This paper addresses the role of the school principal in school improvement through secondary analysis of data collected from 98 elementary schools in Tennessee that participated in the School Improvement Incentives Project between 1983 and 1986. The paper explores an instructional leadership model as operationalized in measures of selected school…

Discusses the differences between traditional pedagogical methods and small-group cooperative learning. Describes the benefits of the cooperative approach, including emphasis on learning rather than on competition, improved comprehension, and increased social awareness. Provides hints for administrators implementing cooperative learning programs.…

The Milwaukee (Wisconsin) Public Schools' Project RISE raised the achievement levels of 18 inner-city elementary schools dramatically without changing personnel or student composition, and without additional funding. Improvements were related to change in staff attitudes and in policies and practices affecting management, organization, behavior,…

This guidebook is intended to help school boards focus their efforts on understanding and achieving the elements of their key work. Chapter 1 discusses the concept of systems thinking as a framework for organizational thinking and learning. It also provides an overview of the key work of improving student achievement. This work focuses on eight…

The principal is the key to realizing educational reform on the K-12 campus, being the catalyst who creates a culture of enhanced teaching and learning. This atmosphere encourages adults and children to express their ideas, thoughts, and concerns about the education process. The paper present results from three collaborative studies undertaken in…

The university research administrator, whose position and role cut across all levels of administration, is responsible for the administration of millions of federal/nonfederal dollars. A profile of university research administrators taken from the Society of Research Administrators membership is provided and professionalization is discussed. (MLW)

G. Wayne Clough, Georgia Institute of Technology's new president and an alumnus, sees in his own college experience some clues to student well-being and success. He gives diversity and multiculturalism high priority, and student financial and general funding are also major concerns. (MSE)

In this article, the author discusses how school leaders who are determined to increase student achievement know that we must change instruction. Accelerating student achievement beyond typical expectations requires a focused change in classroom instruction and a corresponding commitment of administrative time to monitoring and evaluating. We must…

Drawing on current research and best practices, this second part of the three-part resource, "Supporting Positive Behaviour in Alberta Schools," provides information and strategies for systematically teaching, supporting and reinforcing positive behaviour in the classroom. A proactive approach to classroom management is designed to…

In 2004 the Missouri Professors of Educational Administration (NPEA) identified principals who had guided their schools to improved student achievement and/or maintained high levels of achievement.

In many schools and districts, leaders are lacking the necessary skills and preparation for the roles to which they are assigned. Improving the preparation of school and district leaders prior to hiring or promotion can help schools and districts accomplish the following goals: (1) Meet the growing need for highly qualified leaders; (2) Raise…

School communities feel pressure to dramatically improve the educational experience of students and principals are confronted with the need to lead their staff and community in examining current practice and implementing changes that respond to these demands. Leading school change is one of the most complex tasks faced by a school leader. The…

How should district and school leaders improve education for students traditionally underserved by public education: by increasing control over teaching and curriculum, or by empowering groups of teachers to have more collective autonomy, responsibility, and opportunities for professional learning? The second approach--promoting multiple…

Written by a practicing superintendent for practitioners, this book provides guidelines for becoming a vision-based, reflective leader. Part 1 (chapters 1 through 6) conveys general principles of educational leadership based on personal experience. Part 2 (chapters 7 through 11) provides examples of effective, exemplary programs from Pittsburgh…

This book demonstrates the centrality of caring in educational administration. As a conceptual framework that emphasizes personal development and the cultivation of community, an ethic of caring can be used to improve academic performance, combat social problems, and rethink organizational strategies. Chapter 1 draws from scholarship in a number…