This study sought to examine the extent superintendent longevity relates to student performance as measured by graduation rates. Specifically, this study sought to examine how a district school superintendent's longevity provides conducive context through which student academic improvement programs, culture, and relationships could be established…

Mantua Township is a small rural town located in southern New Jersey, about 30 minutes outside of Philadelphia. Students in the township attend one of three neighborhood schools, pre-K through sixth grade. Sewell School educates students in grades pre-K to K, Centre City School educates students in Grades 1 to 3, and J. Mason Tomlin School…

Community-university partnerships create opportunities for researchers and practitioners to collaborate on the implementation and measurement of innovative consultation frameworks, and to explore the role of consultant competencies in working with school leadership teams. The purpose of this article is to introduce an empirically based approach,…

The purpose of this study was to describe the school climate and school culture in selected public secondary Priority Schools, Focus Schools, and Reward Schools in New Jersey and New York. This study used the United States Department of Education's Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Flexibility Waiver definition to identify Priority…

Union County College is a public, two-year college in Union County, New Jersey, with a main campus in Cranford and additional campuses in Elizabeth, Plainfield, and Scotch Plains. Founded in 1933, it is the oldest community college in New Jersey. It has been accredited since 1957 by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States…

Restrictions on collective bargaining are spreading. But while reformers are right to question current labor practices in education, they're wrong to believe that bargaining prohibitions will solve the problems. A smarter approach would begin by putting down the sledgehammer wielded in Wisconsin and picking up a scalpel by pushing for laws aimed…

When the Soviet Union launched Sputnik in 1957, it forced Americans to examine the state of science and technology at home. Almost ten years later in 1983, the A Nation at Risk Report showed that schools were still failing in many areas including technology. The No Child Left Behind Report released in the early 2000s confirmed that educational…

This study explored how untenured teachers define the concept of "teacher leadership" and how this understanding is evidenced in day-to-day practice. Results suggest that new teachers view "teacher leadership" as activities necessary for promotion to higher-level administrative roles. Much less consideration was given to the…

Findings from the current study show that new teacher expectations for involvement in school decision-making are not being actualized. Based on feedback from elementary and secondary teachers (n=504) in 87 schools, the results show significant differences between actual and preferred levels of participation in 16 areas of school decision-making.…

A study of 55 New Jersey schools revealed that 35 principals shared none of the decision-making authority with subordinates. In 17 of the schools, half or fewer of the decisions were made by subordinates. Teacher contracts and recent legal rulings were cited as factors discouraging delegation of authority. (MLF)

Uses survey methodology to investigate elementary and middle school teachers' actual, preferred, and deprived participation in 16 areas of school-level decision-making involving New Jersey's whole-school reform program over 2-year period. Finds, for example, that teachers had less than preferred participation in all 16 areas and high levels of…

It is difficult to assemble the necessary conditions for school-based management when staff are struggling with basic civility. A New Jersey superintendent proceeded slowly while recognizing that things could go wrong and providing staff with needed conflict-resolution tools. School and district councils helped diffuse acrimony and motivate staff…

This study examined issues faced during implementation of school-based management (SBM) in New Jersey's special needs or Abbott districts, using a literature review, surveys of K-12 schools, and focus groups with central office administrators. The study examined forms of SBM, team operations, local autonomy versus state power, skills required to…

Summarizes an empirical study of New Jersey middle schools that examines important domains of teacher participation in decision making and school climate. Healthy interpersonal dynamics are associated with lower levels of decision deprivation among teachers. Although a healthy school climate may underlie authentic teacher participation, it is less…

Recent high school reform efforts strongly recommend that schools model democratic principles and give students, teachers, parents, and community members a significant role in school governance and the decision-making process. Specific recommendations include the creation of site-based decision-making councils, student leadership forums, and…