Effective followership (mirroring a leader's mission) involves several strategies: concentrating on becoming a team player, demonstrating a strong work ethic, adhering to high individual expectations and possessing high self-regard, projecting optimism, and practicing interpersonal intelligence. (MLH)

New superintendents of three urban school districts turned to a group of "critical friends" from other school districts and education agencies to conduct formal evaluations of their school systems. Leaders in private industry have long relied on outside perspectives. The process can dispel professional isolation. (MLH)

Describes how two school districts--one in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; the other in Yorktown, Virginia--involved their communities in a school building and renovation planning process called discovery through viewpoint and diagram (DVD). (PKP)

Argues that education should be the number one urban priority for all levels of government; county and municipal public and private health and social-service organizations should also adopt education as their top priority, a goal that can be achieved through partnerships with school districts. (PKP)

Northwest Evaluation Association in Portland, Oregon, consults with state and local educators on assessment issues. Describes several approaches in place at school districts that are using some combination of computer-based tests to measure student growth. The computerized adaptive test adjusts items based on a student's answer in "real…

School Districts are required to comply with the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) mandating they monitor how students are using the Internet. Although elementary school students need to be supervised, blocking technologies are inappropriate for teen-agers. Secondary school students need to know about safe communication skills and have a…

Many school administrators want to develop profiling procedures to identify violence-prone students before bullets start flying. Warning signs (chronic depression, anger, abusive home conditions, violent history) are a staring point. Two FBI agents recommend visiting classrooms, identifying troubled kids, and ensuring that they get help. (MLH)

Effective superintendents recognize three key management precepts and their hidden rules. Administrators should avoid mixing emotion and logic, attending to detractors' emotional needs before presenting a differing viewpoint. They should be graceful under pressure, expect the unexpected, and build coalitions gradually, mindful of all community…

On the typical university campus, the notion of a business school collaborating in fundamental ways with a school of education is somewhat akin to an unnatural act. Leaders in K-12 education often bristle at the idea of incorporating best business practices into their field. Nevertheless, the authors' experience at University of Virginia is…

One article describes Boston (Massachusetts) City Schools' efforts to train school nurses and health and science teachers as AIDS educators while developing a factual program for students. Another article offers steps for implementing an effective AIDS curriculum. An inset provides information on practices and procedures used by certain school…

This article describes the rapidly deteriorating conditions of innercity schools as a result of reductions in federal expenditures for public education during the Reagan Administration. It is argued that "excellence," in the Reagan agenda, has become a code word for retreat from equity. (TE)

Effective use of technololgy in schools depends upon practitioners applying new experiences to classroom and other contexts. During learning, staff identify problem areas and improve roles. A district should use technology strategically to solve management problems. Student learning is enhanced by strategic applications. (CJH)

Training and interpersonal skills can greatly improve school maintenance and food service operations. Innovative examples include an energy management program and a food service "focus on success" action plan. (MLF)

The House-approved version of the tax bill H.R. 3838 will increase borrowing costs to local and state governments. Educational costs will either increase or educational services will decrease. The House legislation also would treat all nontuition student aid as income and place a cap on pension funds. (MLF)

The Supreme Court denied fees for administrative hearings as well as court proceedings for parents of a disabled child who prevailed in court against a school district. Bills introduced in the present Congress by Senator Lowell Weicker (S.415) and Representative Pat Williams (H.R.1523) address the issue. (MLF)