Over the years, most states and districts have focused professional development on teachers rather than principals. However, evidence suggests that principals can play an important role in reaching our national goals of high achievement for all students. School leaders are powerful levers for change--when given the right training and support. But…

Leadership education must evolve to keep pace with the growing recognition that effective leadership happens in a complex environment and is as much a systemic variable as a personal one. As part of a program review process, a graduate leadership program at a private Midwestern university conducted a qualitative review of 18 online graduate…

Kansas City (Missouri) Public Schools is at a crossroads. The district has struggled for decades with poor academic achievement, dwindling enrollment and budget, and short-term superintendents--27 in the past 40 years. Most recently, after a two-year stint during which he helped the district get its financial house in order, closing nearly half of…

The Missouri Academy of Science, Mathematics and Computing (Missouri Academy) is a two-year accelerated, early-entrance-to-college, residential school that matches the level, complexity and pace of the curriculum with the readiness and motivation of high achieving high school students. The school is a part of Northwest Missouri State University…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) House Passes FY 2007 Funding Measure: Education Programs Slated to Receive Additional Funding; (2) President Bush…

The article describes a large, middle class suburban high school's controversial efforts to make improvements, noting its difficulty in convincing parents, teachers, and school board members that a school with a fine reputation did not really provide students with the education they needed for the future. (SM)

Guidelines adopted by the Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education for institutions offering undergraduate and graduate courses at off-campus locations are presented. The following areas are addressed: determination of courses to be offered, standards of credit courses offered at off-campus locations, faculty, administrative organization…

This handbook is intended to help Missouri school districts develop and implement quality family and consumer sciences programs that will prepare students of all ages to be critical, ethical thinkers and successful family, career, and community leaders. The handbook begins with a bibliography listing 27 resources. The following are among the…