Teacher-student relationships (TSRs) have important implications for building trust, motivation, and engagement and improving both behavior and academic achievement. What about students' relationships with principals? Given the scarcity of literature on the PSR, research on the TSR was used to buttress the findings from this empirical study of the…

The majority of the scholarly work on school leadership over the past several decades has centered on issues of academic press, while matters involving the social development and support of students have received far less attention. We know that improving students' relationships with teachers has important, positive and long-lasting implications…

Explored the implementation of middle level reform components in both high- and low-performing middle schools, seeking to identify factors linked to student achievement. Found that organizational health, which includes academic focus, teacher affiliation, and resource support, more directly influences student performance than simple implementation…

Considers difficulties in implementing school advisory programs, related to the feminization of teaching, a phenomenon defined by the increasing number of women working as teachers, the reluctance of men to participate in advisory programs, and a pervasive cultural idea that "caring is women's work." (JPB)

Case study explores visionary leadership in action by focusing on the strategies that some middle-school principals use before implementing schoolwide reforms. Finds that visionary leadership in action involves an initial exploration of possible change areas; discussions and education regarding the issues involved; and support, commitment, and…

Although middle-level school principals are essential to current school reform, their professional development is one of its most neglected aspects. Research, literature, and support in this area are scarce and poorly coordinated. This paper reports on research done to create a conceptual framework within which characteristics for effective…

Study of middle-school principal professional development content, place, and optimal learning strategies for school reform. Finds, for example, that principals want to learn how to nurture collegial and collaborative learning environments. Also finds that principals want more in-house training and that they learn best, for example, through…

Examines the characteristics (essential skills and knowledge) of middle-level leadership from the perspectives of the principals themselves based on data collected from middle-school principals in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, using surveys and semistructured interviews. Discusses seven themes that emerge from an analysis of the data, for example,…

Qualitative study of 17 middle-level principals' recognition of the bureaucratic barriers that separate them from teachers and their willingness to participate in efforts to foster more collegial relationships with teachers. (Conains 45 references.) (PKP)

Utilizing a qualitative, multisite case study design and the theoretical framework of Hoy and Hannum (1997), the design and execution of this research investigates plausible explanations for the difference in student achievement between high performing (HPS) suburban middle schools and low performing (LPS) urban middle schools. Aside from the…

Although reports calling for middle level schooling reform first appeared in the mid-1970s, change has been slow to come. In Turning Points: Preparing American Youth for the 21st Century (1989), the Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development outlined eight essential elements of middle level education. Drawing from the Carnegie Council's…

Exploratory programs provide stimulating and enriching experiences that help young adolescents realize their strengths and weaknesses before deciding about future educational directions. A survey of teachers and principals at two Southeastern middle schools underscored exploratory programs' articulatory nature. Implementation problems and…

Researchers used a qualitative case-study methodology to examine the current status, strengths, and shortcomings of advisor-advisee programs in middle schools. Data came from six middle schools in two large metropolitan areas. At each school, researchers interviewed at least three teachers and three students. The teacher interviews focused on…

Middle-level principals are essential to current school reform initiatives. A study was undertaken to report what the respondents identified as the essential performance-based skills and knowledge needed for middle-level leadership, and to assess and project the impact of these knowledge and skill areas on administrator preparation programs. These…

Describes the Carnegie Middle School (CMS), a North Carolina public charter school that uses the community as the classroom. Examines the school's emphasis on parental support and partnerships with neighborhood business and service organizations, as well as its unique features of accessibility, problem solving, teamwork, goal setting, and life…