The article presents a conceptual model of effective school leadership which is based on the experience and knowledge gained from research work done with high-performing principals in the Jamaican school system. The basic and underlying premise is that to understand how leadership works, it is essential to explore the dimensions, components, and…

Effective principals run effective schools--this much we know. Accurately measuring principal effectiveness, however, has long been an elusive goal for school administrators. In this indispensable book, author James H. Stronge details the steps and resources necessary for designing a comprehensive principal evaluation system that is based on sound…

A disconnect exists between principal leadership expectations and the actual practice of supervision and evaluation of principals. Increased principal responsibilities and rigorous standards require that a new approach to principal evaluation be considered. The authors provide a framework for a multi-dimensional approach to principal supervision…

The aim of this paper is to illustrate how principal subjectivities are constructed by particular normalizing processes that occur through the disciplinary power of grants and submission writing. An increasing part of the principal's job, under moves towards self-governing schools, is a reliance of grants and submissions in order to obtain…

School principals are second only to teachers among school-based factors that influence student achievement and they are critical to attracting and retaining effective teachers and other school staff. Yet in the past, federal policymakers haven't given school leadership much attention. This reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education…

This brief highlights what principals say about their work, especially about how the job has changed and what factors most affect job performance and satisfaction. The data have been culled from various surveys, reports, interviews, and so forth published since 2000. Specific attention is given to the degree to which concerns about addressing…

The skills acquired in a Job-Alike Workshop can go a long way toward reducing the "I don't get no respect" syndrome compounded by high student/supervisor ratios. When support personnel learn student management strategies, their daily tasks are easier, and the positive effects are noticeable throughout the entire school. (MLH)

This text presents a model that systemically relates professional development and evaluation in an appraisal of educational leadership personnel. Developmentally, appraisal is seen as a diagnostic, relatively non-judgmental system by which educational administrators gather data about their professional performance and growth. Evaluatively,…

Superlative performance ratings for the vast majority of teachers may indicate a problem, not a solution, to the quest for educational excellence. This article suggests ways to discourage overrating teachers and playing "pass the turkey." Successful teacher evaluation involves a team approach and a shift in principals' priorities. (MLH)

During 1987-88, 24 British primary headteachers were interviewed about appraisal of their job performance and possible role changes. Interviewees felt pressured to focus on the administrative and managerial aspects of headship and markedly reduce the time spent teaching. They did not consider delegation of nonteaching tasks to other staff an…

The Peer-Assisted Leadership (PAL) Program created at Far West Laboratory (San Francisco, California) gives principals and vice-principals a year-long professional development program to reduce their isolation and improve their instructional leadership performance through nonevaluative peer observation and reflection. A key element is challenge…

A survey of teachers and principals in North Cook County, Illinois, explored tenure issues related to teacher performance, professional image, job security, and teacher welfare. Although a majority of teachers and principals agreed that tenure inhibits dismissal of below-average teachers, 54 percent of teachers favored keeping tenure, and 69…

In Sweden principals are faced with societal demands requiring school systems to move from rule-oriented management to goal-oriented management. Principals can no longer rely on authority derived from position but must instead cultivate a credibility based on competence. Goal-oriented leadership is practiced on three levels: the political (the…

Describes the characteristics of a statewide principal evaluation system. Even when an evaluation system is detailed, specific, and statewide, inconsistencies develop because of the special nature of principals' work. The system breaks down in the sampling of performance and outputs, and in the communication of negative feedback. (PS)

Describes a process for evaluating school media specialists that was developed by a high school principal and librarian working as a team. The discussion covers the criteria and methods used in the evaluation process, and how well the evaluation meets the needs of both the administration and the media specialist. (CLB)