Key community members should always be included in any strategic planning process involving public education. After finding 18 to 24 representatives, the administrator should direct the group to discuss need for educational change, explore what changes might increase school effectiveness, adopt a mission derived from shared educational beliefs and…

An assistant superintendent describes his experience teaching Jay, an intelligent, learning-disabled 47-year-old forestry technician to read and write beyond the third grade level. Like young readers, adults must convince themselves they are capable of progress before any can be made. Jay now reads at sixth grade level and is still progressing.…

On the basis of experiences gleaned from applying for seven superintendent positions, a superintendent offers suggestions that might help school boards in their recruitment efforts. (MLF)

Examines New Jersey school boards and investigates what factors affect whether boards operate according to a professional or political model and whether professional and political boards differ in their governance role. The majority of school boards adopt the professional orientation. However, board influence depends primarily on board acceptance…

Whether speaking of health clinics, budget shortfalls, or discipline issues, Wicomico County (Maryland) School Superintendent Evelyn Holman invariably encases discussions in her own set of priorities. Building student self-esteem through mental health clinics is laudable, but preparing students for college and future employment is foremost.…

It is difficult to assemble the necessary conditions for school-based management when staff are struggling with basic civility. A New Jersey superintendent proceeded slowly while recognizing that things could go wrong and providing staff with needed conflict-resolution tools. School and district councils helped diffuse acrimony and motivate staff…

Superintendents face a no-win proposition when confronting attempted school board takeovers by religious-fundamentalist candidates. Public political disagreement may be a legitimate ground for a superintendent's dismissal. The safest course is to work quietly behind the scenes and encourage others to question candidates' qualifications and…

There are three critical attributes of genuine outcome-based learning systems: coherence, congruence, and commitment to student success. Preliminary results from three pioneering school districts show improved student performance on standardized and criterion-referenced tests. Educators will be challenged to develop a shared vision of the…

Award-winning Colorado Springs Superintendent Trevor Burnley has dedicated his energies to the "kid business"; he recently adopted his two young grandchildren and works diligently to keep schoolchildren away from the eight-ball. Faced with a slashed budget, he had to cut staff and freeze salaries, earning teachers' resentment. He…

Describes a multistate study focusing on six school districts that had engaged in districtwide school-improvement plans based on effective-schools research. The study examined superintendents' behaviors and activities to determine how they facilitated the school-improvement process. Findings showed that each superintendent (through his/her focus,…

Reports a study that investigated teacher, principal, and superintendent perceptions regarding teachers' ability to evaluate principals' performance on seven effective school leadership dimensions. Results from the Teacher Evaluation of Principals Survey indicated there was a shift in attitude by administrators toward favoring teacher evaluation…

The superintendent of Portland (Oregon) Schools defends the district's development of "baseline essays" explaining the contributions of African Americans, Asians, Hispanics, American Indians, Pacific Islanders, and European Americans to world cultures. Criticized for promoting factual inaccuracies, the project attempts to foster cultural…

Administrators across the nation have encountered vigorous challenges against textbooks, practices, and procedures that critics find laden with occult and New Age values. Attacks are becoming more aggressive, better organized, and well financed. This article and accompanying sidebars discuss pressure group tactics and ways to counter them. The…

Presents the results of a study of 24 superintendents who served in 1 rural school district for 12 years or more. The superintendents interviewed shared demographic information, insights into their school boards, and professional opinions concerning the reasons for their longevity. Most-cited reasons were a stable school board, open communication,…

School executives should learn the value of effective spin control. Politically savvy principals and superintendents keep their public-relations message simple, consider emotional appeal, repeat the message constantly, play up schools' inclusiveness as a strength, pay attention to forming both questions and answers, discredit negative messengers,…