As part of the Study of Dissemination Efforts Supporting School Improvement, researchers looked at how the activities of, perceptions of, and opinions about the building administrator affect the outcome of efforts to implement new practices. This paper describes a sample of building administrators working in the 146 school districts that…

A study to determine whether the instructional leadership shown by principals is a causal factor in the effectiveness of schools demonstrated that involving principals in staff development programs can increase implementation of the programs' objectives. Fifty-three fourth- and fifth-grade teachers were assigned to three treatment conditions: one…

This paper describes issues and trends in kindergarten. There is consensus in early childhood education that a major shift in kindergarten curriculum has led to a focus on continuity of achievement rather than continuity of development. Demographic trends for the 1990's in early childhood education include: (1) increases in the number of children;…

The superintendent of Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Community School District discusses school improvement in light of several basic assumptions. The superintendent of schools can be the most influential person in the district. A handful of management techniques or processes can influence teaching and learning. Keeping highly effective schools is an…

This examination of the concept of leadership in the context of a large science-engineering library focuses on the importance of communication as it explores relevant social and political factors from an administrative perspective. The paper begins with an overview of the services and collections of the science-engineering library. The nature of…

As educators across the nation launch into frenzied efforts to "do something" in response to the various recommendations of commissions on educational excellence, many are forgetting that knowledge of how to implement change is available. This paper focuses on three concerns that educators must face when fitting general recommendations…

This manual contains guidelines for administering the Alberta, Canada, Achievement Testing Program in June 1987. The tests are administered to all students in grades 3, 6, 9, who have not been granted special exemption. The first section of the booklet includes information on the Achievement Test schedule, exemptions from the Achievement Testing…

Twenty-four elementary and junior high public schools that have received Chapter 1 funds since 1981 were selected for study in order to isolate effective school practices. Nine of these schools were included, also, in the earlier 1981-82 project; this publication, therefore, contains descriptions of only the 15 new achieving compensatory…

A long term leadership development project for Jefferson Parish, Louisiana principals is outlined in this paper. The project model emphasized peer networking as a primary process component for developing instructional leadership of principals. In the first year, three activities were implemented: (1) concerns-based meetings; (2) a workshop series;…

Frequently administrators must spend time producing documents and reports, though theoretically they are supposed to use information to create better educational environments and experiences for students. By using the personal computer as a tool for tasks and analyses that, before the computer, used to take days, administrators will have time to…

Two of the essential ingredients of institutional quality are the recruitment of quality staff and the systematic evaluation of all staff. To be effective, evaluation must be supported by the governing board, must be conducted by competent administrators with histories as superior teachers, and must be based on clearly defined personnel policies…

Public school superintendents consider situational and organizational variables when determining whether to involve others in decision-making processes. A sample of 240 superintendents from Washington, Oregon, and Idaho were sent the Situational Administrative Decision-Making Inventory. The sample was evenly divided geographically and by district…

The articles in this volume, focusing on the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed for competent evaluation of teaching, were originally presented at the National Symposia for Professionals in Evaluation and Research (NSPER:82) conferences in Portland, Oregon; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and New Orleans, Louisiana. After an introduction by…

This guide addresses the roles and responsibilities of education coordinators in Head Start programs. The guide covers the key roles of the coordinator: (1) leading the education component of the program; (2) planning, implementing, administering, and monitoring the educational services; (3) supervising staff; (4) training staff and parents; and…

This guide addresses the roles and responsibilities of education coordinators in Head Start programs. The guide covers the key roles of the coordinator: (1) leading the education component; (2) planning, implementing, administering, and monitoring the educational services; (3) supervising staff; (4) training staff and parents; and (5) evaluating…