The purpose of this study was to contribute to the body of literature regarding decisions school leaders make when developing strategic plans to improve student outcomes. This study investigated whether there is a significant relationship between school climate and graduation rates for public high schools in the state of Georgia when controlling…

Securing attendance is challenging at rural high schools with a high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic states (low-SES) households. Best practices of principals to achieve high annual attendance rates (> 90%) were studied. Interviews were held with principals from 8 of 12 high schools across rural West Virginia that met the…

Principals should lead for social justice, particularly in support of marginalized and vulnerable students like lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) adolescents. This quantitative survey-based study collected data from 116 middle grade principals in Indiana to examine the implementation of antibullying policies and best…

Examining whether principal-counselor collaboration and school climate were related, researchers sent 4,193 surveys to high school counselors in the United States and received 419 responses. As principal-counselor collaboration increased, there were increases in counselors viewing the principal as supportive, the teachers as regarding one another…

A positive climate is characterized by a comfortable, orderly, and safe environment. A healthy culture exists when all stakeholders understand an organization's goals and purposes and work productively to achieve them. This article contrasts the "McSchool" (efficiency-celebrating) cultural model with the spaceship-discovery model,…

The author discusses a project that affords high school principals an opportunity to create collaborative relationships between members of their school communities and college-based teacher education programs. In its 13 years, this collaboration has been shown to increase student and teacher engagement: Students gain perspective on what goes into…

Analyzes the organizational values and other elements that make up institutional cultures, and discusses how these cultures shape the behavior of people in the institutions. Provides administrators with practical strategies for creating effective school cultures within their own institutions. Stresses the importance of positive traditions and…

A Texas high school undertook measures to ensure that more students participate with increased confidence and success in advanced in advanced math classes. The challenge was to provide support so students remained in advanced classes--an effort requiring considerable counselor, teacher, and administrator teamwork and encouragement. The process was…

The problems attending democratic freedom and responsibility have not been solved since De Toqueville's day; improving democracy is each generation's legacy. Site-based administration is education's response to business/industry "downsizing" and a shift from assembly-line manufacturing to caseload service. Strategies to help SBM…

Cultural leadership is an essential foundation underlying successful instructional leadership activities. Careful use of cultural assessment helps principals identify contextual barriers shaping the outcomes of otherwise effective instructional change interventions. Cultural brokerage not only protects these improvements but promotes and…

Summarizes findings from a 15-month study of 6 schools and principals changing to a decentralized school governance model. Highlights benefits such as administrator role redefinition, autonomy's effects on improving school culture and contributing to school reform success, increased commitment to decisions, increased staff cohesion and trust, and…

A study of two new middle schools demonstrates that reform is difficult to achieve unless teachers are expert in their work, share their expertise, and seek and create new knowledge to support their work. Leading from the center, school leaders figure significantly in expanding learning and developing community even in "teacher-run"…

Twenty-first century principals will play a vital role in curriculum and staff development. Principals must be prepared to revitalize teachers' energies by mastering and using powerful, research-based strategies, including establishing a common vision, focusing on instructional improvement and accountability, creating a collegial, participatory…

Underlines the importance of principals' role as democratic leader, introduces a school-improvement theory, and shows how principals can apply it. The theory's basic building-blocks are school structure and restructuring; school culture and leadership; higher order thinking, critical thinking, or problem solving; economic competitiveness; and…

Leadership plays an important role in middle-school community members' collaborative efforts. Principals, by valuing and recognizing contributions of each teacher, staff member, student, and parent, give high visibility to the collaborative process. Principals also bolster collaboration by providing necessary support systems and helping…