It is generally accepted that there is a positive association between a school's academic outcomes and the quality of its leadership. This article investigates that proposition in relation to the Catholic sector in England, using data provided by the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted). The findings suggest that, for the Catholic sector,…

Leadership in education is much like leadership in business and government. Three problems in particular make education seem different, including the almost constant pressure, the politics of the job, and state and federal regulations. But these are similar to problems faced by leaders in other organizations. However, education leaders must take…

On January 26, 2009, the Brandeis University Board of Trustees voted unanimously to close the Rose Art Museum (Waltham, Massachusetts). The proceeds from the subsequent auction were to be reinvested in the university to ensure its long-term financial health. The reaction to the decision by campus constituencies provides a case study to show the…

The aviation industry and higher education environments are ever-changing due to a multitude of economic and external variables. The leaders of aviation higher education programs must successfully lead their organization and followers in preparing student graduates for the industry that awaits them upon graduation. This study examined the…

This article addresses an issue that has not been well explored in empirical research, namely whether local education agencies (districts) have an impact on student learning. We assumed that local district effects on learning would be largely indirect, mediated by how teachers work together in schools (in professional communities) and the quality…

Maple Leaf School is a large English elementary school in Ontario, Canada. Wanda Miller, the principal, has been at the school for 2 years. Upon arrival, she engaged the teachers in a collaborative exercise to determine their school goal (as required by the province). Character education was selected. The district insisted that the school adopt an…

The authors describe an exploratory analytical tool called "The 5Ps Leadership Analysis" (Personal Attributes, Position, Purpose, Practices/Processes, and Product) as a heuristic for better understanding the complexities of leadership. Using "The 5Ps Leadership Analysis," the authors explore the leadership of General Robert E.…

The higher education sector has increasingly begun to pay more attention to academic leadership. This qualitative study explores how such an investment in a 20-week leadership development program influenced the behaviour of 10 academic staff in the role of program coordinator 6 to 12 months following participation in the program. Otherwise known…

Planning in Reverse is an innovative concept designed to make organizations more successful by altering the perspective utilized in the strategy process. What is needed for organizations to thrive in this new environment of change and uncertainty is a short-term approach for long-term viability. In this book, tools and concepts regarding Planning…

As principals' responsibilities increase in quantity and complexity along with accountability demands for improved student achievement, some researchers argue that one person can no longer successfully lead a school; rather schools should be led in a collaborative manner with school staff members in shared decision-making through a distributed…

This quantitative survey-design research study examined elementary school principals' perceptions regarding the effect of No Child Left Behind (NCLB). A primary focus of the study was to determine how elementary school principals feel about the influence of NCLB on their role as instructional leader. A sample of 133 elementary school principals…

Traditionally, challenges such as how to sustain district reform, how to build a leadership pipeline, how to create an integrated project, or how to best intervene with struggling students would be resolved with a team of "experts" developing a solution in isolation of the stakeholders involved. By contrast, design thinking centers on the…

New Leaders created the Effective Practice Incentive Community (EPIC) initiative in 2006 to learn from educators driving achievement gains in high-need urban schools. EPIC identifies school leaders and teachers whose students are making significant achievement gains and financially rewards these educators in exchange for sharing and documenting…

Charter schools and successful charter management organizations that run them have grown significantly over the past decade but they must dramatically increase their scale in order to meet the demand for high-quality public school options for America's children. The limited supply of effective leaders and teachers is one of the key barriers…

Dramatically improving student achievement in a school that has been failing for many years requires dramatically different conditions. Only the most effective teachers and leaders should be in the building, and the leadership must have the flexibility to respond strategically to the needs of the students, with regular input from teachers.…