Educators often consider the importance of leadership approaches in effectively operating K-12 schools in their state districts. However, traits, skills, and behavioral leadership styles all seem relevant to faculty, staff, and students surrounding how principals interacted with their employees in K-12 schools. One ineffective decision by…

Recent efforts to attract and retain effective educators and to improve teaching practices have focused on reforming evaluation and compensation systems for teachers and principals. In 2006, Congress established the Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF), which provides grants to support performance-based compensation systems for teachers and principals in…

For many years, researchers seemed to subscribe to the paradigm that leaders are born and not made. Seminal research, however, suggests that leadership qualities are developed over time and through professional development (PD) experiences and performance assessments (Day, Harrison, & Halpin, 2008). This paper focuses on the assessment of…

A presidential code of conduct is needed more today than ever before. College and university presidents are being required to do more without the proper training to succeed. Presidents from outside the academy enter academia with normative patterns and codes of conduct that served them well in their previous occupations but now have the potential…

Veteran school board member, Richard E. Mayer, takes a humorous but substantive approach to the serious relationship between school administrators and board members. While the overwhelming majority of school board members have good motives, even people who mean well can make bad moves. This book shows how to prevent good intentions from creating…

Directors of early childhood programs are an amazing lot! There's so much dedication, such hard work and creative problem solving. But then that inevitable undertow of deadlines, crises, and illness begins to suck directors down. With crisis management becoming a way of life, they don't even recognize their vital signs slipping away. The author…

In her six-year study of high-performing high-poverty and high-minority schools across the United States, the author tries to clarify the reasons that these schools have succeeded in closing achievement gaps, in hopes that other schools will follow suit. The principals of these schools suggest five crucial elements that drive their success: (1)…

Web analytics measure, collect, analyze, and report Internet data that help website managers improve the effectiveness of the site and its marketing efforts by allowing them to better understand how users interact with the site. Applying this data can help drive the right people to the website and keep them there. According to Joshua Dodson, Web…

This article features Christopher Steinhauser, superintendent of the Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD), and his contributions to the district. Steinhauser, who himself attended the city's public schools and California State University at Long Beach and has worked for the district in various capacities over the past 27 years, fits right…

Following "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen Covey, this article seeks to communicate effective strategies for athletic training education Program Directors (PDs) to follow. Commentary of Covey's work and practical strategies to integrate them into PD practice and responsibilities are provided. Background: Due to a lack…

This paper illustrates how Mode 2 "design science" research can generate HRD related "general knowledge" in support of evidence-based practice. It describes a "derived-etic" study that compares and contrasts the findings of six previous "emic" studies previously carried out within six different public and…

Offers newly hired principals three recommendations for job survival: Fit in with the superintendent, carefully consider if and when change should be made, and know when it's time to move on. (PKP)

Purpose-driven leadership is a constructive leadership model that challenges an organization to: define its purpose, maintain integrity, encourage character, prevent burnout and sustain vitality. The model incorporates "best practice language" and the tools needed to foster a meaningful discourse. As school leaders strive to define, defend, and…

The Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, under the direction of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, agreed to implement a professional development policy tailored to the needs of 19 participating principals their and respective urban schools in Jefferson County, Kentucky. Following an intensive job shadowing program during the…

Discusses the child care center director evaluation process when conducted by a board of directors to enhance the director's effectiveness. Considers frequency of evaluation and assessment criteria for center and leadership and managerial objectives. Describes the evaluation process, including reorientation meetings, information gathering,…