Lists eight criteria necessary for an effective management performance system designed for superintendents and principals, who must face the crisis in education each day. Also provides some guidelines for inculcating strategies for improving management practices. (RK)

Reports briefly on studies dealing with the roles of teachers, principals, school boards, and superintendents in making school desegregation succeed or fail. (Author/AM)

This paper considers one system of careers, Wisconsin school superintendents from 1940 through 1972, and examines the extent to which statistical characteristics of that system are consistent with a simple Markov model that assumes both individuals and jobs to be indistinguishable and careers at that level to be essentially random. (Author)

Investigates the leadership of two New York State suburban school systems. Results show that neither a board- nor a superintendent-dominated system is likely to succeed entirely. A balanced set of roles involving collaboration is the only way to achieve effective school leadership. (MLH)

Details the process that helped Oklahoma City school board members decide what they wanted in a superintendent and how they went about finding that person. (MLF)

Investigates the nature of administrative control in 12 instructionally effective school districts in California. Nine control functions are assumed to affect student outcomes by influencing curriculum and instruction. Findings from interviews with superintendents revealed more district-level control of principal behavior and site activity than…

Superintendents in 12 instructionally effective California school districts were interviewed and documents were analyzed for coordination of instructional activities management. Results suggest that these superintendents are more active "instructional managers" than expected. A uniform picture of instructional coordination is not…

Advises boards of education to recruit superintendents themselves instead of delegating the search to consultants. Benefits are (1) taxpayer savings; (2) the chance for board member teamwork without involving the superintendent; and (3) the opportunity to foster diverse approaches to educational improvement instead of furthering homogeneity in the…

This paper critically reviews administrator work activity studies which follow the research of Henry Mintzberg. It discusses directions for future research using qualitative and quantitative methods and discourages research that relies solely on Mintzberg's structure. (Author/JAZ)

Examines the nature of administrative control of school principals in 12 especially effective districts in California. Supervision and evaluation of site level administrators were rational and meaningful processes in these districts. The supervision and evaluation functions appeared to form important linkage mechanisms between schools and…

Reports findings of a survey of Illinois school superintendents which focused on which management practices they recommend in response to enrollment decline. Discusses the 32 most highly recommended practices. (KH)

Investigated relationships between teacher sense of efficacy, superintendents' ratings of teacher competency, and selected demographic and background variables in 155 teachers. Using discriminant analysis, superior and average competency teachers could be differentiated from low competency teachers on four significant variables, one of which was…

A well-written school design contract can protect both the school board and the architect. The language of the "Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Architect," provided by the American Institute of Architects, can be expanded to include terms written specifically for the owner's protection. (MLF)

Criticizes the concept of superintendents functioning as chief negotiators in collective bargaining processes (it endangers the relationship with teachers, and puts an extra burden on the demanding job of a superintendent). Lists five recommendations for hiring outside negotiators. (MD)