This paper explores ideas about the role of the school principal embedded in New York State education policy. Many public schools across the state fail to deliver equitable opportunities and outcomes for an increasingly diverse student population and improving school leadership offers the potential for substantial returns. Drawing on concepts of…

This research explored the transformational leadership traits of principal participants in the Northeast of the United States. The mixed methods case study utilized two data sources: The Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI; n = 110) and individual interviews (n = 28). Descriptive statistical data analyses highlighted the five pillars of…

This study investigates how the role of the reading specialist (RS) is defined and communicated by principals, and examines to what degree a common understanding of this role exists among teachers, building administrators and reading specialists. The principal's responsibility in defining and communicating role, and the effect these efforts have…

The United States Military Academy at West Point develops cadets into "leaders of character" who will become Army officers. This focus on character presents an opportunity for the prevention of sexual violence through an emphasis on military values. Using constructivist grounded theory, this study examined how cadets experience their own…

The authors report the results of a three-year longitudinal study of retention among undergraduate engineering students enrolled at four major universities. The study demonstrates that self-efficacy can be a critical factor in student persistence and can be broken down into three components: work, career, and academic self-efficacy. The authors…

We explored the notion of what constitutes literacy, particularly as it pertains to individuals who are blind or with visual impairments, including those that do not use Braille as their primary way to access and produce text. Four groups of stakeholders participated in the study: a) college students who were blind or with visual impairments, b)…

Typically, the literature on clergy burnout employs an individual model and describes the pastoral role from the perspective of multiple demands or offers prescriptions for recovery. Although some literature examines the systemic nature of clergy burnout, little attention is paid to the internal psychological dynamics surrounding social…

This study used testimony, documents, and interviews to examine the use of information in higher education policy making. The article discusses the coalition alignment regarding the state's tuition assistance program and the concomitant information sources on which each coalition drew in the budget process. The results show that there were…

This article reports on a study that examined a cohort of African American kinship (n = 57) and nonkinship (n = 53) foster parents' perceptions of their role responsibilities as a foster care provider. The Foster Parent Role Perception (FPRP) scale was used to measure perceived role responsibility. Results indicated that both the kinship and…

Describes the author's three-month career as a student teacher of social studies and art in an upstate New York high school. As his stint progresses, he realizes he cannot continue to rely on his old ways of thinking and functioning. He learns to handle a cooperating teacher's unrealistic expectations and to engage students with audiovisuals and…

This study explored the expectations of principals and teachers for the functions of principals. Sixty-one principals and 120 teachers listed five things principals do frequently, the five most important things they should do, and the five most important skills/abilities they need. Results are discussed. (MT)

This study examines the differences and trends in sex-role stereotypes between the original samples used to construct and reverse the Sex-Role Stereotype Questionnaire (SRSQ) in 1968, and a sample of 173 practicing school counselors to whom the SRSQ was administered in the fall of 1975. (Author/EB)

A former elementary principal (and teacher) describes challenging, insightful experiences gained while substituting for teachers for a half-day. This practice, combined with scheduling "sacred" classroom visiting times while advancing toward the superintendency, kept him in touch with teacher concerns and classroom realities. (MLH)

Government contracting has raised a collection of issues with respect to adequate oversight and accountability. This paper explores one avenue through which contracting agencies may achieve these tasks: through the governance practices of the contractor's board. Oversight and monitoring are a board's key responsibilities, and influencing a board's…