This qualitative single-site case study examined the philosophy, decisions, and behaviors of a particular male school principal who subscribed to a form of care-based leadership practice. A Pennsylvania high school principal with a distinct leadership philosophy centered on the ethic of care was chosen to participate in this study. The purpose of…

In this study of Pennsylvania Charter Schools; the focus was on the qualifications, duties, and role perceptions of the special education supervisors. Using role theory as a theoretical lens, an interpretational framework was developed in order to both form a survey instrument and to assist in interpreting the participant responses. This case…

Only a quarter of the class of 2008 graduated from Alain Locke Senior High School in Los Angeles after four years. This was unsurprising since nearly 60 percent of the class had left Locke by the end of their sophomore year. A majority of Locke teachers--frustrated with the school's mediocrity--petitioned to allow charter management organization…

Most communicators are not giving up print or other traditional media. But they recognize that social media has quickly become an important channel for the audiences they want to reach. Social media adds texture and complexity to the marketing mix. To take advantage of social media, it pays to be nimble. Independent schools' communicators…

When the mayor and public school officials in the District of Columbia unveiled plans last month for converting Washington's middle and elementary schools to a pre-K-8 model, system leaders seemed confident the change would be good for students. After all, the school system has plenty of company. Since the late 1990s, districts in a growing number…

When tough economic times set in, school business administrators heighten their normal zeal in finding ways to reduce costs and improve efficiency. The author's school district recently underwent a yearlong internal self-analysis to examine and determine the proper staffing levels for the administrative functions within the school district's…

A historical case study from a 6-8 middle school in the coal region of Northeastern Pennsylvania was conducted to examine the extent of teacher collaboration before and after the implementation of the teaming concept as well as the construction of a new middle school. The study was triangulated through the use of multiple data points including…

The latest installment of the Fordham Institute's "Creating Sound Policy for Digital Learning" series investigates one of the more controversial aspects of digital learning: How much does it cost? In this paper, the Parthenon Group uses interviews with more than fifty vendors and online-schooling experts to estimate today's average…

School district size is important to policymakers and educators who need to determine the most effective way to structure school organization. For more than 40 years, a growing body of research has focused on the relationship between school size and school effectiveness (Monk & Plecki, 1999). Early studies did not address the effect of school…

The article describes an approach to centralization of classes in a rural Pennsylvania school system with numerous small school buildings. The reasons for development of a kindergarten center are described as are the positive and negative aspects of the kindergarten center. (Author)

Using Durkheim's distinction between mechanical and organic social systems, examines the antecedents of conflict in 111 public schools. Division of labor is indirectly but ultimately related to disputes through direct correlations with goal disagreement and enhanced control. Disputes increase when rules dominate the control structure. (Author/BJV)

Declining enrollments in the seven elementary schools in the district caused a decrease in the number of classrooms per building and an unequal distribution of pupils with class sizes ranging from 13 to 32 students per classroom. Smaller classes and fewer teachers restricted the grouping of pupils for multilevel reading and mathematics…

American society places great demands on the young people who attend U.S. public schools. Required courses and basic education needs jam the curriculum. It is little wonder that sometimes it becomes difficult for teachers and school officials to incorporate into the curriculum basic units regarding the public schools and local school governance;…

Two history teachers, Gerald Brown of Pennsylvania and Francis Brown of England, tell about their experiences under the Teacher Exchange Program. The English Brown found more detailed curriculum methods, administrative control and accountability, visual aids, and great emphasis on sports. The American Brown's English school had a more leisurely…

For most of its history, Pennsylvania's public school system has consisted of three levels: the state level, the local school districts, and an intermediate level. In 1970, the intermediate level was reorganized into 29 intermediate units (IUs). In 1997 the state's General Assembly directed the Joint State Government Commission to study how the…