties in making decisions and working with groups and individuals, perceived satisfaction with their positions, and how they rate the importance of their many roles and functions. (Author/MSE)

Discusses radically transformed library organizations and the characteristics of the library leaders who will create them. The development of posthierarchical libraries, reasons for reeingineering traditional libraries, characteristics and roles of posthierarchical library leaders, critical leadership strategies, and impediments to transforming…

Analysis of national data on college administrator salaries by gender, minority/nonminority status, years of service, and institution type found that wage gaps related to gender and minority status persisted in 1991-92 but that interaction of length of service with other study variables explained a significant amount of this gap. (MSE)

Examines the impact of innovations associated with the Education Reform Act (England) on the management of school change in primary schools. Documents growing tensions between collegial and top-down managerial styles based on quantitative data. Discusses ways to reconcile the emphasis on cooperative working within the context of increased…

Notes that relationships between parents, administrators, and teachers are essential to quality early childhood education. Examines the role of good communication skills in building positive home-school relationships. Discusses the importance of developing effective listening skills in order to understand parents' needs and concerns, and how the…

Nearly 30 years after the official end of de jure segregation, Alabama is struggling to level educational opportunities for both black and white citizens. Critics say this goal will be difficult to reach unless the state hires and retains more black faculty. Only recently, because of a court decree, are state black institutions getting equal…

In this article, I present the findings of a single-site case study which examined the role of gender in constituent group perceptions of effective female leadership. First, a brief description of the Wildrose School community context is presented followed by an overview of relevant literature on female leadership. The emergent themes regarding…

Today there has been a shift in the organizational structure in our schools (Murphy and Seashore Louis, 1999). These include educational leadership shifts in roles, relationships, and responsibilities; the alteration of traditional patterns of relationships; and the fact that authority tends to be less hierarchical. Senge (1990) believes systems…

The first and perhaps most important thing for a director to remember is that THINGS WILL HAPPEN! The mix of parents, teachers, children, regulations, building problems, and so on is so complex and filled with so many elements out of control that things happening--good and/or bad--is a given. In this article, the author shares some skills from…

This book outlines qualities of higher education institutional leadership and discusses how college administrators may bring about effective leadership based on honor, dignity, curiosity, candor, compassion, courage, excellence, and service. The chapters each describe and discuss one of the leadership ideals. Their titles are: "The Call of…

This study was conducted to identify the ways that superintendents in rural school districts deal successfully with restructuring. The analysis is based on interviews with superintendents and principals in four rural districts. The districts, in Texas and Oklahoma, were selected especially for their successful restructuring programs. The two Texas…

This volume contains 13 papers and an introduction on women in higher education administration. The papers include an introduction by editor Patricia T. Mitchell and chapters as follows: (1) "Career Paths of Women in Higher Education Administration" (Rebecca Warner and Lois B. DeFleur); (2) "Women, Leadership, and the Academy:…

This document consists of the two 1998 issues of a semiannual newsletter that provides current information and research on the professional world of early childhood administration. The Summer 1998 edition provides a "Profile of Early Childhood Center Directors." This profile finds that: (1) individuals were promoted to directorships…

Responses from 1,246 school superintendents to a nationwide survey provide a comprehensive look at their opinions, status, and experiences. The superintendents were selected from a random sample of 1 in every 10 school districts in the country, with additional districts selected to ensure statistically meaningful sampling of districts at all…