Molly Corbett Broad, president of the University of North Carolina system and an economist by training, was brought in by the state treasurer to help convince the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association-College Retirement Equities Fund (TIAA-CREF) to open a branch in North Carolina. The experience illustrates the kind of leadership Broad has…

Naysayers should realize test scores show schools better than ever; public education is a bargain for all taxpayers; schools serve community and are safe places that do more for all children than before. Recent study shows that businesses use more supervisors than does public education. School and community are same. In sidebar, Dennis Birr…

Investigates the competencies of general-education administrators on a set of 35 skills identified by the Council for Exceptional Children as important for professionals working in the area of special education. Discusses the implications of the findings for the preparation of general-education administrators and for special-education programs and…

Creating a safe, secure learning environment has long been a high priority for high-school principals. Today's principals battle numerous federal and state laws, mandated zero-tolerance policies, and police involvement that remove them as key decision-makers. Security measures must be comprehensive, cooperative, and consistent. (MLH)

Considers the view of school governance propounded by OFSTED (British Ministry of Education), via publications on governing bodies' role, inspection reports on individual schools, and Her Majesty's Chief Inspector's annual reports. Statements in these documents project an "official" view of school governors' role, with significant…

Offers information from the ERIC database regarding midlevel managers and their training needs. Includes research findings, advice for chairs, and descriptions of professional-development programs. (VWC)

Teachers are rarely prepared for violence, and their idealism may undermine credibility and lead to disillusionment. Reality, therefore, must inform theory to equip educators with action-based solutions. Teachers need adequate preparation on handling students who bring weapons to school. The paper presents principles to ponder regarding school…

Excerpts from an interview with William H. Gray, head of the United Negro College Fund, examines the growing breadth and influence of the College Fund, his relationships with other higher education leaders, and issues facing historically black colleges and universities. (DB)

Discusses how two urban school principals used nontraditional administrative approaches as strategies for connecting home and school and for improving the literary achievement of their culturally diverse students. Describes how these principals made a personal and caring investment, served as strong instructional leaders, reconceptualized the real…

Discusses the types of responsibilities that a foreign language department chair must face, including the necessity of ensuring good teaching. Topics highlighted range from faculty development, mentoring, and team teaching to decisions about tenure and promotion, disagreements within the department, and hiring staff. (Author/VWL)

A recent investigation into school development plans in (British) primary schools concerned the involvement of governors in the design and implementation process. There were variations both within and between schools in the amount and nature of governor involvement. There is scope for governing bodies to fulfill their roles in providing a…

Summarizes a study investigating teachers,' principals,' and superintendents' perceptions of leadership by analyzing qualitative data collected from three focus groups of seven participants apiece. All three groups had similar value systems, but differed greatly in skill and knowledge domains. Teachers stressed the personality perspective;…

Describes the original four intents of teacher unionism, examining issues that have created controversy (e.g., inordinate amount of time devoted to issues not strictly related to wages, hours, and wage-related fringe benefits) and problems inherent in the bargaining process (e.g., abdication of administrative decision making). The paper discusses…

A writing group of Philadelphia elementary and middle school women principals and an educational ethnographer share some of their journal entries and reflections on that writing. The connection between the group's work and that of educational ethnographers is discussed. (MMU)

Legislators, school boards, and district administrators proposing more changes affecting schools and the principal's role should realize that many principals have little capacity to assume additional duties. Time constraints and external priorities are converting principals from instructional leaders to managers, while increasing their role's…