Santa Fe School Superintendent Yvonne Gonzales, the "Texas Tornado," was hired to fix a 40% student-dropout rate and a white/Hispanic gap in achievement test scores. Gonzales is an avid integrationist; relies on humor, appeasement, and persuasion tactics; and has alienated some school employees by increasing central office…

Summarizes study comparing superintendents' and principals' expectations concerning principals' involvement in making budget decisions at school site. Respondents differed significantly regarding degree of principal involvement in salary decisions about noncertificated staff, purchase of texts and library books, and decisions affecting building…

In 1980, a joint committee of the National School Boards Association (NSBA) and the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) developed a publication for school boards and superintendents. The publication is being revised to reflect changes in education and society. Presents from the joint NSBA/AASA statement the responsibilities of…

The reversals (including two harrowing racial incidents) confronting Ben Canada on the way to becoming Atlanta's chief educator have strengthened his convictions. Despite numerous achievements, he was bounced from Jackson (Mississippi) Schools over a school-prayer fiasco. In Atlanta, he has dealt with a school closing situation and now faces…

In 1990, a new ultraconservative religious group in San Diego County began an all-out war on public education. This article describes mainstream efforts to combat curriculum challenges and "stealth" board election tactics devised by Citizens for Excellence in Education and other fundamentalist factions. Meanwhile, the new CEE-majority…

The rapid turnover in urban superintendencies reflects changes in big-city school boards that are increasingly characterized as political rather than as public service positions. In addition, the expectation that urban superintendents should find solutions for complex issues and the urban boards' desire for a person of color have resulted in fewer…

To attract the best available superintendent candidates boards should (1) sell the advantages of the district; (2) define expectations early; (3) spell out working relationships; (4) develop compensation guidelines early; (5) consider developing leaders and alternative prospects; (6) maintain strict confidentiality; and (7) make the final…

Superintendents, a principal, a teacher, and representatives of the National Education Association describe how they are attempting to resolve the question of establishing parameters in shared decision-making programs. Also lists 12 principles necessary for effective decision making to commence and 12 effective practices in shared decision making.…

Tupelo (Mississippi) Superintendent Mike Walters eschewed his former "happy bureaucrat" role for a facilitative role allowing teachers to reinvent curriculum and instruction. Inspired by Deming's continuous-improvement precept and aided by a $3.5 million grant from the area's Fortune-500 business community, this superintendent finds…

Although Superintendent Frank Petruzielo arrived with briefcase full of plans to change Houston (Texas) school district, he spent his first year reworking his ideas in consultation with district teachers and administrators. He ignored school budget brokering that had occurred between previous school boards and business establishment, won 32%…

Summarizes research into the positive and negative views about school-based management (local management of schools) held by senior managers, governors, and classroom teachers in 11 schools within 1 British local education authority. LMS has concentrated financial tasks within a small elite group of senior managers and governors, with governors…

Since a large, underfunded urban Colorado district initiated ISO 9000 reforms, administrators and staff have reviewed 14 central-office departments' processes to improve efficiency and enhance student outcomes. Jefferson County has saved $900,000 annually on purchasing processes, developed a quality curriculum-development process, and improved…

Survey responses by superintendents in 81 of Georgia's 114 rural school districts covered violence prevention policies; use of searches, videocamera surveillance, metal detectors, security alarm systems, dress codes, and law enforcement officers on campus; incidence of removal of weapons and various forms of violence; student discipline programs;…

The former state-appointed superintendent of the Paterson District in New Jersey states that, according to law, in the fifth year after a takeover, anyone may run for any vacant seat on the board. Argues that the state should have some type of permanent oversight responsibility when the district is returned to local control. A sidebar reflects a…

School and union officials in California's Lompoc Unified School District turned what was an adversarial and distrustful process into highly collaborative one. The Lompoc experience suggests certain elements are crucial in transforming labor relations: (1) critical number of visionary key players; (2) sense of trust throughout the organization;…