Topic: Leadership
Student Learning is our Work
For some time now, school leaders have come under fire to demonstrate greater accountability for the learning of all students. While there are pockets of educational excellence that exist, the preponderance of public schools are considered underperforming and that is unacceptable. Who is accountable for student learning? The Meaning of... Read the full article >
Suggested Reading
Transforming Education: Delivering on our Promise to Every Child The Council of Chief State School Officers It is imperative that we transform the national education agenda so that each and every child may succeed. This paper identifies four areas of focus that will lead the systems change necessary for a... Read the full article >
Surviving the New Age of Accountability
The first day of school for the Wickenburg Unified School District was August 8th – August 8th at 8:00 a.m., to be specific. At precisely 8:10 a.m., during a record heat wave in Arizona, the air conditioning units in Wickenburg High School went down. On the same day, we enrolled... Read the full article >
It’s not Complicated — But it’s Seriously Difficult
Given the highly favorable reviews and rave blurbs from such diverse figures as former New York City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein and American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, one might think that Angela Ripley’s new book on education around the world, The Smartest Kids in the World, offers surprising... Read the full article >
Key Trends and Implications for Elementary and Secondary Educators and Policy Makers
Accountability is a loaded term. Although it can mean many different things to different people, in the elementary and secondary context, the term has come to represent a set of expectations and obligations associated with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) – which has provided the overarching... Read the full article >
A New Paradigm - Putting All Students in the Driver's Seat
Today’s students are more connected, more aware and more in touch than any earlier generation. They’re connected to technologies that personalize and empower independent learning. Developing skills to navigate the wealth of knowledge and resources available to them today; they often become their own best teacher. They learn to love... Read the full article >
“You Say You Want a Revolution”
John Lennon’s immortal words apply to our quest to redesign America’s education system. One that is better for all stakeholders, especially our students. Our challenge: How do we extract ourselves from this century plus, time-based dinosaur of a public education system that we find ourselves stuck in? I had a... Read the full article >
The Unique Policy Opportunities Afforded by Today’s Funding Challenges
As the nation continues to recover from the worst recession since the Great Depression, it is becoming abundantly clear that the funding levels of our nation’s schools are not going to return to pre-recession levels. This funding crisis presents an unprecedented opportunity to recreate the current K-12 landscape. The impact... Read the full article >
Questions to Guide Technology Integration
I asked them several questions, and I have included in this article some that I believe are most important. Some of these questions are adapted from the Principals Technology Leadership Assessment from Castle and others are questions of my own. Some of these questions are for the leader, while others... Read the full article >
School Boards: Local Leadership and Responsibility for the Future
Several years ago, I witnessed a conversation between a new assistant superintendent in my school district and the superintendent. The assistant superintendent was mulling over a question posed by an elementary principal and asked for the superintendent’s advice. Instead of giving his opinion, the wise superintendent advised his assistant to... Read the full article >