Mayoral takeovers of big-city public education systems are extreme measures that usually reflect an attempt to reverse the decline in quality in metropolitan educational systems. This text is a practical guide for mayors, civic leaders, school board members and involved citizens. It provides guidance on how to formulate a plan-of-action for education reform and how to deal with political opposition to change.

This text identifies roles for foundations and civic groups in defining strategies for big-city school reform and in ensuring that promised changes are implemented. According to the contributors, the current system of public education governance prevents creation of reform strategies that are bold enough to transform a troubled school system. It is also unable to sustain any consistent line of action long enough for it to work. The governance system also leaves critical issues to chance, such as the freedom of schools to select staff, make strategic use of funds and allocate time. The...

Drawing from over 200 superintendents spanning the past decade, this guide provides a leadership framework for the modern, successful superintendent.