Purpose: We apply diffusion of innovations theory to examine two key research questions designed to inform efforts to improve the research--practice gap in education: (1) Are there distinct types of educators that differ in their prioritization of the compatibility, observability, complexity, relative advantage, and trialability of research? and…

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to examine how the leadership coaching capacities of experienced school leaders can be developed to support less-experienced school leaders to lead continuous improvement efforts. In this article, we report the findings of a 2-year study of experienced school leaders who developed their leadership coaching…

Purpose: This study is to investigate how principals promote social justice to redress marginalization, inequity, and divisive action that are prevalent in schools. Research Method: This study employs a qualitative research design with semi-structured interviews. Twenty-two elementary and secondary school principals were interviewed in the Greater…

Purpose: English learner (EL) education policy has long directed schools to address EL students' linguistic "and" academic development without furthering inequity or segregation. The recent Every Student Succeeds Act reauthorization expresses a renewed focus on evidence of equity, effectiveness, and opportunity to learn. We propose that…

Purpose: This article presents a case for addressing evidence-based practice (EBP) in educational administration. Content is arranged around four objectives: (a) summarizing the status of educational administration as a profession, (b) defining evidence and the model, (c) explaining EBP's social and professional merit, and (d) identifying barriers…

Background: The term "distributed leadership" is now widely used among scholars and practitioners in the field of educational leadership. Major actors in the nonprofit sector promote and financially support the development of distributed leadership. Unfortunately, there is confusion and ambiguity about what "distributed leadership" means, and…

Background: A growing literature is questioning the appropriateness of a research dissertation for practitioners in education doctoral programs. Although this literature persuasively critiques the prevailing theory-research orientation of most programs and theses, it goes little beyond exhorting change and describing extant alternatives in a few…

Starts with an imaginary conversation between Ella Flagg Young and John Dewey discussing what leadership should be. A more serious critique identifies fallacies in traditional thought about leadership. Leadership theorists must abandon these fallacies and imagine leadership that emphasizes coordinating resources for teaching professionals; creates…

A persistent limitation of school administration research results from the use of myriad unrelated concepts, making research outcomes hard to generalize or synthesize. Reconsideration of superintendent vulnerability and efficiency suggests that these concepts can be replaced with others (such as emulation) to integrate at least some research…

Considers the special function of values as an influence on administrative action, which generally requires rejecting some courses in favor of others. Employs theories of cognition as a conceptual lens for reviewing and classifying the theoretical and research literature of values. Adopting this perspective allows reconciliation of several…

Examines two research orientations for departments of education--the craft-based model using generalists and former practitioners and the discipline-based model using specialists grounded in the humanities or social sciences. Criticizes weaknesses of both approaches and proposes a third model--the disciplined study of problems of practice.…

Asserts that arguments about traditional logical empiricist conceptions of science have figured in ill-conceived debates over educational administration theory. Reviews these debates and their consequences for administrative theory. Urges adoption of a nonfoundational, coherentist view of knowledge justification leading to a broader conception of…

Explores compensation practices fundamental to the school board/employee exchange relationship, using a sample of 615 midwestern superintendents. Employs an organizational justice model, focusing on its procedural and distributive dimensions. Explores procedural justice via market-rate earnings equations and distributive justice by examining…

Reports on Educative Leadership Project, which brought together theorists and exemplary practitioners within critically collaborative research framework to generate practical theory of educational leadership. Participants appeared to integrate three major perspectives--educative leadership as an activity conducted in a material world, as cultural…

The commentary on this special issue on leadership summarizes the articles and claims that they take a different stance from previous research by legitimizing the subjective realities of practice, emphasizing meaning, and acknowledging the moral as a source of authority for what happens in school. (12 references) (MLF)