Describes how context influenced 58 beginning school principals in urban, suburban, and rural Louisiana school districts. Results are presented as storylines that demonstrate social issues extending beyond any single district or any one context variable such as race or gender. Commonalities among the job tasks and work attitudes are discussed.…

Reports an impact study of the Western Australian School Leadership Program, a development program for administrators. Questionnaires completed by 357 program participants and 287 colleagues indicated the impact of the training on leader behavior in schools. The effect was enhanced when several leaders from the same school had participated. (SLD)

The usefulness of an experientially-based Outward Bound leadership retreat is explored through the stories of five African American participants. Despite the brevity of the experience, participants reported that they developed constructive relationships and authentic commitments as they reaffirmed the importance of moral and ethical values. (SLD)

Until teachers and administrators work together in shared partnerships involving the significant facets of education (curriculum, instruction, leadership, and governance), the profession will be driven by external interests and constituencies. In this special issue, teacher and administrator educators begin a conversation about merging preparation…

Examines empowerment issues involved in pursuing shared administrator/teacher professionalism. Arguing that all educators have role expectations grounded in moral ideals and commitments external to their current and historic roles, substantiates the call for greater teacher autonomy and empowerment, while establishing the need for and authority of…

School and community renewal calls for a moral democratic concept of leadership based on principles and practices of caring, trust, social justice, and collaborative inquiry. This concept can best be served by merging teacher and administrator preparation programs. Efforts of an eight-year Educational and Community Change Project in Tucson,…

Although teachers are increasingly expected to work with colleagues, administrators, and parents to achieve schoolwide reforms, the existing professional socialization of new teachers does little to encourage acquisition of collaboration skills. Preservice education must help beginning teachers develop the commitment, skills, and knowledge…

Presents findings of a survey examining superintendents' work in curriculum development and instructional leadership. Respondents described their curriculum-development role as primarily grounded in facilitation, support, and delegation of work to others. Superintendents performed four major instructional leadership roles as visionaries,…

Describes how U.S. teacher-compensation systems have been structured since the 1800s to meet contemporary social and educational needs. Current systemic reform efforts suggest the need for another shift in teacher pay structure. A well-designed pay system could help motivate teachers to develop the necessary skills and knowledge to boost student…

While education reform reports indicted public schools for failing today's youth and economy, the revisionists, a group of eminent scholars, challenged their assumptions and produced empirical evidence showing that the education crisis was manufactured. The public ignored these arguments. Reform reports affirmed people's (misguided) belief that…

Describes results of a study examining the nature and consequences of 11 university-sponsored school-leadership preparation programs from graduates' and teacher colleagues' viewpoints. Survey results suggest that these programs contributed significantly to leadership as actually practiced in schools and that constructivist instructional strategies…

Examines the socialization of seven promoted and seven aspiring vice-principal candidates in a large Ontario school district. Certain socialization experiences were highly valued in the selection process: having systems-level administrative experience; being focused toward preparation; practicing instructional leadership; developing a strong…

This paper's findings advocate looking beyond cultural discontinuity for an explanation of communication failure between American Indian parents and school personnel. Through "gatekeeping," American Indian parents mediate the communications dilemma wrought by conditions of distrust, racial tension, maintenance of tribal identity,…

Investigates social communications skills of 709 principals working in restructured schools, using the Social Skills Inventory. Results suggest generally marginal social skills among these principals. Positive associations were found between social competence and female gender, higher education levels, larger school size, urban school locus,…

Examines the "special relationship" doctrine as it applies to school officials' duty, under federal constitutional law, to protect students from peer sexual harassment. Examination of the 1871 Civil Rights Act, Section 1983, and relevant case law shows that the special-relationship claim has proved an ineffective avenue for students.…