Defines school-based management (SBM) as a program adopted by schools or school districts to improve education by increasing school staff autonomy in making building-level decisions. Analyzes SBM's key objectives, benefits, and limitations. Budget, curriculum, and staffing decisions are commonly decentralized under SBM. Staff communication is…

Describes Provo (Utah) School District's efforts to establish instructional leadership roles for its principals. To achieve instructional improvement goals, Provo principals are expected to provide leadership in four fundamental areas: staff development, curriculum review, clinical supervision, and evaluation and assessment. Includes four…

Although education lacks a rigorous theoretical base, principals and other administrators can improve their theory-based decision making by formulating a statement defining the status quo, adjusting practices to eliminate inconsistencies, developing a consistent districtwide theoretical structure, and giving future decisions a sound theoretical…

Presents a model to help principals with strategic planning. Success hinges on involving stakeholders, scanning for relevant data, identifying critical success factors, developing vision and mission statements, analyzing the site manager's supports and constraints, creating strategic goals and objectives, developing action plans, allocating…

Successful administrators have the ability to delegate various tasks and responsibilities effectively. Specific delegation procedures include clearly defining and delineating tasks, giving authority and leeway to do the job, bolstering the doer's self-confidence, accepting the job as done, and giving credit for work well done. (MLH)

As school-based management systems are established in increasing numbers of school districts, assistant principals will be assigned more responsibility, including teacher evaluation. Meanwhile, the present duties (assigning lockers, disciplining students, and preparing student handbooks) need not be dull activities. (MLH)

Communication between the schools and the central administration is imperative for a successful school-based management program. Once shared decision making is in place, accountability must follow. Principals must establish ways to monitor the instructional process and should know which teachers are obtaining the best results. (MLH)

Today's principal still faces many of the control issues of the 1960s and 1970s, due to subtance abuse, child abuse, gang violence, dropouts, and other problems. Emerging technology is making curriculum obsolete. The principal can emerge as a community hero by involving parents and community leaders in creating an instructional improvement plan.…

Describes a Kansas public school district's efforts to develop a synergistic curriculum plan combining the most positive elements of a standardized curriculum with those of a school-based curriculum. Encouraging staff commitment demands mutuality of expectations, dependence, trust, respect, communication, and vision. (MLH)

Whereas participative management and quality circles have foundered in American schools, teacher and principal empowerment, a more focused process, has great potential for facilitating significant, long-lasting school improvement. For empowerment to succeed, educators must be trained to take risks and be exposed to challenging conditions. (MLH)

The present confrontational labor/management negotiations model mitigates against the development of a higher form of teacher professionalism. Current union and school management models are highly centralized governance systems. Collaborative planning must be instituted in a collegial manner to be successful. (MLH)

If education is to be reformed to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century, a new decentralized model based on colleagueship must be developed. Principals must share their vision of the school's purpose with teachers and set aside the "creaking norms" of an earlier day. All school professionals must be empowered. (MLH)

"Turning Points," the report of the Carnegie Task Force on Young Adolescents, examines the condition of America's young people, ages 10-15, and how well middle-grade schools, health institutions, and community organizations serve them. In this interview, David Hornbeck discusses the report and its recommendations. Ignorance concerning this age…

Effective schools research and techniques are useful in developing dropout prevention strategies. The success of these programs depends on a school's adherence to certain variables asssociated with teacher and administrator characteristics and behaviors, school climate, instructional emphasis, and pupil progress measurement. Includes five…

New York City's Dropout Prevention Program's success depended on more than the usual commitment of resources, shared ideals, and dedicated people. A flexible planning framework was needed to overcome collaborators' mutual mistrust, identify common ground, and gain the support of line staff and top leadership in schools and in community…