Staff development is rapidly becoming more visible and more expensive. School boards and the voting public are becoming aware of the increasing costs and are demanding to know how effectively the money is being spent. It will become increasingly difficult, even job-threatening, for superintendents who guide ineffective staff development programs.…

This paper focuses on the evaluation of the on-the-job performance of school district superintendents as they implement school board policy. It draws from the results of a federally supported project on improvement of administrator performance evaluation. Following an overview of the paper's objectives and rationale, part 1 offers a brief history…

This paper explores perceptual differences found in a study of California superintendents and U.S. superintendents. Data were collected from 273 U.S. and 103 California superintendents using "The Survey of Influences on Female Superintendents' Careers." The instrument collected demographic data, career-path data, ratings of strengths and…

This study examined expectations, with respect to the role of the special education administrator, held by key administrative personnel within West Virginia's rural school systems. Surveys were sent to all county superintendents, all county special education administrators, and a randomly selected sample of 150 school principals, resulting in 202…

This study investigated the nature and extent of physical education programs for individuals with disabilities in Washington State's small rural public school districts. Questionnaires were sent to 185 superintendents of small rural school districts in the state. Of the 128 responses, 70.3% enrolled individuals with disabilities. Fifty-eight…

A survey was conducted jointly by the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) and the Allstate Insurance Company to obtain the opinions of public school system administrators in order to contrast their views with those of 404 executives in the largest U.S. corporations. A questionnaire, mailed to 1,000 district superintendents who…

Findings of a study that examined the collaborative problem-solving processes used by superintendents are presented in this paper. Based on information processing theory, the study utilizes a model composed of the following components: interpretation; goals; principles and values; constraints; solution processes; and mood. Data were derived from…

Determining the limits of accountability and how schools should be assessed is one of the most difficult problems in education. The state of Texas has attempted accountability by rewarding some schools and punishing others without justification. The school superintendents of Bexar County (Texas) and the Center for Educational Leadership at Trinity…

A survey of 1,300 school administrators and 441 school psychologists examined perceptions of the causes of dropping out (891 administrators returned usable surveys for a response rate of 71.8%; the school psychologists' sample was part of a larger study that had yielded a response rate of 57%). Using a 5-point Likert scale, respondents rated 42…

These hearing transcripts present testimony concerning the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which since 1965 has provided the bulk of federal aid to elementary and secondary schools and related programs. Much of the testimony was from Texas education officials, school administrators, and teachers who voiced…

These hearing transcripts present testimony concerning the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education (ESA) Act, which since 1965 has provided the bulk of federal aid to elementary and secondary schools and related programs. Much of the testimony was from New York education officials, school administrators, community leaders,…

Employing multiple case study analysis methods, the attitudes and actions of superintendents in three school districts with improving basic skills test performance were compared with those of superintendents of three nonimproving districts to determine if patterns of difference existed. Contextual variations and superintendents' priorities were…

Retrenchment is defined as the reduction of secondary and elementary school teachers. Retrenchment is carried out in two ways: reduce by program or reduce by teacher. In this paper the author proposes a mathematical model for use in reduction by teacher. The key educational manager for implementing the model is the building principal, who should…

The study is an in-process report and constitutes a step in a series of studies oriented toward developing a comprehensive understanding of the work and work arrangements of public school administrators in settings which are particularly suited for such studies. The settings chosen for the present study were three school districts with student…

Prepared as a guide for developing new policies and revising existing ones, this report recognizes the need for assisting superintendents and school boards in small school districts in the improvement of board policies. Effective policies and regulations are precise and clear, consistent in style and format, readable, and regularly updated. Board…