Purpose: This study explored a theoretical model proposing direct and mediated effects for principals' characteristics--principals' information-processing mechanisms (PIPMs) and instructional leadership (IL)--with organizational learning mechanisms (OLMs), for schools' OLMs with teachers' characteristics--teachers' affective commitment (TAC),…

Federal and state mandates to improve student achievement for all students necessitate change in the way schools operate and are run. The role of the principal has changed and requires different skills to succeed in the 21st century. However, there are few studies that focus on revealing the perspective of a principal who applied a change theory…

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the means by which principals achieve an impact on student achievement. Research Design: Through the application of structural equation modeling, a mediated-effects model for school leadership was tested, using data from 97 secondary schools in the Netherlands. Findings: The results showed a small…

There is limited empirical research about innovation in various types of schools of choice, although viable choice policies tend to assume clear differentiation amongst schools. Innovation can be conceptualized in many ways and takes place at multiple levels of the school organization. Schools can innovate in terms of the roles and responsibility…

This study examines principal monitoring and beginning teachers' experiences through interviews. Findings indicate socializing into an ineffective school will either promulgate ineffective practices or will produce an internal conflict. At schools where principals were "all about the kids," teachers demonstrated loyalty and voiced intentions to…

The theory-driven Organizational Health Inventory was compared to the empirically derived Organizational Climate Description Questionnaire in predicting student achievement and teachers' commitment to the school. After controlling for the socioeconomic status of the sampled 58 schools, only academic emphasis contributed significantly to student…

Based on comments from a woman principal's diary, this article views the building of a healthy school culture as essential to achieving school effectiveness and administrative sanity. Success depends on a clear mission, sound communication patterns, a good leadership team, and effective planning and staff development components. (MLH)

The role and responsibilities of the English headmaster are examined and compared to those of the American principal. Suggestions are offered for improving schools by giving principals more responsiblilty and leadership ability. (DF)

Research on effective teaching, combined with findings of the effective schools movement, is calling for teacher empowerment and new leadership opportunities for principals. This article describes a leadership pyramid embodying symbolic, cultural, instructional, and managerial functions. Principals will still operate at the top (symbolic and…

Many educators have been too quick to use traditional statistical data as measures of school effectiveness. Instead, educators should develop means of understanding and communicating to the public measures of social variables that operate in effective schools. (JW)

School-based management (S/B/M) pilot projects, funded by the Washington State Legislature, were established to develop and strengthen the S/B/M concept to produce meaningful change. Bringing together recent educational research and modern business management theory, S/B/M operates on the assumptions that individual schools are the largest…

This paper examines transformational leadership, defined as follows: an influencing relationship between inspired, energetic leaders and followers who have a mutual commitment to a mission that includes a belief in empowering the members of an organization to effect lasting change. The article presents the results of a qualitative and quantitative…

One result of the extraordinarily rapid pace of educational reform in recent decades has been public expectation of greater accountability for the more than $300 billion spent annually on schools. As reformers have sought better ways to utilize all resources, including instructional time, block scheduling has been developed as a more efficient way…

Research indicates that school organization factors may be as important in explaining and managing school discipline as classroom techniques. The key to developing an environment conducive to good student deportment is a total school effort facilitated by a highly visible principal. Includes 11 references. (MLH)

Examined the nature and extent of the school principal's role in affecting student learning. Found no direct effects from the principal's instructional leadership, but did find an indirect influence on overall school effectiveness through actions that shape the school's learning environment. (ET)