Principals are powerful: They are the primary catalysts for creating a lasting foundation for learning, driving school and student performance, and shaping the long-term impact of school improvement efforts. Yet few principals would characterize themselves as powerful. Rather, they're self-effacing, adaptable, pragmatic, and quick to share credit…

Compares 1960s and 1970s research findings positing a strong academic-achievement/socioeconomic-status correlation with 1980s school-effectiveness research and recent studies advocating whole language, cooperative learning, and multiage grouping. Since there's research to support numerous practices and beliefs, educators must resist fads, quick…