The focus in this paper is on political styles, political organization, and political interaction among educational power persons and groups. Recent research studies by the authors have looked at teacher perceptions of their power over curriculum. Questionnaires and interviews were administered to a random sample of teachers in several Michigan…

From 1975 to 1978 the National Institute of Education conducted a national survey on school crime. They assessed the incidence and seriousness of the problem, the number and location of schools affected, the costs, the means of prevention used, and the effectiveness of these means. More than 4,000 elementary and secondary schools were surveyed and…

In an exploration of the role of the community college president, the economic, management, and public policy and educational dimensions of higher education are first reviewed, followed by an historical sketch of the president's role at Montgomery College, Maryland, in its development from one to three campuses. Next follows an analysis of…

A survey form, used in a recent survey to determine what issues or dilemmas are important to school supervisors today, was used in a similar survey conducted to determine the concerns of second language supervisors in New York State. Supervisors were asked to rank order five issues which they considered to be the most important out of 17, and to…

This position paper identifies the purposes and underlying rationale of the middle school, outlines what the middle school program should be--curricular, instructional, and organizational-administrative, and presents some leadership implications. It is assumed that if educators understand the root causes of transescent behavior, they will deal…

In 1997, the Nevada Legislature enacted the Nevada Education Reform Act to implement standards-based reform in all academic subjects in Nevada's schools. The act required that both teachers and principals be engaged in the process. This report describes a study of secondary principals' and secondary science teachers' perceptions of the impact that…

Controversies over graduation rates and No Child Left Behind have raged in research, media and political circles for almost a year. All too often, though, when complex issues of social and economic importance collide with policy and politics, heat is generated but little light. As a result, it may be difficult for local educators to parse the…

Leadership to reverse rigid tracking practices can make a difference for student success. Through transformational leadership, administrators, teachers, and counselors can serve as catalysts for change from restrictive to inclusive advanced high school classes. Steps are underway by some states and districts to change past grouping practices that…

The purpose of this study was to investigate building administrators knowledge, disposition, and performance competencies for technology integration for students with mild/moderate (M/M) disabilities. A total of 106 administrators participated in the study, completing a four-section questionnaire. One-way between-subjects designs were used, and…

A study examined the experiences of three male and three female newly employed full-time education faculty at a research university and compared them with administrator expectations and perceptions. Five recurring themes emerged: collegiality, school expectations of new faculty, the department chair's role, workload, and feelings of new faculty…

A 3-year examination of school-based decision-making (SBDM) councils in four rural Kentucky school districts revealed that, similar to findings in urban and suburban settings, SBDM councils in rural schools experienced difficulties in achieving true shared decision making. Decisions regarding hiring and budget management were most likely to lead…

Describes a 1989 study of 22,931 course offerings at 29 comprehensive community colleges in Michigan, undertaken to assess status of general education. Reports low availability and breadth of general education courses, contrary to the perceptions of campus administrators surveyed. Suggests steps to evaluate and enhance general education offerings.…

This study assesses perceptions of 36 principals and 72 assistant principals regarding each other's professional roles and thinking. Analysis of responses indicates that both groups agreed on perceptions of actual and ideal time distribution. Differences appear in perceptions of each other's ideal assistant principal role. (JB)

Needs identified by special education teachers and school administrators (n=76) in nine school districts concerning implementation of life-centered career education (LCCE) included increasing administrative commitment to LCCE, involving teachers in developing and delivering LCCE instruction, and increasing intraschool and interagency coordination…

This study investigated four beginning special educators' problems of practice and the influence of the school context on teachers' abilities to solve their problems. Participants were troubled by issues related to instruction and curriculum, understanding the system, inclusion, and exhaustion. Teachers received little support from general…