The paper is an exploration of dual-role school district leadership in a small rural state. Dual-role leaders are individuals who fulfill all the roles of both the school superintendent and principal. Smaller rural school districts are the districts that often utilize a dual-role superintendent and principal model. The position of principal and…

This paper presents a conceptual model which explains the challenges of providing high quality sustainable, teacher professional development at scale. It provides a framework to support holistic thinking at a systemic level, applicable across different systems. It draws on sociocultural theories of learning and encourages the user to think about…

This qualitative case study looks at school improvement through the on-the-ground experiences of principal supervisors. Beginning with a review of literature on how systems are organized for success, the role of district central offices, and the impact of leadership on improvement, I investigate the work of principal supervisors as they develop…

In "From Tinkering to Transformation," Meredith Honig and Lydia Rainey call on superintendents and other district leaders to rethink the very premises that underlie the long-standing ways of working in their central offices. Based on the results of nearly two decades of research from districts of 2,000 to 200,000 students, Honig and…

To influence student achievement and improve learning outcomes, building leaders are expected to exercise key elements of instructional leadership. School leaders experience barriers to engaging in efforts to increase teacher effectiveness and guide instructional improvement, due to the demands on their time as they balance the operational,…

Embarking on an initiative to implement evidence-based reading instruction can be both exhilarating and daunting for school and district leaders. Some may think that adopting a curriculum grounded in the principles of the science of reading will automatically ensure success. Choosing a strong curriculum is a crucial step, but it is important to…

The Los Angeles Unified School District is the second-largest school district in the country, serving over 574,000 students. As with all school districts, L.A. Unified has experienced significant disruptions in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, working to center students' well-being and academic success while responding to urgent operational…

In this era of the Great Resignation, when nearly 40% of principals anticipate leaving their roles, districts need more resilient leaders who can meet the challenges ahead. The past two years--from the global pandemic to the national social justice movement--have created a vastly more complex and demanding environment for school leaders. The need…

The 21st century places significant demands on our educational system. It is an opportune time to re-imagine the mission, operations, and skills expected of school district offices. The focus of this study was on the school district's role in strengthening principals' instructional leadership capacity for improving educational outcomes. Using a…

There is currently considerable interest in system leadership and how it can support school change at scale. System leadership aims to move learning beyond school boundaries through leveraging experience and expertise. The success of system leadership depends on how key educational players can move effectively between and across traditional…

Research has shown principals have the second highest impact on student achievement, only surpassed by the level of instruction. This being the case, it is critical to have the most effective leaders serving in the principal role who are committed to continuing to grow and evolve to meet the needs of their students. This case study was designed to…

The current study sought to explore potential candidates' (PCs') interest in becoming primary school principals in the towns bordering Addis Ababa in Ethiopia's Oromia Regional State. The study adopted an interpretive phenomenological design. Participants in the study were ten purposively selected PCs and educational officials. The data were…

Learning another language is considered a key 21st century subject, something that all students should begin in elementary school. However, most school districts in Illinois do not offer students the opportunity to learn another language in elementary school. There are effective and high quality programs available to learn another language that…

Background and Purpose: District school improvement efforts have increasingly focused on improving the quality of support principals receive from the central office. This study uses the theoretical lens of recoupling to examines efforts by one urban district in the midst of change to revise the role of principal supervisors. Analysis focuses on…

The purpose of this phenomenological, qualitative study was to investigate how district leaders' support is perceived by district pupil personnel service (PPS) leaders in the areas of ethical leadership, district policies and practices for special education programs, and how that may contribute to a culture of inclusivity. One on one interviews…