In "Justice for Black Students: Black Principals Matter," Kofi Lomotey begins with a two-pronged premise: (1) Black students do not receive a quality education in US public (or private) schools, and (2) Black principals, like Black teachers, can make a positive impact on the academic and overall success of Black students. Through the…

The reauthorization of the U.S. Elementary and Secondary Education Act, referred to as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), emphasizes evidence-based initiatives while providing new flexibilities to states and districts with regard to the use of federal funds, including funds to promote effective school leadership. In response, state and…

This policy profile on education in Belgium is part of the "Education Policy Outlook" series, which presents comparative analysis of education policies and reforms across OECD countries. Building on the OECD's substantial comparative and sectoral knowledge base, the series offers a comparative outlook on education policy by providing…

The implementation of programs and practices that reflect the best available research and evaluation is a new and very promising development in the out-of-school time field. However, successfully implementing a new, evidence-based program or practice is a major challenge for practitioners. This challenge is due, in large part, to a lack of…

Purpose: The concept of managers assuming developmental roles such as coaches and learning facilitators has received considerable attention in recent years. Yet, despite the growing body of expert opinion that suggests that coaching is an essential core activity of everyday management and leadership, the literature base remains largely…

Developing leadership skills is fundamental to the success of superintendents, technology directors, principals, and classroom teachers. Educational technologists have been spending far too much time, energy, and money on bits and bytes. The focus needs to be shifted from systems to people. Embodied Leadership does not mean having a position of…

The job satisfaction and effectiveness of principals, the effectiveness of their schools, and the relationships among these 3 variables were investigated through questionnaires and interviews involving 112 elementary school principals, 262 teachers, and 9 area superintendents. (54 references) (MLF)

Based on a 40-year-old superintendent's experience in an Ohio school district, this article examines 5 prevalent myths regarding job demands and priorities, teacher morale, new program implementation, and the need to study the whole picture. Successful superintendents build on previous experience by remaining accessible, being good listeners, and…

This book is intended to serve as a practical guide to developing, implementing, and appraising mentoring programs for school and district leaders. It describes mentoring and discusses why it is an important issue in professional development. A three-phase model is presented to help lead school districts and individual school personnel through the…

Outlines a 15-step evaluation plan for assessing the performance of principals and assistant principals. Notes Ron Edmonds' observations that effective principals: (1) have a sense of purpose; (2) let others participate in management decisions; (3) help their staff; (4) monitor what is going on in their schools; and (5) are resourceful. (MLF)

Humor cannot solve every problem facing school administrators, but it can reduce the psychological gap between boss and staff, create camaraderie, increase problem-solving abilities, and help people cope. Administrators can look for humor, find a model, develop perspective, get support, revamp the office environment, start a "funny" file, swap…

A systematic rotation of principals can spark a willingness to tackle new challenges. Recommends the following strategies: (1) adopt a systematic rotation policy; (2) avoid random school assignments; (3) be prepared for a strong reaction from administrative staff; and (4) review personnel policies that might conflict with a rotation policy. (MLF)

Feedback provides information that lets people know how they are doing. When they are monitoring their everyday work, it lets them know how they measure up. When they are setting development goals, it reinforces changes they are making. Many people know they need feedback, but are unsure how to get it. Three things must be considered: whom to ask,…

A successful principal combines "vision" (projects) with effective leadership strategies (actions to implement the projects). Observation of a principal's work style illustrates how the leadership role is performed. A telephone interview and document analysis provide the methodological framework for this individual case study. Work style is…

This book provides leaders and those who aspire to be leaders with information in four areas to help them lead reform efforts in their schools, districts, or other organizations. These areas are leadership, change management, lifelong learning, and group facilitation. There are four sub-books contained within this one document: "Leadership…