A nationwide survey of teachers and administrators showed how central administration can facilitate school-based improvement. Results revealed eight practices that respondents believed helped facilitate the implementation of school-based improvement. Practices related to goals and planning, policy and procedures, staff development, recognition and…

Asserts that arts programs must be strong in themselves in order to survive; arts programs thrive through the collaboration of teachers, administrators, parents, students, and the community. Gives a multitude of steps, from program quality to informing the community, as a way for arts educators and advocates to take a stand. (CMK)

Examines the link between educational leadership in schools and students' performance. Educational leadership is a determining factor in student success. A leader must define and communicate the school's mission; plan, organize, supervise, and evaluate curriculum and teaching; foster a positive climate for learning, with clear student…

College trustees have a responsibility to institute investment policies that preserve real endowment value. The chief financial officer's responsibility varies, but at a minimum should provide the board with essential information and ensure that trustees understand the importance of policy decisions. Critical tasks include establishing and…

To be committed to family involvement, teachers need to see results and receive support. Administrators can focus on results by exposing teachers to positive outcomes of family involvement through literature and successful teachers' experiences. Administrators can provide support through planning, allocating personnel and resources to help,…

The dean's role includes making daily decisions regarding students, faculty, and outside parties. Deans should acquire the habit of evaluating the ramifications of troublesome decisions to avoid legal and personnel problems. This chapter outlines five aspects that deans should consider when making sensitive, difficult decisions: problems, issues,…

Discusses deans' responsibilities in financial management, including budget development, budget management, broker of resources, program review, and fundraising. Describes what deans need to know: categories of income, local tax assessment, financing new construction, and key accounting terminology. Looks at key challenges for deans and offers a…

In full-service and community schools, principals must possess a collaborative attitude and strong boundary-spanning skills. Principals must believe that collaboration can address children's complex needs, be able to obtain and distribute information strategically, view problems imaginatively, craft solutions, and develop and support others'…

A case study explored availability of collaboration benefits and the difficulties teachers experienced in attaining them in a traditional comprehensive high school that hosts a career academy and a school-within-a-school. Administrators should encourage teachers' voluntary participation, allow adequate planning time, provide training, and increase…

Grounds prognostications for the principalship on significant schooling trends. The future of schools depends on changing "outside" economic, societal, and political forces. Like most businesses and organizations, the education industry is becoming more communication- and service-oriented. Principals will need to act as social and organizational…

Examines whether private school vouchers would increase educational quality in public and private schools. Even in models featuring X-inefficient (budget-maximizing) administrators, vouchers' effects on quality are ambiguous. Vouchers may reduce the enrollment response to changes in public-school quality by placing different households on the…

Although higher education institutions have undergone substantial change in recent years, the transformation they now face will be revolutionary, not evolutionary, and will occur much faster. Campus administrators and leaders must form strategic alliances to map and guide the course of change. The more the leadership team is engaged in the…

Examined the implementation of nine pilot school-to-work high schools, highlighting planning models, curricular changes, and effects of program implementation on principals' roles. Surveys and interviews with principals and site coordinators indicated that changes in curricula were visible and heavily encouraged by respondents. Without their…

Investigated 87 (British) deputy principals' perceptions of the headship and the likelihood of their applying for such posts. A considerable number (35) replied they were unlikely to apply within the next 5 years. The 11 male respondents showed a greater disposition to apply than the 76 female respondents. Younger and less experienced respondents…

Highlights how one Texas school district moved from being a district in which token representations of minority achievement were considered evidence of districtwide success to being a district where success for all children is the operating paradigm. Guided by vision, culture, and district support, teachers have raised student achievement levels…