Superintendent John Murphy's plan to transform the Charlotte, North Carolina, schools hinged on empowering a panel of 10 distinguished educators to identify the elements of a world-class school system. The larger community contributed by attending separate day-long forums for principals and teachers, parents and concerned citizens, business and…

Surveyed South Dakota school administrators' opinions about school choice. The slight majority (55 percent) of school superintendents were opposed; high school principals were divided (50 percent for and 50 percent against); and junior high/middle school and elementary school principals favored the concept with a 53 percent majority by each group.…

Prayer at school-sponsored events became significant issue in many communities, in wake of Supreme Court's decision in "Lee v. Weisman.""Phi Delta Kappan" survey was conducted to discover how school districts handled graduation prayer. Of 1,491 responding districts, 46% included some form of prayer at formal commencement…

Describes a California school superintendent's struggle to resolve two sexual abuse cases involving teachers immediately after being appointed to head a closely knit, but financially troubled district. The superintendent's success may be attributed to careful planning, solid advice, strong and succinct district policies, honest communication, and…

Examines school finance reform in Tennessee, based on a survey of 82 superintendents' views on 1991-92 budget cuts, tax reforms, the "Tennessee Small School Systems v. McWherter" lawsuit, and the effect of proposed Basic Education Program requirements on local districts' special education programs. State budget cuts affected all…

Presents examples of four board-superintendent relationships that have survived dynamic changes in school districts and communities. Key to success lies not in survival checklists but in basic principles of educational and democratic theory: rigorous search for truth, genuine understanding, mutual respect for divergent views, sincere commitment to…

Instead of issuing boilerplate announcements of superintendent vacancies, school boards must be specific about district needs and wants. Boards hunting superintendents should decide what is important, publicize their decision widely, communicate district needs to search firm, interview only candidates who meet these criteria, use community and…

Regular, frequent evaluations of superintendents can improve communication and allow problems to be attended to before they become major issues. The National School Boards Association, the American Association of School Administrators, and state school boards associations can all provide guidance and samples of evaluation procedures. Lists…

Several superintendents have recently left school administration for careers in private education companies such as Education Alternatives, Inc., the Edison Project, and Sylvan Learning Systems, Inc. Former superintendents from New York, Rochester, Saint Paul, and Detroit reflect on their reasons for switching careers. Salary considerations…

The Crawford County (Pennsylvania) Excellence Council helped a school superintendent revamp the district's dysfunctional work order system by providing TQM (total quality management) training to five teams of workers. The result was total quality transformation of a work process that transcended mere problem solving. (MLH)

Superintendents in 153 cities with populations of from 50,000 to 100,000 were sent questionnaires asking information about school board members. Responses from 89 superintendents provided information about 597 board members. Findings indicate that whether or not board members receive pay has little effect on the makeup of school boards. (MLF)

Queried 15 midwestern public school superintendents concerning the qualities valued in subordinates, factors limiting professional success, and criteria used to determine successful problem resolution. Superintendents also described the most serious problems faced in their careers and their greatest achievements. Participants valued individual…

Analyzes school boards' response, in terms of crisis decision making, to a situation in which a superintendent was charged and later convicted of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old female student. Cites "Crucial Decisions," by Irving Janis, and offers recommendations to help board members be more effective decision makers. Presents an outline of…

The national commission reports confirmed the importance of instructional leadership in educational reform. Although the principal's role was initially emphasized, research indicates that superintendents use their bureaucratic positions in the formal organization to improve instruction through staff selection, principal supervision, instructional…

The influence of supervision as an administrative control mechanism used by superintendents to direct the work of high school principals and the nature of administrative control in schools was studied for 12 principals. Supervision, measured by superintendent visits, was generally perceived as light, and principals felt they were afforded…