This article provides a tabular analysis of court rulings where public school principals challenged the adverse employment actions of involuntary transfer, suspension, demotion, nonrenewal, constructive termination, and termination during the period 1998-2012. The primary findings were that (a) the judicial outcomes were markedly in favor of the…

This conceptual article presents a review of the research concerning the stress level of principals over the past three decades, with emphasis on the occupational stress that principals encounter because of heightened accountability and expectations for student achievement. Mindfulness meditation, as a stress management intervention, provides the…

This article reports the results of a qualitative meta-analysis study of the research and literature on the efficacy of teacher induction on the retention of high-quality secondary school teachers and challenges current assumptions about the efficacy of induction despite the proliferation of induction programs nationwide. A theoretical model for…

Cyberbullying has been identified by school leaders and researchers as one of the most serious adverse consequences of incorporating information technology into the classroom. This article examines the legal status of cyberbullying by conducting an analysis of selected federal appellate court opinions. This analysis identifies a set of legal…

This article lays the foundation of American First Amendment jurisprudence in public schools and examines recent cases relating to student Internet speech. Particular emphasis is placed on the ability of schools to regulate student off-campus Internet speech. School authorities who wish to regulate nonthreatening off-campus speech in the…

Public school leaders often find themselves caught between groups with passionately held--but widely varying--views regarding the appropriate role for religion in public schools. Tensions are heightened by the growth of well-funded special interest groups inclined to litigate anywhere a test case arises. By reviewing the most recent judicial…

Research identifying relationships between principals' instructional leadership behavior and academic achievement is problematic because it fails to consider the perspectives of the "consumer" (i.e., students). Consequently, this study investigated what students perceive principals do to influence their academic achievement. Students identified…

This article reviews pertinent research literature that documents the efficacy of alternative scheduling formats in U.S. secondary schools since the late 1990s. Gains attributed to alternative scheduling formats are discussed by subject area. Common educational dilemmas occasioned by a change to alternative school scheduling are outlined and…

Reviews benefits of smaller class size based on research in elementary and middle schools such as higher student achievement. Concludes that high school students can also benefit from smaller classes. Calls for rigorous class-size research at the high school level. (Contains 41 references.) (PKP)

In tomorrow's schools, technology will strongly determine how and what teachers will use for instruction. Literacy requirements will include accessing, thinking, and communication skills. Curriculum planners will grasp real-world requirements and will set guidelines for needed skills. Children will begin education in their cribs surrounded by…

A comprehensive written documentation system for teacher evaluation usually includes classroom observations, assessment documents, principal's log, specific incident reports, and summary memoranda. Principals should be specific, involve others, be timely, treat all employees alike, state facts and conclusions, and use negative language where…

Compares definitions and core elements of learning organizations promulgated by Peter Senge, Victoria Marsick and Karen Watkins, Nancy Dixon, Michael Marquardt, Mike Pedler, and others. Discusses leadership implications and the need for employees to create a new learning infrastructure incorporating new leaders, critical thinking, and envisioning.…

Under current law, public and private institutions must educate children with disabilities just as they educate other children. Inclusion becomes a civil-rights issue when special-education students' rights are perceived to be violated because of unequal treatment due to segregated programs. A survey of attendees at a summer training institute on…

The Supreme Court's 1988 "Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier" decision, characterizing student newspapers as a curricular extension, not a constitutionally protected public forum, produced waves of concern among First Amendment advocates. The panic has subsided. The literature advocates working within guidelines, following sound policies, establishing good…

Student violence is an unwelcome reality that administrators cannot ignore. Although a literature review found a relationship among principals' leadership behavior, school climate, and school violence, its strength and nature are unclear. The issue's complexity may discount efforts to generalize about these relationships apart from explanations…