This conceptual article presents a review of the research concerning the stress level of principals over the past three decades, with emphasis on the occupational stress that principals encounter because of heightened accountability and expectations for student achievement. Mindfulness meditation, as a stress management intervention, provides the…

This study examined approximately 6,500 Florida students' reading and mathematics performance when taught by a sample of teachers who obtained their teaching credentials through the Troops to Teachers program. Results indicated that students served by Troops teachers performed about equally well in reading and achieved a small but statistically…

A typology of evaluation techniques intended to help school personnel to compare and contrast various approaches. (Author/MLF)

To manage its special education programs more efficiently, a large school district streamlined its student review process by centralizing its databank and careful teamwork. Success resulted from obtaining accurate statistics, planning and reviewing necessary activities, establishing a master calendar, securing participants' commitment, following…

A six-step process of accountability is presented to support counselors and counseling programs. The six stages are: goal setting, needs assessment, priority setting, planning interventions, evaluating outcomes, and reporting results. (MD)

In the 21st century, the redefinition of teacher professionalism will include three primary features: recognizing oneself as a learner; using that learning-centered spirit to transform schools into learning organizations; and reasserting one's own moral autonomy to provide space and time for serious, reflective thought and study. This redefinition…

The primary uses of teacher assessment at the local level are to improve instruction, inform tenure decisions, and fulfill contractual requirements; in most districts, teacher assessment has little influence on educational practice. Principals can substantially enhance the success of teacher assessment by understanding its purpose, considering…

At best, competency testing should be used as just one indicator of an individual's proficiency as a school administrator. Evaluation alternatives include the use of assessment centers, on-the-job training and/or assessment, alternative forms of testing, multiple competency indicators, better recruitment strategies, and enhanced school…

A recent literature review and field survey on administrator evaluation disclosed disappointing results. There is uniform agreement that building administrator evaluations should be conducted by the superintendent and that general behavior categories might be examined. The literature is silent regarding definitive format. Researchers and…

Standardized teacher appraisal instruments are generally not designed to evaluate the specialized instructional practices of teachers working with exceptional students. By incorporating the model described in this article, teacher evaluators can use their state-mandated system and meet these teachers' need for equitable consideration. Includes 10…

What makes high schools successful in a high-stakes accountability environment? This case study used documents, interviews, and site visits to create profiles of 11 diverse North Carolina high schools with records of high performance on state assessments. Profiles were analyzed by themes or patterns of success recurring in the data. The analysis…

Accountability systems are designed to heighten probability of student exposure to good instructional practice, reduce the likelihood of harmful practices, and provide internal self-correctives. The Chapter 1 accountability system fails to meet these objectives, as it lacks timely self-correction information, credible tests, and linkages among…

Teacher-observation forms should focus on observable teacher-preparation behaviors and teaching techniques appropriate to a particular lesson. The form presented in this article includes both considerations and is most useful for middle and secondary levels. The form helps focus a preobservation conference on factors establishing pertinent teacher…

Principals must realize the positive effects that marketing can have on improving schools and building support for them. Market analysis forces clarification of the competing needs and interests present in the community. The four marketing phases are needs assessment, analysis, goal setting, and public relations and advertising. (MLH)

The push for national examinations is motivated by unrealistic expectations about the information they will yield. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) has now been asked to monitor achievement at the state level, serve as an evaluation and accountability instrument, and be a benchmark for other tests. This article examines…