Personal reflection on the role of college or university presidents and how their professional academic preparation influences how they accomplish things is presented. Evidence of the sociological imagination is noted. A review of how others have viewed their positions as president is included. In a recent summary, findings on the college…

This publication is designed as a reference book for business teachers and school administrators who are concerned with present and future problems of administering and supervising business education at the secondary level. Chapter I details the roles and responsibilities of the business education department chair who is administrator, supervisor,…

This report presents the results of a 7-month study and conversation among field-based educators who attempted to respond to the challenges and responsibilities facing beginning principals. Documented is the role of the principal in affecting the success of school buildings. Apparent in this body of research is the need for the principal to be…

This study investigates principals' perceptions of the effect of teacher empowerment on their role as building administrators. The researcher conducted structured interviews with 10 principals, 5 elementary and 5 secondary, in 2 school systems characterized by wider applications of shared decisionmaking and greater professional autonomy among…

This series of abstracts from the League for Innovation in the Community College and the Community College Leadership Program addresses a variety of topics of interest to community college administrators. Topics include: (1) revitalizing leadership for community colleges; (2) improving relations with board members; (3) presidential succession; (4)…

Community colleges are increasingly influenced by state-level policies and dependent upon state financial support, making it a matter of necessity for community college leaders to develop positive liaisons with state public policy makers and law makers. Given the need for positive relations with state officials, community college leaders face a…

The lack of interest in the development of competent principals who can serve as instructional leaders of reading programs is apparent in three areas: (1) lack of clearly defined research on the role of the principal in the reading program (2) lack of involvement of reading professionals in setting standards for evaluating, certifying, and…

A survey of 118 school superintendents, principals, and board chairpersons in Washington State sought to discover their perceptions of the effects on the state's common schools of two accountability statutes--the 1977 Basic Education ACT (BEA) and the Student Learning Objectives (SLO) Law. The administrators were asked about the laws' effects on…

A study of how principals in effective schools set norms for teacher behavior, student achievement, and educational goals used data from six elementary schools in Tennessee that achieved scores on standardized reading tests substantially higher than scores predicted on the basis of the students' socioeconomic levels. Four primary norm-setting…

Beginning with a brief critique of the behavioral science approach to educational administration, this paper traces the roots of an alternative perspective through examination of the new sociology of education and critical social theory. Arguing then for the location of a critical practice of educational administration in a cultural analysis of…

A study indentified and ranked the 10 highest rated functions, 10 highest rated areas of knowledge, and 9 highest rated skills needed by hospital education directors in the 1980's. In addition, designers of the study sought to determine the learning approaches that are most appropriate in obtaining the identified knowledge and skills. Using a…

The present is a good time for school-community collaboration, and the National School Volunteer Program in Alexandria (Virginia) is helping by providing assistance and training for schools' volunteer programs. Eight principles characterize effective volunteer programs, including (1) strong top-level support from superintendents and school boards;…

Seven series of newspaper articles on effective elementary and secondary schools are presented. A brief foreword explains the theme of the articles--identifying what makes good schools work. The seven sets of articles include the following: (1) "Middle Schools: How They Change the Lives of Students in Montana," by Mea Andrews; (2) "How High…

School administrators need to study and analyze the pros and cons of issues before making decisions. Ultimately, decisions need to be made by administrators as to which philosophies of education to implement in resolving conflicting points of view. More research studies would lead to an increased number of syntheses of the pros and cons of certain…

In cooperative learning, as opposed to competitive and individualistic learning, students work together to accomplish shared goals. It is the most important of the three types of learning, but least used. Research indicates students will learn more, like school better, like each other better, and learn more effective social skills when cooperative…