Superintendents say that managers of decline are unafraid to take risks, make cuts, or face up to conflicts; and that managers of growth identify needs, set objectives, remain flexible but maintain a strong sense of direction, and prevent unwise innovations. (Author/MLF)

This chapter of "Principles of School Business Management" reviews the historical development of the school business management process and the role, responsibilities, and training of the administrators assigned to carry out the process. The origins of school management in colonial America and the subsequent growth and increasing…

Discusses the need for and qualifications of a long-range planning coordinator for school districts. Suggests performance responsibilities of a long-range planning coordinator. (MS)

This document reports on a study of structural characteristics in the administrative behavior of Israeli school administrators and compares the findings with similar studies conducted in the United States, Canada, and Australia. The sample consisted of eight high school administrators, whose on-the-job behavior was observed for 5 hours per day for…

In 10 chapters, this book gives administrators and teachers a better understanding of how schools operate for the purpose of providing them with conceptual tools to improve performance. Chapter 1 relates what schools do and ought to do. Chapter 2 discusses the influence, power, authority, and role of the school principal. Chapter 3 analyzes…

In three parts, this book intends to present and illustrate a way of understanding the field of school administration and the work of administrators as craft within the context of how administrators function daily. Part 1 argues for school administrators to perceive their work as craft. Part 2 describes administrators' work as craft in action and…

It has become more and more common to read and hear that the essential factor underlying effective schools is an ethos or culture of excellence and that effective school leaders are culture builders. The main purpose of this study was to ascertain administrators' views of their schools' climate. The second purpose was to examine imperative skills…

This book, intended to be a hands-on guide and training tool, contains basic principles for new principals. Following an introduction, each of the book's 10 chapters focuses on one of the essential components of personal effectiveness. A highly effective principal is: (1) a communicator; (2) an educator; (3) an envisioner; (4) a facilitator; (5) a…

While the world of teaching has been primarily female, the administration world has always been populated by men. While there are similarities in the backgrounds and experiences of males and females, the legacy of discrimination and exclusion has shaped a world in which women's experiences and behaviors are often unlike those of men. Research on…

This speech discusses problems that principals face in trying to implement effective school strategies, describes ongoing research in instructional management, and identifies school improvement strategies used by particularly effective principals. The first section addresses practical problems in finding the appropriate balance between high…

This book, for the practicing school principal, is intended to bridge the gap from the traditional notion of the principal's role to innovative conceptions that respond to changing conditions and demands. It describes the traditional understandings of the role and then proposes innovative conceptions that focus on change and instructional…

This book offers a strategy for institutional change and an examination of the role of leadership in organizations. Essays focus on the shift away from faculty to a concentration on learning, especially on changes in the role of the department chair. The 12 essays are organized in three parts: Part 1, "Leading Change," includes: "A Teamwork…

Questionnaires were mailed in 1986 to school board presidents in small rural districts across the United States in order to identify the characteristics of successful rural school superintendents and the qualities that rural school boards look for when hiring a superintendent. There were 93 usable responses from 28 states. Analysis of the…

This book addresses career-related questions commonly asked by students beginning the study of school administration. As an introductory text, it presents a broad overview of school administration as a specialized field of study and as an applied field of professional practice. Special attention is given to describing the social, political, and…