Literature examining effective leadership in education describe a number of models such as Transformational, Learner-Centred, Distributed and Situational. A similar example is "pedagogical leadership", a phrase that frequently appears in literature and one referring to forms of practice that shape and form teaching and learning to be…

The effect of critical incidents on school principals has been marginally investigated. Principal leadership has many pleasures, but it is often replete with problematic circumstances. The skilled school-based leader requires rationality and diplomacy to manage conflict successfully. This study examined the perceived effects of a critical…

Few concepts are more noted in the leadership effects research than vision. It is a cardinal element in the school improvement equation as well. Yet, it remains one of the least well-specified components of that algorithm. Based on a comprehensive review of the research on effective leadership and school improvement from 1995 to 2012, we bring…

This case presents a situation in which a reformist superintendent attempts to achieve a systemwide, yet simple change in the school time schedule to incorporate well-established neurocognitive sleep research to enhance student learning. The public discussion of the reform proposal brought forth a very negative, single issue group who took over…

This case uncovers the balance between school culture and academic success that school leaders must consider while leading their schools. New school leaders as well as experienced leaders transitioning into new buildings find that each school has its own distinctive culture. The existing culture and ethos of a school must be considered as leaders…

This case study uses real events and hypothetical elements associated with the struggle for school finance equity in Texas. It involves a superintendent faced with difficult choices brought about by a convergence of events and issues, namely, by a national and state economic crisis, the demographic realities of his district, a historically…

As a charter school faces continued poor performance and the need to show drastic improvement in its data, school leaders are faced with a moral dilemma. To help the schools testing data, leaders consider being selective with whom they test. They consider whether they can help the short-term outcomes of the school while risking later consequences…

The fervor of student speech is demonstrated through different mediums and venues in public schools. In this case, a new principal encounters the mores of a community that believes in free speech, specifically student free speech. When a pep rally becomes a venue for hate speech, terroristic threats, and profanity, the student code of conduct…

The ethics and character of a superintendent is important and much research has been done in this area. This study attempted to take the instrument developed by Fenstermaker (1994) and determine if future superintendents have the same ethical response as current superintendents. The small number (n=20) limited statistical comparisons. Three…

Many university-based principal preparation programs prepare individuals for employment in local K-12 school districts. Programs recruit students and shape aspects of curriculum and ongoing professional development in light of local school districts and community characteristics. Utilizing Indiana state licensure and employment data sets for all…

This paper reports on the qualitative second phase of a mixed method study that examined the relationships among leader preparation practices and leader, school, and student outcomes through the use of two focus groups (N=8, N=7) to investigate the following research questions: (a) What practices are used by leaders to improve student achievement…

This research was conducted to examine how school district superintendents perceive prospective school principals who were initially certified through alternate means. Data were collected through interviews with superintendents in an effort to examine whether the superintendents believed that principals' career and educational paths affected the…

This is an Instructional Module for a course entitled Assessment and Instruction for Educational Leaders addresses classroom assessment and the evaluation of instruction. The goal of this course is to help aspiring educational leaders to develop teacher observation and evaluation skills, better understand the construction of teacher generated…

Each year, the U.S. invites thousands of foreign-born and foreign-educated professionals as immigrants and on temporary visas, including academicians. In some academic programs such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics, these foreign-born professionals represent an imposing mass, while in others, they are relatively invisible. This…

As K-12 teachers and administrators grow increasingly concerned with issues of accountability, research-based methods, and intervention strategies, little discussion exists on the impact of substitute teachers in the classroom. In the rush to analyze test scores, are the days covered by substitute teachers even considered? Though districts are…