This study reflects the voice of school leaders (principals) in a Norwegian school development project focusing on assessment for learning (AfL). The central role of the principal in school improvement is well documented, however, less is written about how the principals themselves see their roles. The voices presented belong to two experienced…

The purpose of this qualitative inquiry was to examine the role of the superintendent in assessing the readiness for change in the implementation and support for Professional Learning Communities. The study findings revealed four major themes. They were: (1) the changing dynamics of leadership; (2) a sense of collective efficacy and responsibility…

The history of leadership in educational settings that has a principal focus on student learning is one dominated by Western cultures, particularly those in the USA; also, it has developed two near-identical models of leadership commonly known as "instructional" or "learning-centred". This paper explores the relevance of these models in the…

The number of children with ASDs quadrupled between 2000-2001 and 2009-2010, from 93,000 to 378,000. More children with ASDs are being served in public school systems. Due process hearings and cases involving students with ASDs represent the most rapidly growing area of litigation in special education. Special education administrators' knowledge…

This article examines two questions: (a) In what ways can doctoral-level learning experiences help executive-level P-12 leaders to develop instructional leadership expertise and commitment to high levels of learning among diverse student groups? (b) How can educators be supported in this learning within the context of an Education Doctorate (EdD)?…

Due to privatization of higher education in India, there has been an emergence of sub-standard schools throughout the country. The higher education system in teaching institutes lacks incentives to perform; there is no reward for the meritorious and no way to ease out the non-performers. The quality of teaching and research cannot be evaluated…

"Culture Currents" presents the books, essays, poetry, performances, music, websites and other cultural media influencing educational leaders. "Culture Currents" is a snapshot, a peek behind the scenes. It reveals what people are reading or seeing that may not be normally mentioned or cited in their academic work. In this issue's contribution, two…

Scholars of educational change agree that leaders need to develop a vision, build capacity and ensure ownership of change by staff. We argue that understanding the actual work that leaders must do in order to convert these categories into action, requires a social practice approach. Taking the notion of sense-making as a social practice, drawn…

The field of socially-just educational leadership focuses on identifying and ameliorating marginalization and inequity in schools. Critical spirituality is emerging as a powerful support within this field. Critical spirituality, a combination of internal convictions and dispositions informing external commitments toward social justice, is an…

This article is primarily methodological but has dual aims. First, it makes a case for Q methodology as an effective and so far little exploited means of capturing, comparing and contrasting individual perspectives on a specific question in the field of educational leadership. In common with other research approaches designed to uncover the…

Many schools are currently faced with the difficult task of including increasing numbers of students with disabilities and improving academic outcomes for these and other students who struggle to learn academic content. Recent research has shown that the principal is the key to ensuring that a school meets both of these goals and is both inclusive…

School accountability reports reveal that wide achievement gaps exist among different subgroups of students in PK-12 schools. Research findings reveal that general and special education teachers improve their classroom practices when working in professional learning communities (PLCs). In addition, research shows that special education teachers…

Principals are a critical component of creating a positive school environment that supports new teachers to meet the diverse needs of their students. The induction process for beginning special educators can often be more challenging for school administrators and may require different supports than those provided for novice general educators. The…

The limited use of evidence-based practices has led to increased interest in forms of professional development that improve teacher practice and student outcomes. Traditional forms of expert-centered professional development have been demonstrated to have little impact on teacher practices or student outcomes. Newer forms of learner-centered…

Co-teaching and various forms of team teaching are common in today's schools but have rarely been viewed in relationship to supporting novice special education teachers. Personal compatibility is consistently reported as a key factor in the success of co-teaching. Special educators who co-teach often take a backseat role in the general education…