Who Will Manage the School?
Strong leaders create strong schools. Research and common sense suggest that administrators can do a great deal to advance school I reform ....
We must address the conditions I that need to be met for changes to take place in schools and in the lives of students. Strengthening leadership is an essential next step ....
‘To restructure schools, we must use what we know from research about effective schools and effective leadership. Effective schools have strong leaders, shared decisionmaking, clear goals, effective instruction, and a lot of time devoted to learning ....
Testimony at the task-force hearings told us that the traditional organization of schools does not allow teachers enough time to prepare for instruction or review student work. ‘Teachers have too few opportunities to build collegial relationships. School needs are not addressed systematically. Principals told us that expectations for them are not clear, that regulations require them to spend more time managing than leading, and that many principals are not trained to do what needs to be done.
The challenge now is to develop state policies that strengthen school leadership and encourage school renewal ....
Bill Clinton
Governor of Arkansas
Task force Chairman
Recommendations
1. Begin a dialogue to determine the state’s broad goals for education and identify ways for schools to achieve these goals.
2. Revise state selection and certification requirements to reflect the skills and knowledge needed by effective principals.
3. Match the content of state-approved educational-administration programs to the training needed by effective school principals.
4. Develop a system to evaluate principals effectively and accurately.
5. Provide in-service training to school administrators through, for example, state-sponsored training centers or higher-education institutions.
6. Provide incentives and technical assistance to districts to promote school-site management and improvement.
7. Collect statewide information on the process and the outcomes of schooling.
8. Reward principals and schools for performance and effectiveness.
9. Highlight success by documenting and disseminating effective strategies and models.
10. Be patient and remain committed.
