Instructional leaders are vital to the success of a school given the impact their leadership behaviors can have on teacher retention. This quantitative study investigated the connection between teachers' perceptions of instructional leaders and teacher retention. Furthermore, this study explored which factors had the most significant impact on…

Part of the Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education (SCOPE) research series titled "Teachers' Time: Collaborating for Learning, Teaching, and Leading," this case study looks at Hillsdale High School, a large, comprehensive high school located in San Mateo, California, a high-tech enclave of Silicon Valley nestled 23 miles…

The vital role of principalship in improving schools in general and enhancing student achievement in particular has been well documented. Given its importance, there is a need for tools to improve principalship, particularly ones emphasizing those dimensions associated with student achievement. Given the accountability movement, with its…

In this brief guide, first published in 2009 and updated in March 2011 with new research, The Wallace Foundation highlights what it has learned about how to improve the academic and enrichment opportunities we provide for our children, both in and out of school. The research findings and other resources cited in this document offer…

Principals are critical to the success of any school improvement effort--from increasing academic rigor toward college- and career-ready standards to teacher evaluation and support. They ensure this success by building a strong, shared vision and leading effective implementation for staff, students, and families. The federal government has an…

The link among the quality of principals, caliber of teaching, and levels of student achievement is a tight one. School leadership is a key factor in the recruitment and retention of quality teachers; teaching quality, in turn, profoundly influences improvements in student learning and achievement. Yet despite their central role in this equation,…

This report maps out activities and supporting conditions in states, districts, and schools, that enable educational leadership to exert productive influence on learning. The report draws together threads from the research literature and from practical experimentation in a variety of states, districts, and schools, as described in greater detail…

This paper is written from the perspective of an Anglican head teacher in the context of UK public educational policy in which managerialism is construed as the prevalent orthodoxy of reform. It seeks to bring the discipline of theology and the field of school leadership studies into closer dialogue around the theme of managerialism in a way that…

Describes findings from an analysis of principal leadership in 32 U.S. urban high schools. Examines the extent of principal leadership in these schools, some specific leadership areas, and school and district conditions related to principal leadership. Principals differ greatly in six leadership areas; some critical areas are neglected. Includes 2…

The ultimate goal of instructional supervisors is to improve instruction by working with teachers and planning, organizing, and evaluating the curricula. A literature review indicates that in reality instructional supervisors are apt to spend most of their time on routine school maintenance functions. The inconsistency between job descriptions and…

Inspection and performance data show that the schools identified as least effective in England (in special measures) are more likely to sustain the improvement they make after inspection than those that are relatively more effective, although still causing concern (identified as having serious weaknesses). We compare the progress of these two…

Examines the assumption that "experience is the best teacher" for preparing vice principals for the principalship, drawing on the results of four studies. Findings suggest that role orientations emphasizing managerial or maintenance functions over instructional leadership or school improvement functions provide a dysfunctional socialization…

The Alberta Academy for Educational Leadership was created by a number of education-related organizations in response to provincial governmental pressure. To evaluate the program, at the end of a 3-year exploratory period, data were obtained from onsite observations, meetings with three sets of graduates, selected school staffs and colleagues, and…

As schools focus on improvement, a key to sustaining reform is active and effective leadership. This multimedia package (a booklet and two audiotapes) provides a general overview of the central issues related to the crisis in school leadership and offers solution options to policymakers. The booklet, "School Leadership in the 21st Century: Why and…

The new age of education shows an increasing focus on human development through family involvement, community learning resources, community social service, staff development, involvement, technology, learning climate, and motivation/reward systems. Integration of these areas calls for skills that are not traditionally taught to school leaders.…