This report synthesizes what has been learned about how leaders in urban systems focus their leadership on the improvement of learning, and what it takes to support their leadership in these settings. The report brings together findings from three sub-study strands, concerned with efforts in seven urban districts to: a) invest staffing and other…

Providing effective administrative leadership that has a positive impact on student achievement often is problematic for school principals. Research suggests that collaboration and shared decision making are functions of effective leadership, and according to the premises of effective school instructional leadership, leadership should change with…

About 80 percent of education spending is devoted to personnel, yet the capacity of schools and districts to recruit, develop, and retain top talent is stunningly low compared with other knowledge sectors. This problem is most profoundly felt in urban school systems, which creates tremendous inequity for the students who most need a high-quality…

Great leaders are made, not born. Written by the authors of "From Good Schools to Great Schools," this sequel shows how great school leaders can be developed and how leaders can acquire the powerful personal leadership characteristics that the best administrators use to lead their schools to greatness. Based on sound strategies and the work of Jim…

Chief academic officers (CAOs) of independent colleges and universities are the principal leaders and managers of the academic programs of the institutions they serve. The core functions of higher education--teaching students, conducting scholarly research, and service to the academic community--usually fall under their purview. Despite these…

The demands of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) increase each year, requiring all students to be proficient in all subjects by 2014. Due to NCLB legislation, schools sense additional pressure to meet national and state standards. This legislation not only expanded the role of the federal government, but it also increased the pressure on schools to…

Schools are uniquely placed in democracies. Among other things, they are sites of learning about things democratic, including learning "through" as one (important) way of learning "about." There are other sites in which to learn about and through democracies but schooling's uniqueness is that it is a site through which all must pass. So…

Principal preparation programs in colleges throughout the country are being initiated and redesigned using diverse models and approaches. Creating change in any organization requires the involvement and support of supervisory personnel in leadership positions. Thus, although supervisory roles in colleges and universities tend to be less direct…

Chronic illnesses are long-term or permanent medical conditions that have recurring effects on everyday life. Large and growing number of students have chronic illnesses that affect their emotional development, physical development, academic performance, and family interactions. The primary error in educating those students is assuming that the…

Most educators, especially elementary principals, know from experience and common sense that attending school regularly during the early elementary years is essential. Young children need enough time in the classroom to gain the basic social and academic skills that will equip them to succeed long term in school. What many educators might not…

Perspectives of principal leadership behavior contribute to how principals and other school leaders understand the role of the principal in an era of significant educational reforms. A Q methodology was used with 30 principals, assistant principals, and other educational administrators working in a variety of roles and different types of districts…

This article focuses on intergenerational communication and provides a practical approach for how teachers and administrators can implement intergenerational programs in their schools. A discussion of the social and cultural implications of intergenerational communication is offered, and a review of literature regarding intergenerational programs…

This paper discusses responses provided by 31 Pro Vice-Chancellors (PVCs) and Deputy Vice-Chancellors (DVCs) who were part of a larger study of more than 500 higher education leaders in roles ranging from DVC to head of programme in 20 Australian universities. Using both quantitative and qualitative data the paper gives an insider's perspective on…

Literature verifies that Native American students are not graduating at a comparable rate as students from other ethnic groups. Furthermore, studies that focus solely on the persistence and completion rates for Native American students are fewer than for students who identify with other racial/ethnic groups. This research explored the inner…

This qualitative research study explored the perceptions of educators in five small rural high schools regarding meeting the literacy needs of ninth-grade struggling readers in rural settings. Data were obtained from state school report cards, confidential interviews, and anonymous online surveys. Thirteen interview participants provided 91…