Principals claim the authority to hire teachers; however, central office personnel specialists, who are trained to make balanced, legally sound hiring decisions, also have a role to play. In an introduction to three articles on this topic, practices at three organizations outside education that demonstrate a partnership approach are cited. (MLF)

A principal praises a collaborative method of selecting teachers that involves a personnel interview and a background check followed by an interview with the building principal. Several candidates are then interviewed by a team of at least three staff members to ensure that the prospective teacher shares the school's philosophy and vision. (MLF)

In districts committed to site-based management, principals expect to have a great degree of authority in staff selection. A principal maintains that, if district administrators must make the occasional staff selection decision, then the principals should at least be consulted before the final decision is made. (MLF)

According to a personnel director, principals should be able to specify the critical knowledge, skills, and attitudes they require of prospective teacher candidates. Personnel officials should be able to identify candidates who meet those criteria. (MLF)

Data from Kansas' 265 rural school districts from 1978-1979 through 1983-1984 revealed that there were 194 superintendent changes and 33 central office administrator changes during that period. Based on a total of 265 superintendencies and 46 central office administrator positions, the average number of superintendent changes per year was 32.33,…

Establishing a good relationship between central office administrators and school personnel requires shared responsibility and flexibility. (MLF)

Accountability is the key in a site-based program. Argues that all schools must have equal access to all programs and all students must have equal access to specialized programs. (MLF)

School-district central-office administration is responsible for creating the structure and framework for school staffs to work in the interest of their students. The district needs to establish strategic priorities for the use of funds. Schools should be held accountable for deploying the resources and controlling expenditures. (MLF)

The objectives of this study of public school administrators were to determine the level of burnout experienced by school administrators, the relationships between burnout and stress measures, the factors associated with burnout, and the relationships between administrative level and components of the Administrative Role Perception Inventory…

In examining the dynamics of change processes in high schools, this study makes initial interpretations about school officials who serve as change facilitators. The researchers found that a trend exists for the source of change to come from outside the high school. Principals, assistant principals, and department heads as well as central office…

Staffing patterns in American public-school systems are presented in this report of the 2000-01 school year. The report addresses the following: why information about staffing ratios is important; how many people currently work in public schools; what proportion of these are teachers, administrators, and support staff; current staffing patterns in…

A California school district provides professional development for administrators with school-based principal meetings and visitations to classrooms followed by reflection and analysis; peer mentoring for principals; and ongoing support and monitoring of school sites by the district office administrators. (MLF)

This guide is designed for reform-jaded superintendents who, in spite of everything, still want to promote excellence in their schools. After a brief introductory chapter, chapter 2 reviews nine well-known national reports, most of which offer little help to superintendents. The guide recommends three books "High School: A Report on Secondary…

Explores where in the school-budgeting process decentralized decision making could be used. People at the building site should be evaluating the programs and making decisions about their effectiveness and continued funding. (MLF)

Although site-based management is very popular, it is not always well understood or implemented. Seeking a middle ground between leadership theory and practice, this practical guidebook provides a systemwide approach to site-based management as a school improvement strategy; integrates a student-oriented, strategic-planning process; identifies 9…