The purpose of this study was to (a) determine the frequency of prior dismissal or reassignment as site administrators as experienced by sitting California school district superintendents, (b) determine the opinions of California district superintendents about the lack of due process rights of school site administrators about support systems and…

Boards can soften the termination blow by assuring employees that layoffs are not personal and offering to write letters of recommendation. School systems should also give early notices and reasonable explanations, eliminate positions through attrition and early retirement, and place certified administrators in lesser administrative or teaching…

Two thematic articles are included: "Career Counselors as Vocational Experts: Determining Earning Capacity" (Maze) discusses the value of counselors as expert witnesses in forensic settings; "Vocational Examinations in Family Law and Wrongful Termination Cases in California" (Miller, Schwadron) suggests that vocational expert…

In recent surveys, superintendents and principals reported several reasons why principals lose their jobs: failure to communicate positively; make wise decisions; build confidence, trust, and support among constituents; and manage complex political influences. Principals cited politics, ineffective administrative practices, and board conflicts.…

Compared 124 California principals' perceptions with 99 superintendents' perceptions on 22 reasons for principal terminations and on 9 organizational outcomes related to ineffective leadership. Superintendents attribute principals' failure to internal personal insufficiencies; principals most often named external factors--political interference…