This article discusses leaders who make a difference, especially in school districts where a single superintendent impacts the lives of so many children, teachers, staff, and community members every day. There is a need to mentor the ongoing professional learning and development of key leaders. The authors report on a process in Kansas, USA, which…

This article is a follow-up to Mary Devin's report on the collaborative efforts required to create the "Kansas Educational Leadership Institute" in 2010. The Kansas Educational Leadership Institute (KELI) moved from planning to implementation on March 30, 2011, as a statewide systematic support system for the recruitment,…

The experience and reflection of participants of the Kansas Educational Leadership Institute (KELI) program are the focus of this article. Many Kansas superintendents face the challenge of working hundreds of miles from colleagues who wear similar hats and work in comparable roles. Often the closest professional mentors or peers live hours away,…

Strong leadership has a tremendous impact on organizations. This special edition of "Educational Considerations" highlights the journey of the Kansas Educational Leadership Institute (KELI), from inception to implementation. All of the authors in this special themed edition of "Educational Considerations" describe the various…

Over the years, many scholars have criticized traditional leadership preparation programs for failing to produce qualified educational leaders capable of moving public education into the 21st century. As a result, many university-based principal preparation programs have introduced reforms aimed at better preparing future school leaders. Many of…

In a 1991 report, the Indian Nations at Risk Task Force documented a lack of Native educators as role models for Native American students and set a goal of doubling their number by the year 2000. Under-representation of Native American educators remains an issue today particularly with regard to school leaders (Planty et al. 2009; Snyder and…

What distinguishes successful schools from unsuccessful schools? This question has relevance for the practice of educational leadership as well as the preparation of leaders. Successful schools are led by principals who set the direction and influence student learning, and who change the instructional process by focusing deliberately on teaching…

This study of the superintendent focus group interviews from the "Voices 3" project adds to the research base with regard to the range and nature of the types of power experienced or used by superintendents. Using the French & Raven/Andrews & Baird model of seven types of power, the authors analyzed superintendents' self-described interactions…

Leadership, regardless of definition, cannot be taught by a textbook alone, and if educators are to embrace the idea of highly engaged, holistic classrooms for Millennials, they must teach students to participate in real changes as both leaders and followers through practice and experiences. As new generations of young people mature and enter…

In recent decades, leadership scholars have bemoaned the lack of true leaders and leadership education at all levels and issued the fabled "cry for leadership." Although institutions of higher learning have been engaged in guiding the leaders of society since their inception, they offered no formalized programs or courses until relatively…

Leadership research on college students has largely ignored pre-college leadership experiences. High school educators and administrators facilitate student involvement in high school through a variety of outlets; and although involvement in extracurricular activities is considered inherently positive, the degree to which these activities…

All students have the right to a quality education. At the same time, future principals will likely face the challenge of educating the most diverse student body since the turn of the 20th century. In this commentary, the author provides principals, new and experienced, with the means to navigate successfully the challenges of meeting the…

With the success of graduates directly influencing the college's reputation and ranking, leadership propensity should be an important selection criterion in higher education institution's undergraduate admissions processes, but is it? For most colleges and universities, selection is done through a paper application containing only a sliver of the…

The purpose of this study was to compare American and Scottish preservice principals' post-internship concerns about becoming a principal. The survey findings for this study showed that overall American preservice principals were more concerned about becoming principals than their Scottish preservice counterparts. Based on the groups' discussion…

This article presented a rationale for building partnerships into professional doctoral programs in educational leadership and a description of Saint Louis University's use of partnerships in its redesigned Ed.D. program. Although the program has been implemented, it continues to be a work in progress because of the underlying assumption that the…