A demographic time bomb is ticking in many school jurisdictions. Up to 70 per cent of present leaders in the private and public sectors will retire within the next five to ten years as the "baby boomers" move on. While succession planning has become a major initiative in the private sector, leadership succession in education tends to hew…

The accession of new senior leaders and middle leaders are significant events and may bring a desired continuity of current improvement efforts, or herald a new direction for the school. Although attention has been paid to building leadership capacity in schools, perhaps via the distribution of leadership, little attention has been paid to…

Many years ago when the author assumed the role of assistant principal for school climate, discipline, and attendance, he inherited many school policies and guidelines that were outdated, unfair, and without merit in the current school climate. Because the school conduct code had not been revised since the school opened in 1960, many of the…

Robert Kimball made national news in February 2003 when he reported to a television station the irregularities of dropout rates in his district. He was then the assistant principal of Sharpstown Senior High School in Houston. Long-troubled schools that typically reported dropout rates of 30 and 40 percent suddenly reported dramatically lower…

We focus on the importance of emotional intelligence (EI) in conceptualizing collegial leadership in education. Research findings, both nationally and internationally, strongly suggest that a technocratic (managerial) approach to leadership is in conflict with the visionary, people-centred approach of modern organisations, including educational…

The purpose of this study was to identify principals' instructional leadership actions within a comprehensive teacher evaluation system in successful schools rated as recognized or exemplary by the accountability measures in place. The study followed a multiple case study approach. Participants included six school administrators within the same…

The district-level implementation of a systemic educational change in teacher evaluation mandated at the state level was studied at the elementary and middle school level in a small rural school system. The historical background of teacher evaluation processes from early American schooling to the 1909s was studied. The pilot case study then…

A formally conducted field study was used to investigate the work of vice-principals of eight large Southern California high schools and the relationship of their work to the school as an organization. Most of the vice-principals studied deal with student discipline, but four have important discipline responsibilities, which they exercise by…

A pamphlet reviewing the employment rights of school administrators in each state, this report distinguishes between substantive and procedural rights for administrators threatened with demotion or dismissal. The author argues that principals should be aware of the kind and degree of statutory employment protection in their states, which differ in…

In June 1988, 28 principals and assistant principals from public and private schools throughout New Mexico gathered for the first Summer Institute, sponsored by the New Mexico Principals' Center. The goals of the meeting were to share professional knowledge, to engage in "reflective practice," and to construct personal and professional…

Assistant high school principal Elise Abbott is disturbed by the autocratic decision-making of the interim principal Marla Richardson. She meets with Marla to discuss Marla's approval of the English department chair's removal of master teacher Alice Tremont from gifted/talented courses. The chair reassigned the courses to herself. Although the…

The role of assistant principal has changed very little over the past 50 years. Now this traditional role must be reconceived as a position parallel to that of the principal, but with responsibilities in specialized areas. The new position should include decision-making authority and should possibly require certification from the state. Studies on…

The questions in this interview guide pertain to the Detroit Public Schools Uniform Code of Student Conduct and City Wide Attendance Regulations. They are directed to school principals and assistant principals. The questions help to determine if the Uniform Code and Attendance Regulations were disseminated, if orientations were carried out, and…

In March, 1977, the Vancouver, British Columbia, Board of Trustees responded to a need for administrative assistance in its four largest secondary schools by appointing Vice-Principal Interns in two schools, a Vice-Principal for Curriculum in a third school, and a School Business Assistant in the fourth. These two-year appointments were evaluated…

A career development training program in Los Angeles, California, schools has three components: (1) preservice training for participants from the district staff, self-nominated or recruited through an affirmative action plan; (2) training for new administrators; and (3) training for experienced administrators. The programs are cooperative ventures…