Issues in the preparation of new principals for their role as school administrators are presented in this paper. A review of literature identifies obstacles to beginning principals' effectiveness, some of which include lack of role clarification, limited technical expertise, isolation, and inadequate time management. Suggestions for a smooth…

Succession in administrative positions can affect leadership at a school and educational effectiveness. This book examines succession not as an event, but as a complex social process marked by interactions among a school's faculty and their new principal. The first three chapters comprise the first section and cover the foundations of leader…

A description is given of South Carolina's principal apprenticeship program to train future administrators. The program focuses on two key elements: a set of field-based experiences planned to meet the specific needs of the apprentice, and a one-to-one mentor-apprentice relationship. Apprentices receive experiences in seven areas: (1) curriculum…

Six different assertions about school administration that have recently appeared in the press are examined in this paper in order to determine whether each is myth or reality. The six assertions are: (1) there are too many administrators; (2) the number of administrators is growing rapidly; (3) administrators are being paid too much; (4)…

Several recent articles theorizing about the principalship are compared, contrasted and analyzed with focus on leadership and changing roles. One main difficulty found in the first article--a literature review (Murphy)--was the absence of clarity of definitions among researchers. Several common issues emerged, including a causal relationship…

This paper presents what beginning principals do to effect change in their schools during entry and closure of the first year. The survey instrument, based on a survey of 12 first-time high school principals conducted in five states and on a 1987 study of new secondary headmasters in the United Kingdom, was mailed to new principals in 16 states.…

This article discusses the research concerning the relationship between the organizational and social context of schools and principal instructional leadership. The discussion centers on several contextual variables that include school level, staff composition, technical clarity and complexity, and district context. Particular attention is focused…

After briefly introducing the effective schools movement, chapter 1 of this monograph describes Ron Edmonds' criterion for effective schools (poor and minority children should score well on standard achievement tests in proportions equal to those attained by children in the dominant culture) and his five basic characteristics (a strong,…

In education, as in all organizational sectors, the issue of capable leadership--what it looks like, why it matters, and how to develop and sustain it--is a source of widening interest and concern. For the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, the principal of an inner-city high school or the superintendent of a small rural district, the challenge is the…

Often times, there is a lack of preparation provided for the new superintendent by universities and professional associations. Meanwhile, new school superintendents are so focused on campaigning that little time is spent on what it takes to succeed in the position. In this book the author lays the foundation with a systematic mindset, a strategic…

This publication contains two essays discussing the Teacher Advancement Program (TAP) and a criticism of merit pay for teachers. Today's schools are larger, often overcrowded, and frequently staffed by temporary or inexperienced teachers. TAP was created in response to the need for teacher-quality reform. It addresses challenges of teacher quality…

Leadership development, a component of HRD, is becoming an area of increasingly important practice for all organizations. When companies such as Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory rely on knowledge workers for success, leadership becomes even more important. This research paper tests the hypothesis that leadership credibility and the courage…

Effective school leadership requires an understanding of the tension between the technical and symbolic aspects of leadership. This paper presents findings of a study that examined principals' self-reported leadership orientations. A survey (the Principal Behavior Inventory) mailed to 865 secondary principals at Ohio public and private schools…

When an education leader develops and maintains policies that line up with the imperatives of ethical and authentic behavior, this defines the character of both the leader and the organization. Some of the questions surrounding this assertion are examined in this paper. It looks at what it means when a leader behaves in an authentic fashion, how…

Examines the competencies required by superintendents to lead schools in diverse cultural settings. Methodology included interviews with 12 multicultural education experts, participation of 14 "expert" superintendents, and written responses. Findings revealed considerable agreement between experts and superintendents concerning these…