Examines the causal relationship between teacher commitment to the school organization and job satisfaction using longitudinal career ladder data and measures of commitment and satisfaction from 854 teachers. Correlation/regression analyses indicate that satisfaction was causally prioritized to teacher commitment. Methodological issues in this…

Argues that a doctoral policy document, presenting the studied advocacy of a reflective scholar/practitioner for a specific educational policy issue, is a better alternative for educational doctorate programs than the traditional dissertation. Policy advocacy is supported as a conceptual extension of the reform climate in educational…

Argues that if interagency collaboration is to be more than a buzzword, school leaders must work to build shared commitment to the school's vision through sustained and collective discussion. Strategic planning and collaborative visioning are highlighted as ways to approach shared commitment. Examples of newly-formed collaboratives are presented.…

Examines the perspectives of administrators in Michigan school districts engaged in change processes. Responses from 83 administrators suggest a framing mechanism, or taxonomy, that represents the current state of change efforts in the state. First-wave, or state-mandated, change is driving most reform in Michigan at present. (SLD)

Describes the contributions cognitive perspectives can make to the study and practice of school leadership. These include redefining the meaning of effective leadership, changing the understanding of the knowledge base for effective leadership, and reforming the means for developing effective school leadership. Efforts to progress with each are…

Findings from an exploratory study asking 10 principals and 280 teachers about connections between principals' leadership behaviors and teachers' sense of efficacy in middle schools involved in change indicate that there is a significant difference between general teaching efficacy and personal teaching efficacy. Principal behaviors related to…

Evaluates the effectiveness of a field-based doctoral program in educational administration on linking theory and research to the improvement of practice. Evaluation of the theory-practice emphasis at the University of Utah's program suggests that the program is successfully meeting its objective of promoting change in schools. (SLD)

Examines research on programs for children with disabilities in the areas of funding, parent involvement, and accountability for lessons that can be applied to the design of school-linked services for at-risk youth. School leaders implementing school-linked services programs need to consider such experiences. (SLD)

A case study demonstrates how urban school board members resolved a community crisis precipitated by the board's critical evaluation of the superintendent. Issues are analyzed through symbolic, political, human resources, and structural frameworks. The importance of establishing evaluation procedures when the superintendent is first hired is…

Describes an innovative graduate seminar on "Women and Leadership," which was designed to encourage the development of "voice." Theoretical assumptions and an overview of seminar activities are presented, and the meanings of developing voice are explored. The 18 participants reported that the development of voice had enhanced their leadership…

Examines how the concepts advanced by critical theorists exemplify democratic leadership. The concept of democratic leadership is explored as a moral imperative of human issues, and the implications of leadership behavior that emulate the principles of democracy are discussed. (SLD)

Describes how context influenced 58 beginning school principals in urban, suburban, and rural Louisiana school districts. Results are presented as storylines that demonstrate social issues extending beyond any single district or any one context variable such as race or gender. Commonalities among the job tasks and work attitudes are discussed.…

Reports an impact study of the Western Australian School Leadership Program, a development program for administrators. Questionnaires completed by 357 program participants and 287 colleagues indicated the impact of the training on leader behavior in schools. The effect was enhanced when several leaders from the same school had participated. (SLD)

The usefulness of an experientially-based Outward Bound leadership retreat is explored through the stories of five African American participants. Despite the brevity of the experience, participants reported that they developed constructive relationships and authentic commitments as they reaffirmed the importance of moral and ethical values. (SLD)

Summarizes the major provisions of the Improving America's Education Act (IASA): (1) higher standards for all children; (2) a focus on teaching and learning; (3) flexibility to stimulate local school-based and district initiatives, coupled with the responsibility for student performance; (4) links among schools, parents, and communities; and (5)…