The results of a National Institute of Education research project indicate that despite their key roles in making schools effective, principals are chosen in a process "ridden with chance" and are frequently selected because of their "images" rather than for their qualities as educational leaders. Vacancy announcements are rarely publicized widely…

Current studies suggest that school districts may not be hiring the most promising graduates of teacher training programs. The first chapter of this publication reviews this research and proposes three possible explanations for the hiring failures: the complexity of the teaching function, insufficient attention to hiring, and inadequate selection…

Part of a 13-volume series designed to help Lutheran communities assess the feasibility of starting a Lutheran elementary school and to assist ongoing schools in current operation, this handbook focuses on personnel policies for Lutheran elementary schools. Its purpose is to help members of the board of education clarify their expectations of…

Perspectives concerning search committees for college faculty and administrators are considered. Most of the existing literature on college and university search committees deals with general presidential and, to a lesser extent, with administrative searches. Search committees are a fairly recent phenomenon in higher education, and their growth is…

This essay explores the need for higher education institutions to broaden their conceptions of the talent and experience required of those who assume managerial responsibilities. Colleges and universities are clinging to a parochial set of notions about the job descriptions and skills needed by those who would manage the enterprise of higher…

A one-page introduction is followed by three pages containing summaries of three journal articles and two documents on teacher selection. Mary Cihak Jensen argues that final selection decisions should be based on multiple information sources, since teaching requires proficiency in many interrelated skills. Superintendent Richard J. Caliendo…

This paper describes the development of the National Skill Standards for Community Based Human Service Practitioners and reports on a survey of states' training and certification requirements. The standards are grouped into 12 broad competency areas: (1) participant empowerment; (2) communication; (3) assessment; (4) community and service…

Abstracts based on documents from the UNESCO International Meeting on Post-graduate Qualifications of Mathematics and Physics Teachers, 1973, in Varna, Bulgaria, are presented in this newsletter. The following subjects are covered: (1) further education of teachers of mathematics and physics; (2) the system of raising the qualifications of…

A study was conducted to measure management styles in higher education doctoral institutions accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools as perceived by administrative employees. The survey population was the administrative employees, excluding the chief executive officer, of the 61 institutions listed by the SACS Commission on…

Finding a qualified marriage and family therapist that the couple or family will be comfortable with requires some effort on the part of the consumer. There are many people out there who advertise themselves as marriage counselors or family therapists but do not have the credentials. The client must shop around, interview prospective therapists,…

These documents compose the Learning Resources Association of California Community Colleges (LRACCC) newsletters for the 1999-2000 academic year. The first issue features a position paper on why learning resources require professionally trained managers. The Learning Resources administrators must possess a Masters or Ph.D. in Library and…

This collection of essays and articles on education reform highlights many of the issues of greatest interest to educators and the public. Articles are grouped into the following categories: (1) "The Front Lines" (9 selections); (2) "Charter Schools" (4 selections); (3) "School Choice" (4 selections); (4)…

Effective leadership is more than the ability to demonstrate specific skills. The validity of early effective principal and leadership trait research has been questioned by recent studies. School improvement formulas that are narrowly focused on basic skills could easily lead to more demanding treatment of students. Recent studies show that…

The question of whether teaching is truly a profession and what can be done to improve it is examined in this bulletin. Although commonly viewed as a profession, teaching lacks many of the characteristics of a true profession. Teachers have little authority over their work, lack the minimum amenities and working conditions expected by other…

This dissertation summary discusses a study to determine the instructional competencies required by teachers of mainstreaming educational programs for handicapped secondary students. It also sought to establish the preferred staff development strategies and to identify the appropriate educators to conduct the retraining activities. Questionnaires…