This bulletin deals with everyday problems of boys and girls. It shows how groups of children and their teachers have tackled such problems and made some progress in solving them. It shows that the curricular activities in which children engage in solving real-life problems are often different in different regions, communities, and neighborhoods…

The formulation of effective compulsory attendance laws has been one of the problems confronting legislators and school officials for the past 70 years. The most marked advance in enacting such laws has been made since 1890. Prior to that date only 27 States and the District of Columbia had compulsory laws, and many of these were inoperative. Now…

Part 1 of the 1948-51 Education Directory covers federal and state education agencies. U.S. Federal Security Agency Office of Education officials, principal school officers of state and territorial education departments, library extension agencies' executive officers, and U.S. Department of Interior Office of Indian Affairs principal education…

A survey of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba superintendents' perceptions of control exercised by departments of education, school boards, superintendents' offices, principals and teachers shows a gradual and yet growing influence of teachers and principals on decisions affecting education. Also reflects projected trend in…

A school board's responsibility is to formulate wise educational policy in response to the will of the people. The superintendent should develop and lead a team with high morale toward the achievement of educational objectives that are jointly forged by the board, community representatives, administration, and faculty. (Author/MLF)

Since each situation is unique, no general statement can be validated about which partner in the board-superintendent relationship is dominant. The opportunity now exists for boards and superintendents to work together with mutual respect to improve public education for everyone. (Author/MLF)

The board's and superintendent's task in policy development should be clear: to recognize all members of the education community and to obtain their views before policies are set in concrete. (Author/JM)

A number of school boards have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy out their superintendents' contracts. Offers advice from school board members, superintendents, search consultants, and school attorneys on the issues of contract buyouts. Calculates the cost of contract buyouts in four large school systems. (MLF)

Fifteen rural school superintendents surveyed in Nevada believed that raising licensing requirements would only exacerbate problems in recruiting qualified substitute teachers. They also noted that rural school districts do little to recruit substitute teachers beyond newspaper advertisements. Offers suggestions for improving recruitment while…

Discusses superintendency expectations and effective schools. Research indicates superintendents must have effective administrative management and supervision skills plus the ability to evaluate principals' instructional leadership. Though there is increased emphasis on instruction, research does not suggest the superintendent's position is any…

Describes a former superintendent's disconcerting swim in the teacher candidate pool while trying to find a teaching position without "pulling strings." After landing a job teaching 36 fifth graders, he soon realized that espousing methodologies is very different from actually doing them. Allowing students more responsibility for their learning…

Bill Anton, superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, faces an explosive growth of culturally diverse students, a fiscal crisis, and threats of a strike. Despite these major problems, he remains optimistic that the district will overcome its current problems. (MLF)

Describes proactive efforts to link educational research and practice by the University of California (Santa Barbara) through its Educational Leadership Institute, which fosters relationships between university faculty and school superintendents who work in study teams to investigate specific problems confronting local schools. Proposed solutions…

A survey of 290 South Dakota superintendents, principals, and school board presidents examined personal, interpersonal, and institutional barriers to school-based management. Most school administrators, but not school board presidents, were skeptical about changing the management of school districts and implementing school-based management. (LP)

Many school boards have considered searching for their next superintendent in the ranks of the business community. Both Minneapolis (Minnesota) and Milwaukee (Wisconsin) have businesspeople as superintendents. Contains a number of comments concerning advantages a businessperson can bring to the superintendency, as opposed to the need for proper…