Purpose: To explore the reflections of primary headteachers on a series of major policy initiatives introduced by successive Conservative and Labour governments from 1988 to 2003. Design/methodology/method: The methodology is an interview-based survey of six headteachers. The interviews were structured around the headteachers' recollections of…

The findings reported here are part of a larger study of the role of middle managers in the UK further education colleges. The study proposes and discusses a typology for the middle manager role, analyses factors which facilitate and impede managers in role, and models the interaction of the college environment with the role. This process gives…

Purpose: This paper aims to contribute to one's understanding of how beginning principals in Hong Kong exercise leadership by exploring the concurrent influence of their inner worlds and the external contexts on their leadership within a reforming environment. Design/methodology/approach: Based on a study of the work lives of beginning principals…

The power of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) lies in the rights of students with disabilities to a free, appropriate public education. For individuals exercising their rights under this legislation, the reality is that services are sometimes hampered and limited even with legislated rights. In spite of evidence that in…

The authors of this article reviewed studies of how organizations, including schools, businesses, and human service agencies, used professional development to make sustained changes. They identified six key strategies that have been used by successful organizations. These six research-based strategies provide a framework for leaders in early care…

Educators can no longer count on public approval, trust, or support to help them guide students' learning. External forces are now calling the shots of daily practice through state and federal accountability testing, unfunded legislative mandates, print and television media exposes, as well as special interest groups lobbying for their students…

Not so long ago, principals could not have imagined that they would need to plan for a terrorist attack on their schools. However, it is a reality in today's world. The public demands that school administrators have a crisis plan for every school--to be ready for all possibilities, even the unimaginable. In this article, the author provides…

This case study details the events surrounding a gay student's "coming out" in a small, rural high school. Through the eyes and experiences of the student, his teachers, classmates, and community, we hear the story of how the school and community dealt with an issue they had never before actively considered. Through qualitative interviews, the…

Middle level teachers and administrators working in small or rural schools often face unique obstacles in implementing recommended middle level practices. From sharing staff and schedules with other school sites, to inappropriate instructional techniques, to a general lack of understanding of the middle level philosophy, these obstacles can be a…

Under the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, every school is subject to the controversial mandates for annual test score gains contained in the federal law. The law represents a profound change in the relationship between the federal government and state and local education agencies regarding who controls education and has direct implications for…

The dynamic world of the Web has provided libraries with a wealth of opportunities, including new approaches to the provision of information and varied internal staffing structures. The development of self-managed Web teams, endowed with authority and resources, can create an adaptable and responsive culture within libraries. This new working team…

The current study emphasizes the significance of the positive job experiences that promote individuals' satisfaction on the job and the potential contribution of the transformational leadership style for the shaping of these experiences. Questionnaires were administered to elementary school teachers in five of the six districts comprising the…

Reduction in the size of classes from Kindergarten to Grade 3 was a major Liberal Party campaign promise in Ontario's 2003 provincial election. It was intended to demonstrate a new government's commitment to improving public education. By the 2008-09 school year, the provincial government's goals had been achieved: over 90% of all primary classes…

Organized around a series of "Critical Questions" and "Leadership Challenges", this book offers knowledge and expertise about the elementary principal's leadership role in effective instructional strategies, student assessment, school climate, parent involvement, and other ways to improve the academic achievement of English Language learners.…

The Instructional Leadership Study provides suggestive evidence that providing instruction-related professional development to school principals can improve teaching and learning in their schools. The study examines a theory of school change articulated by the Institute for Learning at the University of Pittsburgh. The IFL provides technical…