School District Leadership Matters challenges policy makers, administrators, and academics in the field of educational leadership to reassess their traditional approaches to learning, working, and planning. The authors believe that government restructuring, standards-based reforms, and centrally imposed strategic planning have been painfully ineffective. As a consequence, student learning has become increasingly superficial and inauthentic.

This book bridges the traditional divide between the generalizations of social science theory on the one hand and the world of educational...

This book provides a clear, comprehensive, and compelling description of the nature, characteristics, and prerequisites of wisdom-led leadership. It not only includes a detailed description of what is meant by wisdom-led leadership but also it describes how wisdom-led leadership can be developed based on current research data. In other words, practical ways to promote wisdom-led leadership are described. In addition, a metaphysical foundation in support of wisdom-led leadership is provided along with a detailed analysis of how this form of leadership can better prepare the leader to...

The pivotal role of the school leader as a factor in effective schools has been corroborated by findings of school effectiveness research over the last decades. School improvement researchers have also demonstrated increasing recognition of the importance of school leaders for all stages of the school improvement process. The school leader is most often cited as the key figure in the individual school's development, either blocking or promoting change, acting as the internal change agent, overseeing the processes of growth and renewal. In view of these ever-increasing responsibilities of...

This book presents a new and refreshing look at student assessment from the perspective of leading educational theorists, researchers, and practitioners. The authors call for boundary-breaking assessment that reflects clear understandings of the purposes of assessment, a balance of assessment creativity and realism, the ability to detect solutions for assessment challenges, and the capacity to question and imagine assessment alternatives.

The 14 chapters offer school and district educators, policy makers, researchers, and university teacher preparation faculty with a comprehensive,...

The leadership of school principals is an enormously powerful influence on the quality of schools and the learning of pupils. While the work of principals has been examined intensively over the past 20 years, almost no effort has been made to understand the role from an international or cross-cultural perspective. This book contributes significantly to our understanding of successful school leaders by describing similarities and differences in the work of such leaders in countries ranging from England to Australia, the United States to Norway, Sweden to Hong Kong. Bringing together case...

This book offers cutting edge thinking on effective leadership processes. It pulls together the thinking of 16 educators with diverse backgrounds and experiences, all of whom hold keen interests in harnessing the forces that can improve educational opportunity for students. The book is intended to stimulate the thinking of every educator who aspires to influence decision-making and to provide direction to their school, district or institution.

Although standards-based reform emerged in the United States and the United Kingdom, the idea has spread across the world, as an approach to systemic reform. It might appear that there is a world-wide tsunami of standards-based reform that will standardize and homogenize the educational system across the globe. This volume makes it very clear, however, that there is no one approach to standards-based reform and countries change there is a danger in paying attention to its evolution and impact in only one context. That s what makes this volume so valuable. Louis Volante has drawn together...