Because leadership theories and recent research into principals' roles have only limited validity, practical utility, and comprehensiveness, this study undertakes a description of effective principals' behaviors and a coherent explanation of them. Long-term goals, factors affecting student learning, strategies for goal achievement, and structures…

Twenty-seven public school secondary principals were surveyed regarding their self-ratings in competencies needed for administering special education programs. The questionnaire consisted of 11 competency statements and questions to reveal demographic profiles. Analysis of data indicated that 83% of Ss rated their performance "superior" to "good"…

Presented here are five detailed case studies of principals (four elementary level and one junior high level) undertaken to verify and modify a theoretical model of how instructional management occurs in schools. The five principals were selected from a larger group of California Bay Area principals identified by central office personnel as…

Gender differences were found in the performance of 103 school administrators (74 men and 29 women) participating in the University of Tulsa's Management Development Program assessment center's evaluations. Exercises included an in-basket, two interviews, an oral presentation, and two leaderless group discussions. Women scored higher on the…

A 1987 study by Mertz, McNeely, and Venditti revealed an increase in the number and percentage of females in administrative positions in 44 of the largest school districts in the United States from 1972 to 1986. This follow-up study investigates whether the findings from the preceding study were representative of the country as a whole or…

The responsibilities and structure of the college governing board's nominating committee are discussed. Five responsibilities are addressed: helping the board determine its composition in terms of influence, diversity, and talents; maintaining a viable list of candidates and cultivating top prospects; overseeing the orientation and deployment of…

The rural superintendency offers unique challenges and insights into the educational process. Rural superintendents require a broader range of administrative training and skills than their urban counterparts, with a strong emphasis on interpersonal skills. The range of problems and daily activities encountered by the rural superintendent is…

For the purposes of this study, which examines the upward mobility of educational administrators, "upward mobility" is defined as a function of a combination of professional attractiveness and inside sponsorship operating in a paternalistic environment. The study tested four hypotheses within paternalistic school environments: (1)…

The perceptions of department chairpersons concerning the leadership roles of academic deans in several schools/colleges of a major research university were identified, based on interviews with 55 chairpersons. The typical chairperson was male, from the College of Letters and Science, had served for about 4 and one-half years, was a full…

Offered as a contribution to developing better trustees, this collection of essays represents a variety of viewpoints on the nature and extent of trustee services. The following articles are included: (1) "The Illinois Public Community College Board Members," by Gary Frank Petty and William E. Piland; (2) "Active Trusteeship for a Changing Era,"…

Research suggests that career paths into administration are different for men, and for women and minorities; as a result women and minorities may find themselves inadequately prepared for the administrative positions they assume. To examine the characteristics of some women in educational administration, an ethnographic study of three female,…

Women are scarce and getting scarcer in educational administration, but affirmative action and women's groups could eventually change that. Describes why there are so few women in educational administration, what is being done about the situation, and how to hire women administrators. (Author/DN)

Reports the results of a nationwide survey of the institutional heads of junior and community colleges. Included are statistics regarding sex, ethnicity, age, educational background, academic rank, salary, length of service, professional affiliations, and publication record. (Editor)

Examines the causes, characteristics, and results of the authoritarian personality in administrative positions. (IRT)

Intelligence is related to executive performance though different kinds of executive work seem to require differing intellectual abilities. To examine these different intellectual functions and their relationship to performance ratings, 208 male executives completed the School and College Ability Test (SCAT), the Abstract Reasoning Test, and three…