Discusses concerns and priorities of school administrators based on recent Public Agenda study involving interviews with 853 superintendents and 909 principals, most of whom had at least 5 years of experience. (PKP)

Suggests several strategies for identifying, attracting, developing, and retaining rural school teachers for the principalship. (PKP)

Describes the Teaching Assistant Principal program, developed by the Capistrano (California) Unified School District to identify, attract, and develop candidates for assistant-principal positions. Also describes the components of district principal-retention and development programs. (PKP)

Describes practical benefits of one Tennessee school district's decision to provide its school board members with laptop computers to access monthly school board meeting agenda packets. (PKP)

Discusses what can be learned about superintendent job qualifications from analyzing position descriptions advertised in "Education Week" and association journals. Describes five categories common to most superintendent position descriptions: leadership, management skills, school reform and performance, curricular review, and technology.…

Describes efforts of five school districts to develop their own online instructional programs: Basehor-Linwood Virtual Charter School, Basehor, Kansas; Clintondale Virtual High School, Detroit, Michigan; Evergreen Internet Academy, Vancouver, Washington; Hop-On!, Hopkins, Minnesota; and The Internet Academy, Federal Way, Washington. Includes the…

Describes a seminar in which 40 Minnesota educators wrestled with problems confronting a changing profession. The group decided that change agents are vision makers, creators of an "idea environment," identifiers, and public risk-takers. Participants also identified good leadership characteristics associated with obtaining commitment,…

Most programs offered to students likely to drop out can be categorized as support programs, academic remediation or development programs, alternative programs or schools, work experience programs, or affirmative action job placement programs. This article cites 14 local and national programs and notes some critical factors in dropout prevention.…

Nine staff development programs selected by the Advisory Panel of the National Center for the Improvement of Learning as exemplary programs for instructional improvement are described briefly. Each district cited has agreed to respond to requests for information; addresses are provided. (PGD)

Outlines the pros and cons of the National Information Utility Program, which is designed to provide current updatable courseware to schools nationwide. The information is broadcast over FM radio and television signals to facilities subscribing to the utility. (MD)

Educational leadership needs to change. Principals have been trained to be managers first and leaders second. Current educational needs demand that principal-training priorities be reversed. (MD)

Beginning on the cover, this article suggests school administrators can reduce paperwork burdens by using personal computers along with general software programs. Describes general programs--such as word processing, item bank, electronic worksheet, and database management programs--and discusses their applications and gives tips for buying and…

Beginning on the front cover, this article advises superintendents how to identify and gain access to the community power structure in order to achieve the community's educational goals. Five basic ways that schools may react to power are identified. (MLF)

Beginning on the front page, this article explains ways of establishing a sound risk management insurance program that can improve a school district's financial position. Organizations that can help are listed. Available from the American Association of School Administrators, 1801 North Moore Street, Arlington, VA 22209. (MLF)

Jay Sommer, 1981 Teacher of the Year, reveals the techniques he considers effective, both in teaching and recruiting students. (WD)