Research on school leadership has shown that a principal's influence on student achievement is indirect and significant. A sample of principals who earned the highest (distinguished) rating on the Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in Education (VAL-ED) measure responded to open-ended questions during an in-person interview. Principals in this…

Principals are increasingly held accountable for student achievement. Existing research has found principal leadership indirectly affects student achievement. Using the Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in Education measurement of principal learning-centered leadership and the Omnibus T-Scale measurement of faculty trust in the principal,…

Early college high schools, which allow underrepresented students to earn up to an associate's degree during 9th through 12th grades, have been lauded for their potential to increase college access and opportunity. Yet little is known about the role of the principal. Using data drawn from 10 administrators in the borderlands of West Texas, this…

National right-wing media and their viewers are alleging that critical race theory (CRT) is "infecting" public school classrooms, fueling an assault on how schools should discuss race, racism, and our nation's history. This turmoil over curriculum and teaching "sensitive" topics is deeply upsetting to teachers. Principals can…

This study reports on four urban middle- and high school principals' emotionally shaped sense making of Race to the Top policies and their ability to balance the competing demands of teachers' emotional needs with the charge to implement mandated, accountability-driven, instructional, and evaluation changes in their schools. Despite the pressure…

United States schools are not providing students with the mathematical background necessary to compete on an international level and become successful adults. Recently, educators and researchers have focused on learning what factors might attribute to this lack of mathematical knowledge. However, few studies have searched for answers from the…

Teacher collaboration is an essential element of substantive school change for which principals have responsibility for cultivating. As such, it is becoming increasingly important for school leaders to employ models of supervision that focus on the performance and improvement of collective teacher behavior. In this article, the authors present a…

Academic leadership directly helps faculty members, administrative leaders, and professional support persons improve the quantity and quality of student learning. Those who regularly lead decision-making and action-taking processes in curriculum, instruction, and assessment of student learning can be called academic leaders. This article focuses…

In a speech delivered 20 years ago, the author answers criticisms of education that sound much the same as those offered currently. (Author/IRT)

Outlines the benefits of establishing exploratory programs for the transition from elementary school curriculum to the more diverse environment of middle level schools. (MD)

The governor of Georgia outlines the Quality Basic Education Act that resulted from the recommendations from the Governor's Education Review Commission. (MD)

Instead of being defensive about criticism of public education, educators must work to improve the quality of education. Two areas needing improvement are teacher and administrator apathy and student discipline. (MD)

The role of social studies chairmen, as revealed in a survey of more than 200 in the area covered by the North Central Association, is depicted. The writers conclude that chairmen can provide instructional leadership but that they need support and authority to initiate this leadership. (Editor)