In this article, the author describes his work with a professional network in Connecticut. The Connecticut Superintendents Network is designed to be a community of practice among superintendents who are committed to sustained instructional improvement in their districts. Here, the Harvard University professor applies the medical rounds model to…

The author of this article, an education attorney, begins by describing a case where, a school superintendent of personnel for a rural school district in Michigan had just received a performance evaluation with high marks and a new three-year contract. Two months later the school board called him into a closed session and presented him with…

Standards-based education, including over-packed curricula and high-stakes assessments, is here to stay--at least for the next decade or so. If this approach to teaching and learning is a reality that everyone must deal with, how can everyone leverage what is positive and reduce some of the negative aspects? In this article, the author discusses…

To ensure they are evaluated fairly and competently, superintendents must help their school boards plan and implement sound systems of superintendent performance assessment and accountability. The Center for Research on Educational Accountability and Teacher Evaluation (CREATE) applied 21 personnel evaluation standards to existing evaluation…

Argues that schools and school districts should use a developmental approach to accountability that focuses on continuous growth rather than relying solely on the attainment model proposed for the accountability mechanisms in the No Child Left Behind Act. (PKP)

What do leaders mean when they talk about networks and whether leadership networks have the power to transform the profession? When it comes to educational leadership networks, there certainly are more than seven important questions. This article focuses on seven key questions about networking in the superintendent ranks by the coordinator of one…

In pursuit of creating a culture that would contribute to the successful learning outcomes envisioned by the superintendent of the Beaufort County, South Carolina, School District, the author returned to her roots and experiences in organizational development. She discovered an article about McBassi and Co., an agency specializing in the…