Describes how several states are coping with issues related to the cost, value, and funding of online courses offered by virtual (cyber) schools. (PKP)

The first trials, convictions and sentencings of the two men charged as the infamous "Beltway Snipers" are now part of history. John Allen Mohammed and Lee Boyd Malvo will face additional capital murder charges in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, DC, for the deaths of 10 men and women and the wounding of a school child and two adults along the…

In this article, the author asserts that now that states and school districts are enacting ever more rigorous standards, instructional materials and assessments, school board members are asking more questions, as they should. Superintendents would be wise to have strategies ready to help them learn more about the new standards-based environment.…

The setting is Pleasantville, a mid-size Midwestern suburban school district with 9,500 students and a proud tradition of active parent involvement and strong public support for the schools. Mary Vicenzi was recruited by Pleasantville's nine-member school board, which was concerned above all else, unanimously and emphatically, with the need to…

This article contains short stories that involve positively focused systemic strategies. The three examples that provided in this article are all grounded in open-ended, asset-based inquiry about what is life-giving, generative and important for children and adults. In addition, each focuses on giving youth an opportunity to recognize the impact…

When the Clark County, Nevada, school board pledged to avoid micromanaging the district and focus on the big picture of improving student achievement, the move was a radical shift. For board members accustomed to dealing with what one described as "convoluted" policies that filled several 6-inch-thick books, the streamlined approach to…

Auditing school districts on a regular basis hasn't been part of the comptroller's job description in New York for 20 years. That began to change 18 months ago, when accusations arose about expenses made by a former administrator in Roslyn, a 3,300-student system in an affluent Long Island community. Questionable spending has come to light in more…

This article examines 20th-century longitudinal data on the American superintendency's composition by sex. The authors analyze and discuss those data in the light of occupational sex segregation theory to illuminate complexities associated with women's in roads into historically male work. The authors' overarching purpose is to deepen…

School preparedness includes the possibility of a natural disaster, but recent events also confirm a need for preparedness and prevention efforts for intentional mass casualty incidents (MCIs). This survey examined the preparedness for the prevention and response for MCIs at public schools in Arkansas. This survey demonstrated that most school…

The superintendent's role today is so complex that it deals with so many competing issues and is measured by such high standards tied to accountability for results that few are willing to tackle the job these days. With such a seemingly impossible job to tame, it is amazing that some superintendents still can truly affect student achievement. In…

The increased emphasis on the role of educational leaders in the success of schools has led many schools of education to examine their leadership preparation programs. Ms. Orr presents some promising innovations and new directions in program design and delivery. (Contains 16 endnotes.)

When superintendent Bill Harbron of the Northern Ozaukee School District in Fredonia, Wisconsin decided it was time to offer more instructional alternatives to students and parents, an e-learning program seemed like the perfect fit. After researching and considering several options, he invited e-learning content provider K12 to present its program…

People in the rolling, scenic valley, between the Ozarks and Ouchita mountains have a lot in common. As of this school year, they share something else in common: a school district. The four districts that make up the newly christened Two Rivers are among 57 rural Arkansas systems that state lawmakers forced to consolidate with their neighbors.…

This paper presents the Superintendent's 21st Annual Report, a comprehensive overview of Hawaii's public schools for school year 2009-10. This report contains essential progress indicators and measures, as well as highlights and comparisons of core educational data presented in a concise and user-friendly format. Appended are: (1) Glossary; (2)…

This research is part of a comprehensive effort to pinpoint the key leadership factors that improve student achievement and increase the number of high school graduates who are ready for college and careers. In this study, SREB (Southern Regional Education Board) examined the role of the district office in providing principals with the working…