A 26-member national commission has been established to devise ways of upgrading preservice and inservice training for school administrators.
Formed by the University Council for Education Administration, a consortium of 48 universities devoted to improving the professional preparation of school administrators, the National Commission on Excellence in Educational Administration will make recommendations on ways to train administrators and to attract talented individuals to the field.
The commission also will study issues of school organization and will identify the most important tasks facing school administrators.
In a prepared statement, Daniel E. Griffiths, commission director and former dean of New York University’s school of education, health, nursing, and arts professions, said the commission’s task is “extremely important” because the “brightest and finest people in education” currently are not attracted to administration.
“If we are to correct the deficiencies in our educational system,” Mr. Griffiths noted, “we clearly must upgrade the professionalism of the administrative cadre.”
The commission members include Gov. Bill Clinton of Arkansas; Albert Shanker, president of the American Federation of Teachers; New York City Schools Chancellor Nathan Quinones; and W. Ann Reynolds, chancellor of the California State University system.
According to Mr. Griffiths, a number of papers on the issues being discussed by the group have been commissioned and six regional meetings will be held in the spring to gather ideas from local school administrators, teachers, and state education officials.
The commission is expected to complete its work by next fall.--br
