This issue paper is the first in a series commissioned by the Education Commission of the States on issues relating to superintendent and school-board leadership. The study from which this paper derives builds on earlier studies that focused on characteristics and demographics of the superintendency, and on the status of relations and functions of…

Research into school reform has established that effective leadership is essential for developing high-performing schools. But across the country public school districts are reporting a decrease in applications for administration positions. Using data from Connecticut, this paper examines administrators' and teachers' perceptions of administrative…

Although instructional leadership is acknowledged to be a critical skill in educational administration, few principals and superintendents have had in-depth training for that role, especially in a standards-based environment. Current definitions of instructional leadership include much deeper involvement in the "core technology" of…

A study investigated the career advancement of three female superintendents from a Southern state who had completed surveys. These three female superintendents served as preliminary case-study participants and became the focus of the study concerning career advancement for women. One major finding of the survey was the importance of mentoring in…

This book provides guidance for school-board members who wish to enhance their effectiveness. It is structured around two central questions: What does an effective school board look like? and How can a board, with the support of its superintendent and community, become more effective? Part 1 describes the issues facing school boards and the major…

This document provides recommendations to Community College chancellors and superintendents based on survey responses from 11 multi-college district chancellors and 37 single college district superintendents and/or presidents of the Community College League of California. The report provides demographic information, such as gender, ethnicity,…

School boards and communities commonly face a challenge when choosing superintendents: should they select somebody from inside the community or from outside? The tacit knowledge (knowledge gained by experience) each superintendent brings to his or her district is unique and influences the beliefs of school boards in unique ways. This study…

Principals, aspiring principals, and superintendents completed surveys investigating the state of the principalship in Indiana. Respondents rank-ordered selected skills and personal traits necessary to succeed as school principals. Perceived barriers for principal candidates were compared by group. A total of 581 principals, 55 aspiring…

This paper, intended for school superintendents, addresses educational concerns associated with the Emergency Immigrant Education Act. The article discusses the background and application of the act, emphasizing the fact that immigrant students affect areas such as distribution of resources, curriculum development, pedagogy, teacher preparation,…

In 1999, the Duval County (Fla.) school system set out to improve every school in the district. Over the next five years, the district achieved stunning results that have drawn nationwide attention. Jonathan A. Supovitz uses the unfolding story of Duval County to develop a sophisticated and thoughtful analysis of the role of the school district in…

Considered the responsibilities of the assistant principal in creating an effective curriculum. (RK)

Examines the objectives and functions of school maintenance and presents an organizational chart for a school district maintenance department. Asserts that programed maintenance'' and the utilization of data processing techniques are not to be regarded as luxury budget items. (WM)

Superintendents of education in the 50 states of the United States, the 11 Canadian provinces, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Samoa, Guam, and the Trust Territories of the Pacific were surveyed about the criteria for certification of school psychologists set forth by state departments of education. (Author/JM)

Community education appears to be peculiarly vulnerable to bureaucratic restrictions. Consequently, successful community education endeavors appear to require basic role changes among teachers, principals, supervisors, superintendents, and board members. (Author/JH)