Education Commons^™

School District Restructuring: An Evaluation Process To Determine Effectiveness, Carolyn Ridenour, Thomas J. Matczynski, C. Daniel Raisch

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

Much has been written concerning the need for schools to restructure. In scores of books and journals on school restructuring, suggestions have centered around such concepts as: decentralization, school-based management, and collaborative decision-making. Although these models have been utilized over a number of years, there is limited evidence relating to their effectiveness.

Almost no research studies have concluded that such restructuring models have impacted the academic lives of students. The purpose of this article is to describe a program evaluation process utilized in conducting a study of school restructuring in a mid-sized, urban school district. The strategies used, results obtained, …

Chasing The Wolves From The Schoolhouse Door, Theodore J. Kowalski

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

Interestingly, warnings about the deterioration of America's schoolhouses have generated only limited public reaction. State legislators, governors, federal officials, and corporate executives — all of whom were exceedingly eager to react to earlier education reports such as A Nation at Risk- have been amazingly silent. Where are the legislative proposals to eradicate this problem? Where are the creative ideas from managers in private industry? Where are the calls for establishing a national commission to address this crisis? The most likely response to these questions is that the cost of solving the problem is simply too great. Accordingly, neither those who …

Preparing Teachers To Be Leaders: Barriers In The Workplace, Theodore J. Kowalski

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

Efforts to prepare teachers to be leaders are often impeded by a number of barriers in society and schools. Obstacles in the workplace are largely products of organizational cultures and climates that place teachers in subordinate roles. The argument is made that consideration of these barriers must be incorporated into revisions of teacher education curricula.

Keepers Of The Flame: Contemporary Urban Superintendents, Theodore J. Kowalski

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

A wealth of qualitative data concerning urban districts and their school superintendents in the United States is contained in this book. Theodore J Kowalski examines the lives of 17 urban school superintendents focusing on their problems and aspirations. Of particular significance is the discussion of how factors such as community environment, organizational change and culture, and the person in the job combine to influence decision-making and administrative behaviour.

Compulsory Education: Challenges And Opportunities, Marilyn Grady, Doreen Gosmire

Department of Educational Administration: Faculty Publications

Compulsory education is a deep taproot in the history of our country and is at the heart of our educational system. Since Thomas Jefferson's presentation of the "Bill for the General Diffusion of Knowledge" in 1775, we have made compulsory education a central focus of our society.

Initially, Jefferson's proposal called for mandatory education for all children for three years. In the 1700s, a year of schooling was not the same as a year of schooling in the 19005. Jefferson's proposal required schooling in reading, writing, and ciphering so that an individual was capable of conducting daily business affairs.

Compulsory …

Case Studies On Educational Administration, Theodore J. Kowalski

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

This book immerses prospective administrators in the realities of practice and decision-making through the use of a wide range of open-ended case studies. Effective practice in school administration involves making decisions about management of schools and reform, including state deregulation, district decentralization, and school restructuring. Leaders need to think beyond management and consider how to affect school culture, professional development, and changing populations. The cases in this book will help leaders address those issues by honing three key skills: (1) How to identify and solve problems; (2) How to develop and evaluate alternative solutions; (3) How to continuously refine professional …

Early Leaver Superintendents, Marilyn Grady, Jack Mckay

Department of Educational Administration: Faculty Publications

In studies of the critical incidents that cause superintendent turnover (Grady and Bryant, 1991a; Grady and Bryant, 1991b; Grady and Bryant, 1991c), we became aware of the "early leaver" phenomenon in the profession. This phenomenon has caused us to question early leavers about their incentives for staying in or leaving the superintendency.

The discussion of when and if education will ever be a "true" profession is intertwined with the departure of individuals from the superintendency at the prime of their careers. How often do we learn of physicians who leave the medical profession at 45 or 50?

Our study was …