The purpose of this Bulletin is to clarify the intent of shared decision making (SDM) and explore its benefits, drawbacks, and implementation. It looks at how the principal's role changes in SDM, stresses the need for training, examines conditions that affect successful implementation of SDM, and offers ideas on how schools can concentrate on…

This paper analyzes the superintendent's role in protecting the religious liberty of students in today's public schools. The dilemma for superintendents is to find a way to step back, objectively and evaluate the activism in the community, and then move to a bonding leadership style when working with diverse religious issues. The paper opens with…

Little research exists on the roles and career intentions of deputy headships in English cities. This paper explores how deputy heads in Sheffield, England, perceive their roles in relation to preparation for the headship. The text describes the national context of primary education in England and Wales and explores the understanding of theories…

This booklet is a guide to the planning process for members of governing boards of institutions of higher education. Generally, it sees the role of the board in planning as ensuring that planning takes place and insisting that plans are used regularly for decision making. The publication discusses the following five specific tasks related to this…

Without fear, there is no courage, only ignorance of a situation's dynamics. Acknowledging a decision's liabilities promotes fear and forces the educational leader to exercise courage in formulating and carrying out a response to that situation. Courage alone is not enough, however, and could lead to professional suicide. Wisdom to marshal that…

This study uses interviews with the principals of five elementary schools in Seattle (Washington) to identify effective strategies and practices associated with schools that demonstrated high gains in reading and mathematics achievement. The results of each interview are presented in the form of a case study illustrating the principal's behavior.…

This four-part document provides an overview of the knowledge, perspectives, and skills of administration. The chapters are extracted mostly from issues of "Educational Administration Quarterly." Part 1, "The Society in Which Leaders Lead," contains five chapters: (1) "Do Political Ideologies Influence Education in the United States?" (Ralph B.…

Findings of a study that examined patterns in coalition-building for school restructuring are presented in this paper, which focuses on the adoption and early implementation stages of educational change. A case study analysis of two high schools and one district involved in school restructuring was undertaken through site observation and…

This book is designed to provide the basis for a teaching/learning process by which building administrators provide school-age youth with the appropriate social skills necessary for student success. Administrative intervention, an effective method for dealing with discipline problems, is comprised of a sequential set of instructional components…

The changing role of the local school district superintendent is examined in this paper, which focuses on the link between the local education executive officers and school effectiveness. It is argued that the concept of the superintendency has changed from that of a manager to that of the leader of school district quality and effectiveness. Four…

Issues in the resolution of departmental conflict by university chairs of educational administration departments are discussed in this paper. The need for finding more constructive ways to handle conflict is highlighted by a survey of 808 department chairs at 101 research and doctoral-granting universities, in which chairs identified…

Education law changes rapidly, making it difficult to understand and administer. Even when it is understood, school boards and administrators often must make legal decisions contrary to their own value systems. One way to lessen these conflicts is preventive law, the voluntary revision of school district policies and procedures to lessen or…

This bulletin explores the roles that various stakeholders have in systemic reform and offers some recommendations for action. Data were derived from a review of research on systemic education reform and interviews with four Oregon administrators. Chapter 1 provides a sampling of the diverse groups that are calling for reform and offers some of…

Findings of a study that examined Colorado administrators' perceptions of the adequacy of their administrator preparation programs are presented in this paper. The primary purposes of the project are to provide feedback to institutions from former students regarding their administrator preparation so that they may continue to improve their…

This study investigated the organization, compliance, and concerns of public higher education regarding the implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. A survey was developed and mailed to 480 colleges and universities selected randomly within each Carnegie Classification. Analysis of responses from 270 institutions…