document resume - eric · document resume. ed 286 265. ea 019 651. title. leaders for...

DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 286 265 EA 019 651

TITLE Leaders for America's Schools. The Report of theNational Commission on Excellence in EducationalAdministration.

INSTITUTION University Council for Educational Administration,Tempe, AZ.

PUB DATE 87NOTE 65p.PUB TYPE Reports - Descriptive (141)

EDRS PRICE MF01/PC03 Plus Postage.DESCRIPTORS *Administrator Education; *Administrator Role;

College School Cooperation; *EducationalAdministration; *Educational Change; ElementarySecondary Education; Females; Higher Education;*Leadership Qualities; Minority Groups; Principals;Superintendents

IDENTIFIERS *National Commission Reports

ABSTRACTA revolution in educaticn will require unusually

competent, skilled, visionary leadership. This report examines thequality of educational leadership in the United States, focusing onthe roles of principals and superintendents. According to recentresearch, the educational administration field lacks: (1) adefinition of good educational leadership; (2) leadership recruitmentprograms in the schools; (3) collaboration between school districtsand universities; (4) minority and women administrators; (5)systematic professional development for administrators; (6) highquality candidates and preparation programs relevant to jub demands;(7) licensure programs promoting excellence; (8) national cooperationin preparing school leaders; and (9) sequence, modern content, andclinical experiences in preparation programs. The report aims torestructure school administration. Separate chapters outlinerecommendations for public schools, professional organizations,universities, state and federal policymakers, and the private sector.Significant recommendations include: (1) redefining educationalleadership; (2) establishing a National Policy Board on EducationalAdministration; (3) modeling administration preparation programsafter those of other professional schools; (4) terminating at least300 college and university educational administration programs; (5)initiating recruitment and placement programs for minorities andwomen; (6) requiring public schools' full partnership in preparingadministrators; (7) creating management development opportunities;and (8) reforming licensure programs. Included are numerousreferences and a list of commissioned papers. (MLH)

************************************************************************ Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made *

* from the original document. ************************************************************************

LEADERS

FOR

AMERICA'S

SCHOOLS

The Report of the National Commission on Excellencein Educational Administration

3

The National Commission on Excellence in Educational Administra-tion was sponsored by the University Council for Educational Ad-ministration, a consortium of fifty leading research universitieshaving doctoral programs in school leadership. For thirty yearsUCEA has sought the improvement of administrator preparationthrough interuniversity cooperation.

Generous financial support for the work of the National Commis-sion on Excellence in Educational Administi ation was provided by:

Arizona State University

The Association of Colleges and Schools of Education in State andLand Grant Colleges and Affiliated Private Uniersities

The Danforth Foundation

The Ford Foundation

The Johnson Foundation

The John D. and Catherine T. Mac Ai thur Foundation

The Univeisity Council for Educational Administiat ion

New York Univeisity

The Spring Hill Foundation

Financial support for this project does not constitute endotsementby these foundations, associations. or their menthe' ships.

The UM\ c, city Council for Educational Administi at ion, 1987

iii4

Contents

Commission Members

Acknowledgements

Significant Recommendations

Preface

vi

ix

xiii

xv

1. A Vision of School Leadership 1

2. What Public Schools Should Do 9

3. What Professional Organizations Should Do 13

4. What Universities Should Do 17

5. What State Policymakers Should Do 25

6. What Federal Policymakers Should Do 31

7. What the Private Sector Should Do 33

Conclusion 37

Not es 39

List of Commissioned Papers 53

v

Members of the Commission

Daniel E. GriffithsChairman of the National Commission,and New York University

Richard L. Andrews, ProfessorUniversity of Washington

Roland Barth, Co-directorThe Principals's Center at Harvard

Bill Clinton, GovernorState of Arkansas

Alonzo Crim, SuperintendentAtlanta Public Schools

Luvern L. Cunningham, ProfessorThe Ohio State University

William Dill, PresidentBabson College

Robin Farquhar, PresidentUniversity of Winnipeg

Barbara L. Jackson, ProfessorMorgan State University

Judith Lanier, DeanMichigan State University

Martha M. McCarthy, ProfessorIndiana Univers:"/

Eleanor McMahon,Commissioner of Higher EducationState of Rhode Island

Edna May Mcrson, esidentNational Association ofElementary School Principals

Richard D. Miller, Executive DirectorAmerican Association ofSchool Administrators

Cecil Miskcl, DcanUniversity of Utah

Robert O'Reilly, PresidentNational Conference of Professorsof Educational Administration

Thomas Payzant, SuperintendentSan Diego Public Schools

Nathan Quinones, ChancellorNew York City Board of Education

W. Ann Reynolds, ChancellorCalifornia State University

Richard A. Rossmiller, ProfessorUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison

John C. Sawhill, Managing DirectorMcKinsey & Company

Albert Shanker, PresidentAmerican Federation of Teachers

Thomas A. Shannon, Executive DirectorNational School Boards Association

Paula Siker, ProfessorUniveisity of Illinois

Robe' t St. Clan, PresidentNational Associat ion of SecondarySchool Pt incipals

Max Weiner, DeanFot d ham University

Donald J. Willower, ProfessorThe Pennsylvania State University

6

vi

Staff of the Commission

Robert T. Stout, Director of Studies, andArizona State University

Patrick B. Forsyth, Staff Coordinator andThe University Council forEducational Administration

Joyce K. McGuinnessSpecial Assistant to the Commission, andNew York University

Terence A. WeningerSpecial Assistant to the Commission, andAi izona State University

vii 7

Acknowledgements

If ever a national project was a cooperative enterprise the Na-tional Commission on Excellence in Educational Administrationwas it. From the moment of' its conception, people and institutionshave worked together to provide the resources of time, talent, andmoney to make the work of the Commission possible.

The need for a Commission was first realized by ProfessorsMichael Murphy, University of Utah and Richard Rossmiller,University of Wisconsin, Madison. The idea was picked up en-thusiastically by the University Council for Educational Administra-tion (UCEA) Executive Committee and the member deans. TheUCEA undertook to sponsor and support the Commission. Itsdirector, Patrick Forsyth, has been a tower of strength.

Financial support for the Commission came from:

The Danforth Foundation

The Ford Foundation

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation

University Council for Educational Administration

Association of Collcgcs and Schools of Education in StatcUniversities and Land Grant Colleges and AffiliatedPrivate Universities

ix

8

New York University


The three Commission meetings were subsidized by the Johnsonand the Spring Hill Foundations.

The regional meetings were hosted by:


University of Oregon

Georgia State University

University of Houston

Texas A & M

The Ohio State University

New York Alliance for the Public Schools

The expenses incurred by Commission members attendingregional meetings were paid by their organizations or institutions.

A special vote of thanks is due to those who wrote papers tostimulate the thinking of the Commissioners. The paper writers, aseveryone associated with the Commission, worked withouthonoraria.

Many individuals deserve special thanks for their work:Terence Wcninger, Arizona State University. must rank high onanyone's list for his diligence and skill in handling the logistics of theCommission; Professor Robert Stout, Arizona Sta e University, con-tributed greatly to the analysis of a vast amount of data and thegeneral work of the Commission; Ann Lewis, for her work as wiiterand editor; Joyce McGuinness, Ne ,v York Ulii ersiiy; for coordinat-ing the Commission meetings; Professor tunes Bliss, RutgersUniversity, for the supply and demand stu ly; Professors Not manBoyan and Laurence lannaccone, University of Califoini,, SantaBarbara and Professor Chat les Achilles, University of 'Tennessee forparticipation in a two day brainstorming session to kick-off the Com-mission's work; and to Professor Scott Not ton, Arizona State Univer-sity for his continuing advice and contt ibutions.

9

x

The Commission profited from a close association with the Na-tional Governors Conference resulting in an exchange of informa-tion and mutual participation in meetings.

The Commission could not have functioned without the UCEAoffice staff: Rita Gnap, Kathleen Groth, Carmen Gomez, and Lyn-net te Harrell.

And finally, we must thank the almost 1300 people who par-ti,:ipaled in meetings, wrote papers, critiqued drafts of reports, andgave advice.

Daniel E. Griffiths18 March 1987

xi10

Significant Recommendations

The central focus of this report is the improvement of education-al leadership through these and other specific recommendations.

Educational leadership should be redefined.

A National Policy Board on Educational Administrationshould be established.

Administrator preparation programs should be modeledafter those in other professional schools.

At least 300 universities and colleges should cease prepar-ing educational administrators.

Programs for recruitment and placement of ethnicminorities and women should be initiated by universities,school boards, state and federal governments, and theprivate sector.

The public schools should become full partners in thepreparation of school administrators.

Professional development activities should be an integralcomponent of the careers of professors of educational ad-ministration and practicing administrators.

Licensure programs should be substantially reformed.

11

*Preface

For almost four years, the American public has been listening tovarious segments of society call for changes in the education system,from preschool to postgraduate study. The proposals began asmajor modifications of standards for students, then turned todeveloping a new capacity for accomplishment through restructur-ing the teaching profession. From these discussions, it became ob-vious that the needed agenda was not merely change, but a revolu-tion in the way schools are organized, in the quality of those whoteach, in the expectations for every child who enters the educationsystem, and in the regard given education by all of society.

These things arc necessary for sul,ival, not of the ethication es-tablishment, but of a way of life and governance buffeted by globaleconomic competition and forces over N% hich this country has littlecontrol. The ability of the United States to continue to strengthenits institutions and provide adequately for its people will dependupon the wise, vigorous investment made in them.

* Documentation for recommendation,, general background,and relevant data are found in the Notes of this volume.

N V 12

A revolution in education requires competent, skilled, visionaryleadership as has never been available before. That is the issue ad-dressed in this report by the National Commission en Excellence inEducational Administration. This report adds to a spiral of reform-minded attention directed at students, teachers, college faculty, andschool board members, turning the focus on those' whose profes-sional competence, influences all others, the superintendents andprincipals who lead tl:e schools. Although this report is focused of.the roles of principals and superintendents, ( ie recommendat'onsapply to other school administrators as well. Revolutions occur oe-cause of, not in spite of, leadership.

The 27-member Commission, composed of leaders within andoatside of the education profession, was asked by the UnivzrsityCouncil for Educational Administration to examine the quality ofeducational leadership in the country. Thy, members of the Commis-sion gathered periodically to review and direct the work of the staff.Information and advice were sought from over 1250 people primari-ly in six regional seminars. The day long seminars were att( nded bylegislators, chic, state school officers, school board members, as wellas practicing school teacIrrs, administrators, and professors. Tobroaden its scope, scholarly ,,ad creative papers were commissionedfrom a worldwitl?, group of provocative thinkers. The staff, drawingupon these resources, produced the drafts of this report that even-tually led to this vision of what schools must become, how schoolswill be led, and whit policymakers should contribute to prertringand supporting school leade?ship.

The Commission also 1,2arned how much improvement is

needed in educational administration. While important exceptionscan be demonstrated, research reveals troubling aspects throughoutthe field, including:

lack of a delmition of good educational leadership,

lack of leader recruitment programs in the schools,

lack of collaboration between school district; and univer-sities,

the discouraging la, minorities and women in the field,

13xvi

lack of systematic professional development for school ad-ministrators,

lack of quality candidates for preparation programs,

lack of preparation programs relevant to the job demandsof school administrators,

lack of sequence, modern content, and clinical experiences,in preparation programs,

lack of licensure systems which promote excellence,

lack of a national sense of cooperation in preparing schoolleaders.

The sum of the proposals contained in this report will alterdramatically the shape of schools, the relationships among leadersand administrators, the preparation of educational administrators,and, subsequently, their work. This report aspires to nothing lessthan the restructuring of a national understanding of requirementsfor educational leadership of the future.

Some w:11 view these proposals as radical. Others will see themas part of a continuum of change already occurring. However seen,they are intended as calls for action.

The Commission appeals for an understanding of tile serious-ness of the changes being asked of schools and their leaders. Policymakers and influentials throughout the country are asked for resolveand great urgency in the task of reform.

What follows is a set of recommendations addressed to majorplayers in the reform of education. A larger volume containing back-ground papers and papers commissioned specifically for this report,will Le published shortly.

xvii14

I

1. A Vision of SchoolLeadership

It is 7.1S a.m. when Lee Jones pulls into the school parkinglot, but there are many cars dim already. The Early Mid ac-tivity bus has just unloaded a group of youngsters who headfor different parts of the building.

Jones catches up with those bound for Jeffenon School'sTechnology Center, which houses the computers equippedwith modems. The students have come early to send queuesto a history class in Paris, France. They want help on their le-scotch project about the underground resistance in Franceduring Illorld War II. The principal chats with the suidents as

they walk clown the hallway and asks io read their projectreport when it is finished. The Fiend: teacher ought be ableto use it. Leaving coat and briefcase at the office, Jonesbegins the earl' rounds of the school. In the Adult Center, a

primary grade team is consulting will: a patent about her son'sdiagnostic test scores in reading. Before the conference isover, the team and parent will have worked out the child'sstudy plan for school and home and detemuned how they will

communicate about it over the next few weeks. Making coffee

in the kitchen area at the Adult Center are a master teacher

15

2 Leaders for America's Schools

and student teacher getting ready for a breakfast meeting with

a chemist from a nearby laboratory. The chemist, following

Jones' speech at a meeting of the local Chemical Societyabout the goals of Jefferson's science curriculum, has offeredto teach a unit on scientific 1,tethods to older students.

In the pre-school wing Jones checks with the director ofthe community-run day care program about the helper project.

The student council has enlisted students to help an how. a

day with activities for the little children. The principal and

director talk about how to evaluate the experience for young

and older students.

Before school begins, Jones has looked in on a retiredpublic accountant tutori tg a young Early Bird having troublewith math, and has chatted with a group of adults finishing up

a project from their communications class before they headoff for work. 771e class has developed a videotape of theoldest members of their families discussing school in the olddays. 77te &ape, to be shown on the school's cable TV system,

is their final 0:0111. Jones also has greeted the students as they

(mired and confinned the day's activities.

Jones' morning obligations include:

Reading a report on the evaluation of a program forslower learners at the school and making a list of pos-

sible improvements in tlw program,

Reviewing the objectives of a new literaturelwritingunit developed by the school language arts team and

some faculty of the nearby university,

Attending the first large group lecture of the team and

making notes to discuss later with the master teacher,

Scheduling a budget expert to talk with the parents'council and the teachers of the school before theybegin planning next year's school budget.

Just before lunch Jones meets with a master teacher and

two student teachers who have developed a unit on chicresponsibility, the history project which brought the students in

A Vision of School Leadership 3

early to use the telecommunications system. They discussresources they might request from their university team.

Based on student complaints that the program for in-dividualized learning in history contains redundant softwareunits, Jones speaks with a master teacher about forming ateacher-student committee to review the integration of videocassettes and computer programmed instruction. They agreethat the committee should examine history's software libraryfor overlap and scope and report necessary changes to the his-tory faculty.

After lunch the principal meets with the ten motorteachers (one from each learning area) about how they planto give their annual assessment report to the school com-munity. They discuss what graphics to ask the central officeto develop, how to describe new instructional goals, and whento schedule reports from students on their projects.

It is early afternoon, and Jefferson's administrative internfrom State University presents her recommendations for dis-ciplinary action on two students. Jones and the intern alsoreview together a master teacher's evaluation of a studentteacher whom they will observe the next day.

Jones places a few phone callsto parents of the stu-dents who are to work off their discipline with a service projectat school, to the school council president about plans for theupcoming report eard day for the school. Then Jones beginsanother stint , lagement-by-walking-around as the stu-dents board buses, a meeting with a teacher to find out howthe new literature lecture is tying into writing projects, and ameeting with the union representative 1:: the building to dis-cuss the awards luncheon for two teachers who have justreceived national board certification.

But before leaving the building Jones jots down itemsfrom today which will prompt action tomorrow. The teacherwho has taken the lead on the new reading program, can beassisted by a willing parent; another teacher should be con-gratulated on his approach to a child having problems; theprofessional development center needs to be asked for a coin-

17


puler search on evaluating peer teach'ng for the day care direc-

tor, and a requisition needs to be prepared ordering another

phone for the teachers' lounge.

Jones' last act is to prepare notes for a case study on the

program for slower learners. Jones is to present the case to

other principals at their weekly conference.

77w lights will stay on long after Jones leaves. The day

care center is open for several more hours; the TechnologyCenter is waiting for a class of parents and students, and theafter-school program, run jointly by the school, recreation,and health departments, has been planned to meet the needs

of students and community members filmic!! its classes and

activities.

Preparing leaders for the schools American society needs is achallenge. While no composite profile can cover all the priorities ordescribe every nuance of school administration, a day with the prin-cipal of Jefferson illustrates the direction of changes already takingplace. Schools must:

Demonstrate that they are learning communities. Stan-dards are high and understood by both students and staff.Resources arc available to all in the community who needthem. The school serves as a partner with the universities inprepay ing teachers and administrators, and the school staffis caught up in constant professional self-renewal.

Foster collegiality. Teachers and administrators share inplanning, implementation, evaluation, and in learningtogether. The administrator becomes a leader, facilitator,matching needs with resources, aware of when to interveneand when not to, and constantly preparing for the specificneeds of the students and staff.

Individualize instruction. Individualization requires ap-propriate assessment and proper instructional poupingbased on sound educational reasons rather than architec-tural or bureaucratic ones. It also requires the use ofresources outside of the school to help children withproblems that impede learning, sufficient and varied class-

.i8


room resources, and an investment in teachers that ensuresthat individualized instruction succeeds.

Encourage involvement. A good school will belong to manyconstituencies because they will have roles in setting itsstandards, reviewing its progress, and shaping its programs.Educational professionals will respect parents as a child'sfirst and most important teachers and support them as es-sential partners in the learning process. Neighbors, busi-ness leaders, retired people, and others will be drawn intothe learning community. A school administrator nwst notonly create this climate of involvement, but also be an advo-cate for children within the community, acquiring theresources to meet needs.

Recently, the public schools' capacity to educate children andyoung people with diverse needs has been severely questioned. But,even if improvements brought education performance up to tradi-tional standards, that would not be sufficient. American societyneeds an unprecedented level of intellectual leadership. To providethe quality of learning that is demanded, educational leadershipmust show great resourcefulness and creativity in devising nnv struc-tures that make full use of teaching talent. There won't bz enoughexcellent teachers; those currently working must be used wisely.

The evolution of reforms over the past few years has progressedfrom cosmetic changes in course requirements to radical restructur-ing of the school environment. The new roles envisioned forteachers in reports of both the Holmes Group and the CarnegieForum Task Force on Teaching as a Profession draw education intoa broader field of management research from which it has been iso-lated for too long. At the same time, these reports identify the uni-que setting of the school workplace, envisioning how teachers couldrespond to greater autonomy and professionalism. Yet, the reformscannot be successful without strong, well-reasoned leadership fromprincipals and superintendents.

The Commission endorses this view of school-based change,fully aware of the awesome and exciting differences this would meanin the responsibilities of school administrate rs and in the skills theywould need. The school community, for example, should have the

.`19

6 Lcaders for America's Schools

authority to develop programs; control budgets; hire, promote, andretain staff; and select materials. One result of these changes, ofcourse, would be smaller central office staffs.

And the superintendency, while retaining much of its statutoryfunctions, would also change.

As Kelly Jackson dresses for the day, the telecommunica-tions system is displaying the morning news. Noting that areport on science education will be released in Washingtonlater in the day, Jackson begins to formulate comments. Assuperintendent of education, Jackson's comments are certainto be wanted by reporters.

The first stop of the morning is at City Hall to drop offwritten comments about a proposed new-parent program atthe community hospital. Because of concern that the planprovides for no follow-up, Jackson wants it to include a refer-ral service to school programs for parents. The city humanservices director agrees, and they develop a joint statement forthe upcoming city council meeting.

By mid-morning Jackson has talked with a newspaperreporter and agreed to a television interview about the statusof science education in the district's sc/tools. The interviewwill be based on a report of science achievement scores andthe report of a community task force on integrating laboratorytechniques into primary grades. Jackson then chairs a smallmeeting of principals working with the State University teamon management skills.

Before leaving to speak to the Business-School Partner-ship League about the district's long temp plan for achievingexcellence, Jackson checks with the district business manageron items for an upcoming school board meeting and makes anote that the facilities planning report has omitted a man-datory public hearing.

The afternoon begins with a call to the school boardchairperson on the positive reaction to the luncheon speech.Jackson next mediates a disagreement over supplemental read-ing ntaterials used in one of the sc/tools. Jackson has read thereport from the school faculty, the central office staff analysis

0


and a report from the School Librarians' Association thatcritiqued the materials. The meeting produces a decision; thematerials are too advanced and are better used at the nextgrade level.

Jackson then reviews the applications of finalists for theprincipal's position of a new high school. The applicationfiles contain reports from the assessment center, educationalrecords, observations, written assignments given the ap-plicants, interviews, and reports from a peer review committee.Jackson's administrative intern also has checked the researchon qualities desirable in a principal assigned to a newlyopened school. The recommendation to the board of educa-tion will be well documented.

The superintendent takes a few moments for exercise inthe staff fitness room before going to teach an advancedcourse on curriculum and instruction at State University.

A day in the life of Kelly Jackson does not demonstrate thewhole story of the emerging role of the superintendent of education,but it does lead to several generalizations. Superintendents ofeducation must lead in many ways.

They must symbolize education in the community. Throughtheir public statements they must express, project, and em-body the purpose and character of public education.

They must be able academicians having the ability to recog-nize excellence in teaching, learning, ant research. Theymust know where and when to intervene to strengthenacademic structures, choose able principals and supporttheir search for talented teachers. They must know how togather data and also how to analyze and use it.

They must exercise the wisest kind of political behavior byresolving the conflicting demands of many constituents and,in turn, gain their support for education.

They must be highly competent managers who demonstratetheir skill in selecting staff, planning for the future, buildingthe budget, and constructing and maintaining the schoolplant.

.21


Beyond these broad categories of leadership, superintendentsact as executive officers of boards of education, deal with the media,administer the union contract (which superintendents have had aresponsibility to negotiate), collaborate with all other youthservingorganizations in the community, work well with experts, and they arcskilled group leaders, speakers, and writers. They must provide thevision that inspires all those touched by the community of learning todo their best.

Today's few superintendents and principals who attain the skilland leadership outlined in the scenarios above do so against con-siderable odds. The preparation is not available and the concepts ofhow schools must be organized and led are not widely held.

The Commission's recommendations will enable quality leader-ship to flourish.

22

9

2. What Public Schools Should Do

The Commission's vision for the public schools requires changesin the way schools actually operate so that teachers will play sig-nificant roles in helping to formulate and implement educationalpolicies affecting the instructional program, teachers will have morediscretion over classroom decisions, and individual schools will havemore control over curricular, personnel, and budget matters withindistrictwide policy. School districts are urged to broaden the scopeof their educational activities, participate in recruitment andpreparation of administrators, invest financially in administratorprofessional development, and employ womel and ethnic minoritiesas principals and superintendents.

School boards, superintendents, and principals should developa specific plan to implement these recommendations. Each has aunique and important role to play, school boards in governance andthe generation of public and financial support for change, and super-intendents, principals, and other administrators in providing instruc-tional leadership. Working together, they can bring these recom-mendations into fruition. The public schools and students they servewill be the beneficiaries.

23


2.1 The public schools should share responsibility with univer-sities and professional organizations for the preparation ofadministrators.

While the universities should take major responsibility forpreparing educational administrators, public schools and profes-sional organizations offer opportunities and unique perspectives forpreparation. Both should be used in joint programs with univer-sities, to supervise clinical experiences, to provide faculty for cam-pus classrooms, and to participate in field research. Just as superin-tendents and principals can be used professionally on campuses,professors of educational administration could be used in schools.They might substitute for a regular principal on leave or serve aslong-term consultants to the central administration. Professors ofeducational administration need to keep their own administrativeskills uptodate and stay attuned to administrative practice.

2.2 School districts should design, operate, and monitorprograms of administrator professional development.

While the state should subsidize the professional developmentof administrators (and teachers), local school districts shoulddevelop and monitor such programs. In a later recommendation theCommission calls for individual programs designed to meet theneeds of each administrator, perhaps as annual growth plans.

23 The public schools should have programs to recruit qualityadministrators from among their teachers.

There is a large pool of educators with administrator certifi-cates, but schools in the future will need quality leadership that canrespond positively to more sophisticated preparation and job respon-sibilities. Regrettably, the record is discouraging. Of the 94 careerchoices of those taking the Graduate Record Examination, schooladministrators rank fourth from the bottom on GRE scores. Onlyhome economics, physical education, and social work candidatesscore lower. As the teaching force declines in numbers as well asquality, and more highly motivated teachers opt for career ladder ad-vancements rather than administrative posts, school districts will

24

What Public Schools Should Do 11

need to make vigorous efforts to recruit qualified candidates for ad-ministration. Assessment centers may be useful in identifying anddeveloping skills of potential school leaders and practicing ad-ministrators.

2.4 School districts should have policies that specifically identifypromising candidates for principalships and superintenden-des amcng women and ethnic minorities.

In spite of research demonstrating that women make good ad-ministrators, the percentage of worr,,n1 principals has declined andthe number of women superintendents has increased only from 1.7percent to 3 percent since 1970. These conditions prevail despitefederal and foundationsupported attempts to encourage womeninto administration. Yet, the pool of potential administrators amongwomen is growing. Currently, about one-half of the graduate stu-dents in educational administration are women.

Blacks and Hispanics are underrepresented dramatically in ad-ministrative posts, reflecting the declining percentage of blacksentering higher education and the continued low incidence ofHispanic enrollments. Because of the high cost of a college educa-tion today and a shrini1/4ing student aid program, fewer minorities arechoosing education, preferring careers with higher entering salaries.

Through vigorous policies that give recruitment of women andminorities into administrative posts a high priority, superintendentsand school boards can affect the entire school system, including stu-dents considering career choices.

2.5 Practicing administrators have an obligation to analyze theirwork and contribute actively to the development of its clinicalknowledge base.

Practitioners must contribute to the knowledge base in educa-tional administration, capitalizing on the insights they gain from ad-ministration. Practitioners are particularly useful in determiningnew areas for research or areas where research efforts need to besupplemented.

25


2.6 School districts should invite leadership from all parts of thecommunity.

All superintendents and principals should, as many now do,reach out to the community and enlist those with leadership abilityto aid the schools. A dimension of the superintendent's role is to ad-vocate and sell education, always mobilizing community support.

2.7 Seccndary schools should encourage talented students to be-come teachers and educational leaders.

If the nation's schools are to have the excellent teachers and ad-ministrators they will need in the future, they must be willing to com-pete for the most competent students from a shrinking cohort ofyoung people. Counselors should have current information aboutthe profession; award and scholarship programs should be used tostimulate interest in education.

26

13

3. What Professional OrganizationsShould Do

The major professional organizations for school administratorshave barely begun to tap their potential to improve the profession.Their members: superintendents, central office personnel, and prin-cipals, represent the best constituency to analyze the changes thatare needed in the preparation of administrators and to seek thosechanges actively. The organizations could have an especially impor-tant role in several areas.

3.1 The profession should recruit intellectually superior andcapable individuals to administrator preparation programs.

Given the number of individuals holding teaching positions, thepool of potential school administrators is quite large. There hasbeen, however, no systematic attempt to recruit the ablest from thispool. The process has been largely that of self-Flection. Profes-sional organizations should identify outstanding candidates forschool administration and encourage them, through scholarshipprograms, to undertake preparation. The organizations also couldhave as a specific goal the identification of women and minoritieswho should be enlisted into administrator preparation.

27


3.2 The profession should become involved substantively in thepreparation of educational administrators., especially in theplanning, implementing, and assessment of programs.

University programs need the expertise of practicing school ad-ministrators to develop the best and most relevant learning experien-ces. Representatives from professional organizations should be in-cluded on university committees that design, deliver, and evaluateadministrator preparation programs, on both a short-term and long-term basis.

Likewise, the professional associations should select highlyqualified members to serve on such committees and provide themwith the necessary support to make their contributions as useful aspossible.

33 A National Policy Board on Educational Administrationshould be established.

The Board would include representatives from those nationalorganizations with interests in educational administration. TheBoard would have several functions including the following:

monitor the implementation of the Commission's recommendations,conduct periodic national reviews of preparation for educational ad-ministrators and professors, encourage the development of highquality programs for preparation of educational administrators,produce white papers on critical national policy issues in education,hold forums for discussions of issues in educational administration,and generally ensure good communication across interest groupsabort policy concerns.

An early agenda item would be the consideration of the estahlishment of a national academy or board of professional school admittistration. Currently there is no forum to recognize t lose schooladministrators whose performance and contributions to the profes-sion exceed all standards. The national academy would fill this voidand accept for membership, candidates who have provided evidenceof sustained exemplary performance, who have shared their ideasthrough presentations and publications, and, who have succeeded inrigorous examination. The academy is similar in purpose to the Car-negie Task Force's suggestion for a National Board for Professional

28

What Professional Organizations Should Do 15

Teaching Standards. Certification by the academy would be volun-tary. The academy would have direct and beneficial effects on statelicensure standards and administrator preparation programs.

29

17

4. What Universities Should DoTATvv hen Lee Jones was recruited as a potential ad-

ministrator, the school district also provided support for further study. Given a sabbatical with partial continuing salary,Jones entered the program at State University in a cadre of 30full -time students. The school district was willing to makesuch an investment in Jones because of demonstrated leader-ship as a teacher, good communication skills, and an excel-lent academic background.

With an undergraduate degree in arts and sciences and amaster's degree in teaching Jones was ready to begin prepara-tion for school leadership. Jones' cohort started with early re-quired coursework focused on the study of administration, ad-vanced curriculum design and management, and administra-tive skills development. Coursework for the cohort took placethroughout the campus: in public administration, in business,in arts and sciences, and in education. Because of a par-ticular interest in multi-cultural education, Jones elected sonicanthropology courses. All members of the cohort completedthe required administrative core subjects such as law, finance,personnel, facilities planning and politics of education. Inorder to develop a perspective, the cohort studied the develop-ment of educational administration as a profession and the

30


functioning of American educational systems and those ofother countries.

In addition to coursework, the cohort in school ad-ministration was immediately introduced to the skills centerand c planned sequence of short-term field experiences care-fully supervised by the administration faculty and a group ofexceptional practitioners serving the university as clinicalprofessors. Guided and independent practice in the skills cen-ter helped students become convincing public speakers anddeveloped other skills important to public service ad-',animators.

The next sequence in Jones' studies involved the applica-tion of administrative studies and research findings to schoolproblems. The cohort first focused on research findings andclinical study within the !adversity setting using such techni-ques as meta-analysis and simulation. Later, groups of stu-dents working with clinical and research professors engaged inproblemsolving activities in actual school environments.

The next strand of Jones' preparation was supervisedpractice, consisting of short and longtenn internships underthe direction of research faculty and practitioners who wereclinical facnity members at State University.

Singling out a specific type of school setting to specializein, one with a multi-cultural student body, Jones entered thefinal phase of graduate preparation, demonstrating com-petence. Under the supervision of clinical professors, Jonesserved as a principal intern, sharing experiences and observa-tions with fellow students and the professors. Evaluation ofJones' progress was based on the practical application ofknowledge and skills, a group field study project, in additionto traditional measures of competence and demonstratedabilities at the university's administrative skills center.

Currently, university preparation for educational administrationis the same as for researchers and professors. It consists of a tradi-tional university degree program of coursework, periodic examina-tions, and a thesis. As in other service professions, however, schooladministrators need more than mastery of a body of knowledge.

31

What Universities Should Do 19

Their performance depends on the ability to determine t1' needs ofthose they serve and to meet those needs with practical skills rootedin an appropriate knowledge base. We are urged by the uniqueresponsibilities of school administrators to suggest that their univer-sity preparation should differ from that of researchers because itmust emphasize the application of knowledge and skills in clinicalrather than academic situations.

Complex demands on educational leadership require thatpreparation programs be designed around five strands:

the study of administration,

the study of the technical core of educational administra-tion and the acquisition of vital administrative skills,

the application of research findings and methods toproblems,

supervised practice,

demonstration of competence.

Preparation for professional practice rests on some assumptionsthat have not been characteristic of school administrator prepara-tion. It is assumed that, because of its importance, preparation ispreservice; that is, no one is allowed to practice before he or she isprepared. Logically, preparation is a sequenced and mcntored pathfrom theory to practice. It is also assumed that students willprogress through the preparation program as a cohort. The natureof professional work, complicated analyses and problem solving, re-quires the formation of values of colleagucship in which the studentbecomes accustomed to seeking and giving adv:ce and working close-ly with other professionals. Students in a cohort learn the impor-tance of colleaguerhip and otl.er professional values. A further as-sumption is that preparation is accomplished in blocks cf full-timestudy. Preparation to serve in occupations key to our society'shealth should not be taken lightly. People who choose to serve incritical occupations make personal sacrifices to insure thcir prepara-tion and competence and to demonstrate their commitment to serv-ing society as trusted professionals. Although full-time preparation

R 32


is generally superior, some universities have developed alternativesthat may accomplish many of the goals of fulltime preparation.Lastly, it is assumed that professional preparation is a joint respon-sibility of the university and the profession. Universities respond tothe changing nature of professional work; practitioners take activeroles in the mentoring and induction of new practitioners. To insurethe relevance of preparation, the development of new knowledge,and the improvement of professional practice, the university and theprofession work closely to plan, design, and deliver professionalpreparation.

The Commission's recommendations for universities aredirected at different levels.

To Professors

4.1 Administrator preparation programs should be like those inprofessional schools which emphasize theoretical and clinicalknowledge, applied research, and supervised practice.

The Commission argues that the logic of professional prepara-tion, which introduces students to theory and research and thengradually guides them into the world of practice, is wellsuited forthe important work of school administration. The necessarily closeworking relationship between the university and the world of prac-tice will benefit the quality of research and the quality of ad-ministrator preparation. In addition, public interests are served bythe fact that administrators have studied school administration inthe university and have been mentored by a team of research andclinical professors prior to independent practice.

4.2 The position of educational administration program chair-person should be one of leadership with responsibility forprogram development and renewal.

Too often, program leadership is regarded as temporary and aduty rather than as a challenge. This should change immediately.The creation of a dynamic, effective setting for the study of schools

33


and the preparation of school administrators is not a chance happen-ing. Scholars who reluctantly serve as chairpersons are unlikely tocreate an exciting setting. Election by peers does not guaranteestrong leadership. Program chairpersons should be committed toconstantly improving programs, to linking administrator preparationto the best resources on the campus and in the field, and to support-ing only high-quality research.

43 Professors should collaborate with administrators on reform-ing curricula for administrator preparation.

Administrator preparation programs must undertake the majorreforms indicated in this report, and that impetus will have to comefrom the current faculty. Faculty efforts, however, must be in con-cert with the best of professional practice if they are to have therelevance and currency that are necessary.

4.4 The faculty of administrator preparation programs shouldhave varied academic backgrounds and experience.

The program faculty should reflect balanced diversity. In addi-tion to traditional specialties such as organizational studies andschool finance, a department should have clinical professors, someof whom are professional, practicing administrators. Also, a depart-ment will need faculty who can recruit students, evaluate them,develop mentoring programs, and supervise internships.

4.5 Professional development should be included in the perfor-mance reviews of professors.

Changes in preparation programs, a maturing research capacity,and requirements for knowledge relevant to administrative practice,make professional development of professors of educational ad-ministration particularly crucial. The development plan should beformalized so that its importance is evident and so that planning canbe c'jne to fund aspects of the plan calling for external resources.

341.;


To Deans

4.6 Universities should fund and staff administrator preparationprograms at a levet that makes excellence possible.

In many universities, the resources of administrator preparationprograms have been reduced to a point where an adequate programis not possible. Almost 40 percent of the departments report areduction in the number of faculty lines in educational administra-tion during the past 10 years, with two faculty members lost for everymember added. Many programs no longer employ graduate and re-search assistants: few have adequate support staff and equipment.

If the programs shift to a clinical approach for the training of ad-ministrators, as strongly recommended by the Commission, they willneed more resources. It is ludicrous for universities to expect im-provement and development of relevant, rigorous clinical prepara-tion without adequate funding.

4.7 The reward structure for professors should be changed torecognize curriculum reform, instructional innovation, andother activities in addition to traditional scholarship.

The excellent programs of preparation envisioned by the Com-mission rely on more than traditional scholarship. Professors mustbe actively involved in working for school improvements, designingand evaluating school-based research, and recruiting and monitoringhighly qualified candidates for school administration.

The Commission acknowledges that consultit ; with school dis-tricts is a legitimate activity of professors. However, this should beconsidered a part of the assignments of the professors, subject topeer review and university coordination and regulation, with com-pensation plans developed that are fair to all parties.


4.8 Universities should provide scholarships and other incen-tives to recruit able students and particularly those from eth-nic minority groups.

Working with school districts and professional organizations,universities need to identify and recruit highly capable individuals toenter teaching and school administration. Recruitment should beginwith information and incentives to high school students.

The desired recruits should demonstrate high intellectualcapacity, leadership potential, and the communication skills sonecc..-ss-try for education careers. Universities should use screeningand selection procedures that complement other kinds of assess-ments to identify talented students. They should arrange for sub-sidized internships, scholarships, and work experience throughpublic and private sponsors to support those recruited for the profes-sion.

To Presidents and Academic Vice-Presidents

4.9 Universities unable to accept the spirit of excellencedescribed in this report should cease preparing ad-ministrators.

There are 505 institutions offering courses in school administra-tion in the United States, but less than 200 have the resources andcommitment to provide the excellence called for by the Commission.

The years ahead will be dominated by changes in schooldemographics, teaching technologies, and the roles of educators.These will require school leaders comfortaole with creativity, ex-perimentation, and rigorous standards for their programs. Such per-sons cannot be prepared by mediocre programs in a.:.-ademicallyweak institutions.

The preparation programs must have intellectual vigor, highstandards of practice, and a challenging faculty wh3 are themselvesactive scholars, valued consultants, and exciting mentors. Depart-ments of educational administration must be vibrant intellectualcommunities. Unfortunately, surveys indicate that a large percent-

t 3,k


age of current faculty members consider their programs to be ofhigh quality and see no need for major changes.

Universities must require periodic review by outside experts toevaluate the effectiveness of administrator preparation programs.

The Commission believes a quality program requires a mini-mum of five full-time faculty members (the median number of educa-tional administration faculty in all administrator preparationprograms is 3.9), first-rate instructional materials, sophisticated tech-nologies, and a cohort of highly qualified fulltime students.

Because it is concerned about the great number of individualsbeing prepared and licensed in programs with inadequate resourcesand little commitment to quality, the Commission recommends thatthe campuses prepare fewer better. Like other professionalprograms, an excellent one in educational administration will havefewer students and require greater university support. Only institu-tions willing to support such excellence should continue to prepareschool leaders.

University leadership needs to join with that of state governors,as expressed in their report, Time for Results, "to focus resourcesand energies on a limited number of excellent administrator prepara-tion programs."

37

25

5. What State Policymakers ShouldDo

Although the schooling of future generations is, in the loftyrhetoric of public discourse, touted as the nation's most criticalresponsibility, it is difficult to think of another profession in whichscreening is so poorly executed. Current licensure procedures do agreat disservice because they appear to designate individuals par-ticularly suited by character, intelligence, and skill to administerschools. That claim is indefensible. This is the major issue whichstate policy makers ,reed to address, but not the only one.

5.1 Each state should have an administrative licensure board toestablish standards, examine candidates, issue licenses, andhave the authority to revoke licenses.

The Commission agrees with the Holmes Group and The Car-negie Forum on Education and the Economy that educators must begiven more authority and responsibility for teaching and lea, J.

Part of that empowerment requires that administrators take cu ..1c-five responsibility for setting and enforcing standards of admissionto the profession as well as for continuing pi actice. Where they donot already exist, the Commission recommends that each state estab-lish a school administrator licensure board composed of ad-

' ,- 38


ministrators, professors of educational administration, and schoolboard members. The authority of the board would include estab-lishment of standards for licensure, the thorough examination of can-didates, the adoption and enforcement of a code of ethics, and grant-ing and revocation of licenses, based on established procedures.

5.2 Licensure should depend on the completion of a state-ap-proved program, demonstration of knowledge and skills,evidence of performance, recommendation by the profes-sional preparation program, adherence to a professionalcode of ethics and, in the case of principals, teaching ex-perience.

The licensure procedure must ensure quality in school leader-ship. The Commission recommends that those permitted to applyfor licensure be limited to persons who have completed a state ap-proved program, passed rigorous written and oral examinat:ons, andhave shown competence in simulated or actual work settings.

Although teach:4g experience should be a prerequisite for theposition of principal, it may not be necessary for superintendents invery large cities. In that case, the teaching requirement might bewaived in the face of skills gained from experience in other ap-propriate settings. All other superintendents should have had teach-ing experience.

The standards should be written in terms of skills, knowledge,and attitudes considered desirable for educational administrators,not in numbers of courses. Merely accumulating course creditsshould not be a "back door" entrance to school administration.

The assessments should ascertain that a candidate has goodcommunications skills, as well as those of pedagogy, management,and leadership. As a long-term goal, state boards of licensure couldcooperate on the development of a common testing program for allstates, although authority over licensure should reside with eachstate licensure board.

39

What State Policymakers Should Do 27

53 Licenses for educational administrators should have twotiers: entry level and fully licensed status.

The entry-level license would be granted after completion of astate-approved program but prior to professional practice. A schooladministrator would become fully licensed only after documentingsuccessful performance in a full-time administrative position for atleast three years.

5.4 Temporary or emergency licensure should not be granted.

Studies by the Commission and others indicate there are two-to-three times as many people currently holding school administratorlicenses as there are positions. Rather than increase the pool, theobjective of state policymakers should be to limit it to only the fullyqualified.

5.5 A license should be issued for a specified time period.Renewal of the license should depend on successful perfor-mance and continuing professional development.

Professional knowledge and skills become dated. This is espe-cially true in education now that sophisticated research techniquesare making a major contribution to the field. A few states have at-tempted to keep education leaders up to date, but the Commissiongenerally is unimpressed with the quality and scope of theseprograms. Moreover, these programs often are disassociated fromprofessional control and preservice preparation; they li..z:k sequenceand continuity.

The Commission recommends that school administration licen-ses require renewal, to be granted on the basis of successful perfor-mance and continuing professional development under the qualitycontrol of the state licensure board.

5.6 Licenses should be portable from state to state.

The Commission makes this recommendation because schoolboards must have the freedom to recruit exceptional administratorsfrom all regions of the United States.

'"40


5.7 School administrators should be able to transfer retirementbenefits from state-to-state.

Currently, retirement benefits are not portable, placing anotherlimitation on the school administrator candidates which school dis-tricts have available to them. The Commission recognizes the dif-ficulties in developing and administering plans to allow benefits tobe portable, but points out this could be a worthwhile undertaking ofprofessional organizations working with states.

5.8 States should supplement the cost of financing professionaldevelopment programs for educational administrators.

High quality programs of professional development for schooladministrators will be costly, but they at e a needed investment. Justas most states have line-item appropriations for tez cher staffdevelopment, all states should set aside funding for the continuingeducation of school administrators. State leadership could enlist thesupport and involvement of the private sector in helping school ad-ministrators keep abreast of the latest knowledge and practices inmanagement and service delivery. Further, the state board of profes-sional school administrator licensure should be responsible formonitoring and quality control of professional development.

5.9 Each state should develop policies for the recruitment andplacement of minorities and women in administrative posi-tions.

State and federal programs of equal opportunity and affirmativeaction are not working in educational administration. For example,only 3 percent of the superintendents in the country are female, andthe number of female principals has declined in recent years. Yet,half of the graduate students in educational administration arefemale. State policies should vigorously encourage the hiring ofqualified females for administrative positions.

The ethnic minority problem is different. There are too few eth-nic minority students in higher education, a problem that begins withearly education programs It are inadequate for the needs ofminorities. States need to address these larger societal problems,then follow-up with career counseling, scholarship aic cot- needy stu-

41

What State Policymakers Should Do 29

dents, and affirmative action policies that ensure the encouragementof larger numbers of ethnic minorities to choose educational ad-min,stration as a career.

42

31

6. What Federal PolicymakersShould Do

The Commission believes that the federal government should un-dertake or expand upon efforts which will produce mere capableleadership for the nation's schools. This is a matter of national con-cern; one which requires national attention and federal support.

6.1 The federal government should continue to provide sig-nificant funding for research in educational administi ation.

Educational administration needs an expanding knowledge basedeveloped by competent researchers and incorporating contribu-tions from leadership in other countries and from other professions.The federal government should increase its investment in researchapplicable to school administration. Further, it should be thecatalyst for encouraging public schools, professional organizations,and universities to pool their efforts to improve the profession. Thefede: al government should fund research that helps educational ad-ministration draw from the best practices and knowledge of manage-ment in the private sector and in relevant professions. Above all,emphasis should be given to support research on the unique role ofthe education administrator.

43


6.2 The federal government should fund a graduate fellowshipprogram in educational administration for ethnic minorities.

Federal programs can be both substantive and symbolic. Notonly would such a fellowship program benefit individuals and schooladministration in general, but it would stimulate state and local ef-forts to make ethnic minority participation in educational ad-ministration a priority.

44

33

7. What The Private Sector ShouldDo

Concurrent with the education reform proposals of the past fewyears has been a resurgence of interest by the private sector, espe-cially foundations and business/industry, in public education. In-deed, many forward-looking refolm recommendations have comefrom panels that included representatives of major corporations inthis country. The interest is recognizably self-serving; only a muchbetter educated population will have the skills necessary for thiscountry to compete globally.

One byproduct of this renewed involvement has been therealization of how much the private sector can help education. Thisis less a matter of material contribution, more one of expertise andpolitical leverage. The field of school administration would benefitgreatly from contiLLued and increase .1 involvement with the privatesector. Likewise, schools have knowledge about new populationsand effective practices that the private sector would find useful.

45


7.1 Business, industry and the public schools should exchangespecialized personnel to provide each other with relevant, use-ful information.

Education personnel have experience in working with a greatdiversity of populations, those who are entering or will enter theworkforce. And business/industry has developed sophisticated andelaborate training programs for its personnel which incorporate con-temporary technology. The two sectors should exchange ap-propriate information and personnel.

7.2 Foundations should support research and developmentprograms focused on the clinical phases of preparation.

Research that addresses the knowledge, skills, attitudes, andvalues to be gained through clinical experience needs fundingsources that allow it to be creative and sustained. This is one of thegreat contributions which foundations make to the education fieldand which generally is unavailable from public sources.

73 Businesses and industries should provide technical assis-tance to education agencies in the development of optimumuses of technology.

The rate of technological change is so rapid that public sector in-stitutions have difficulty keeping pace. They do not have the exper-tise nor the funding needed. The private sector, on the other hand,can make this kind of investment, and in many instances, is creatingthe technology which education should be using. Partne, shipsfocused on this issue alone would contribute greatly, not only to theknowledge base in school administration, but to the effective applica-tion of technology by school administrators.

46

What The Private Sector Should Do 35

7.4 Foundations, businesses, and industries should provide fel-lowships for ethnic minorities to pursue preparation forschool administration.

The Commission believes that the private sector must accept thechallenge to increase the number of minorities in educational ad-ministration. As noted before, minority representation in highereducation is dismally low. The Commission would not want the im-provement of school administration through full-time programs ofstudy to discourage even more ethnic minorities from entering theprofession.

The private sector must join the public sector in enabling ethnicminorities to participate as fully as others in a renewed, substantivelyimproved field of educational administration.

7.5 Business, industry and education leaders should participatejointly in management training programs.

The demand for greater autonomy in schools springs not fi omthe education sector, but from evolving management practiccs.Educational administration would not be playing "catch up" if it hadbeen learning, along with the business sector, about successful, neworganizational practices. Further, joint training arrangcments wouldprovide the business sector with more information about school-re-lated issues and possibly stimulate greater collaboration betweenpublic school administration and private resources.

47

37

Conclusion

This report has presumed much by the wide sweep of its recom-mendations. Although the focus of the report has been to assertways in which the preparation of school administrators must be im-proved, of necessity, related themes have been addressed. Prepara-tion of educational administrators cannot be isolated from their iden-tification, recruitment, licensure, employment, and continued profes-sionalization. Nor can it be separated from either the major changesin responsibility of future leaders or the new structures of theschools they will lead. All the parts are linked. The absence ofchange in one will inhibit change in the others. But a beginning mustbe made.

Although the proposals call for high levels of expenditure of willand resolve, they are not expensive in monetary terms. The cost ofthese reforms is insignificant as a percentage of what is spent in thiscountry on all phases of public schooling. As an investment thereforms will have tremendous returns.

The proposals have been addressed to policy makers and in-fluentials in a number of segments of the education scene. Theyhave the capacity to do what is asked. They can be persuaded thatdoing so is right. Unless all of them accept the challenges presentedhere, the reforms advocated in the major reports, already sparkingpublic debate and commitments, may become a revolution that dies

48


for lack of leadership, taking with it the confidence of the Americanpublic and the will of the American society to support an educationsystem that can assure it of a viable future.

49

39

Notes

Preface

The national reports of particular interest to the National Com-mission on Excellence in Educational Administration are:A Nation Prepared: Teachers for the 21st Century. (1986). New

York: Carnegie Forum on Education and the Economy.

Tomorrow's Teachers: A Report of the Holmes Group. (1986). EastLansing: The Holmes Group, Inc.

Time for Results: The Governors' 1991 Report on Education. (1986).Washington: National Governors' Association Center for PolicyResearch and Analysis.

School Boards. (1986). Washington: The Institute for EducationalLeadership.

The problems which the Commission are addressing are drawnfrom:

Achilles, C. (1984). Forecast: Stormy weather alnad in educationaladministration. Issues in Education, 2, 127-135.

Barth, R. (1987). On sheep and goats. Leaders for America'sSchools. San Francisco: McCutchan, forthcoming.

'.) P 50


Foster, W. (1987). Educational administration: A critical ap-praisal. Leaders for America's Schools. San Francisco:McCutchan, forthcoming.

Greenfield, T.B. (1987). Representing organization theory with ahuman face: The search for a human and humane under-standing of administration. Leaders for America's Schools. SanFrancisco: McCutchan, forthcoming.

Griffiths, D.E. (1979). Intellectual turmoil in educational ad-ministration. Educational Administration Quarterly, 25(3), 43-65.

Peterson, K.D., & Finn, C.E., Jr. (1985). Principals, superinten-dents, and the administrator's art. The Public Interest, 79, 42-62.

Shakeshaft, C. (1987). Women in educational administration: im-

plications for training. Leaders for America's Schools. San Fran-cisco: McCutchan, forthcoming.

Cornett, L. (1985). Rethinking the selection and preparation ofschool principals. Paper presented to the National Governor'sAssociation Task Force and School Leadership and Manage-ment, Little Rock.

Perhaps the most complete and scholarly critique of prepara-tion programs is:

Pitner, N. (1982, February). Training of the school administrator:State of the art. CEPM. Eugene: University of Oregon, 59.

1. A Vision of Educational LeadershipThe following is a list of the background documents and infor-

mation that figured into the thinking of the Commission. The socie-tal changes below are drawn from:

Kanter, R.M. (1983). The Change Masters. INI:;w York: Simon &Schuster.

Education Vital Signs. (1985). Compiled by the editors of TheAmerican School Board Journal and The Executive Educator.

51

Notes 41

Griffiths, D.E. (1975). The collapse of consensus. New York Univer-sity Education Quarterly, 7(1), 1-7.

Graubard, S.R. (1980). The end of consensus? [Summer issue].Daedalus, The Journal of the American Academy of Arts andSciences.

There is an array of social, political, technological, anddemographic changes that make it more difficult than ever beforefor educational leaders to achieve their goal of quality education forall. Discussions at the regional seminars concentrated on the follow-ing changes:

Widespread use of birth control has decreased the numberof children and changed the proportions of age groups insociety, leading to a decline in public support for education.

The women's movement has sharply reduced education'sbest source of able teachers, with women being placed inpositions of leadership in government, business, and theprofessions.

Political parti2.s have been weakened through splinteringand the multiplication of special interest groups, making itdifficult, if not impossible, to govern.

More than half of all wives are employed outside the home.

Over half of all families have two wage earners.. The median amount of schooling for all wage earners has

moved past one year of college.

Almost two-thirds of all households have no children.. Approximately 20 percent of all families are headed by

women with no husband present. The annual income forthese families is less than one-half that of families headedby married couples.

Ethnic minorities constitute the majority of school enroll-ments in 23 of the 25 largest cities.

. The demand for new teachers exceeds the supply.

i 5 2


An excellent discussion of the role of the principal and an in-cisive analysis of the concept of the instructional ieader is to befound in:Greenfield, W.D. (1986). Moral, social, and technical dimensions

of the principalship. /Summer issue]. Peabody Journal ofEducation.

The discussion of changes in the division of authority in schoolsand society draws on:

Chapman, J. (1987). A new conception of the principalship: des-centralization, devo:ution, and the administration of Australianschools. NCEEA, Leaders for America's Schools. San Francis-co: McCutchan, forthcoming.

Murphy, M.J. Alternatives for educational administration: lessonsfrom abroad. Leaders for America's Schools. San Francisco:McCutchan, forthcoming.

Soutar, D.H. (1982). An Overview of Mana &mem Development inMining and Other Industries. 'paper presented at the AmericanInstitute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers,Dallas, TX.

Yankelovich, D. & Immerwahr, J. (1984, January/February). Puttingthe work ethic to work. Society, 58-76.

Descriptions of how principals function and conclusions as tothe work of principals and supzrintendents may be found in:

Griffiths, D.E. (1987). Administrative theory. N. Boyan (Ed.). TheHandbook of Research on Educational Administration. Chicago:Longman, Inc.

Griffiths, D.E. (1)66). The School Superintendent. New York:Center for Applied Research in Education.

Clark, D. & Astuto, T. Paradoxical choice options in organizations.Leaders for America's Schools. San Francisco: McCutchan,forthcom:ng.

53

Notes 43

Hoyle, J.R., English, F.W., & Steffy, B.E. (1985). Skills For Success-ful School Leaders. Arlington, VA. American Association ofSchool Administrators.

NAESP. !1984). Standards for Quality Elementary Schools. Ar-lington, VA. National Association of Elementary School Prin-cipals.

NAESP. (1986). Proficiencies for Principals. Arlington, . A. Na-tional Association of Elementary School Principals.

References to schoolboards and superintendents are detailed in:School Boards. (1986). Washington: The Institute for Educational

Leadership.

Ideas for the restructuring of schools and the roles of teachersand administrators arc found in:

Time for Results: The Governors 1991 Report on Education. Sectiondevoted to the work of the Task Force on Leadership andManagement.

Tomorrow's Teachers: A Report of the Holmes Group. (1986). EastLansing: The Holmes Group, Inc.

A Nation Prepared: Teachers for the 21st Century. (1986). NewYork: Carnegie Forum on Education and the Economy.

Patterson, J.L., Purkey, S.C., & Parlier, J.V. (1986). ProductiveSchool Systems For A Nonrational World. Washington: Associa-tion for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Crim, Shankee, & Greane. (1986, December). On the education ofa teacher. Innovator, 18(3).

Shanker, A. (1987, January 18). Management creates sense of pur-pose. Where We Stand, New York Times.

54


2. What Public Schools Should DoIdeas on the role of public schools in the preparation of school

administrators are found in:

Peterson, K.D., & Finn, C.E , Jr. (1985). Principals, superinten-dents, and the administrator's art. The Public Interest, 79, 42-62Reprinted in Leaders for America's Schools. San Francisco.McCutchan, forthcoming.

Recruitment of administrators was discussed in:

Goodlad, J.L. (1984). A Place Called School: Prospects for the Fu-ture. New York: ?:cGrawHill.

Frasher and Frasher reviewed seven studies in which the performan-ces of men and women school administrators were compared.They found either no sex differences or women received higherratings.

Frasher, J.M., & Frasher, R.S. (1979). Educational Administration:A feminine profession. Educational Administration Quarterly,15(2), 1-13.

Rept ebLioation of blacks in school administration is discussedin:

Jackson, B.L. (1987). Education from a bllek perspective with im-plications or administrator preparation programs. Leaders firAmerica's Schools. San Francisco: McCutchan, for,hcoming.

The factors that should be taken into account in the selection ofadministrators are discussed in:

Miskel, C. (1983). The Practicing Administrator: Dilemmas,knowledge, and strategies for improving leadership. W.N. Hird(Ed.). The Practicing Administrator: Dilemmas and Strategies, 1-21.

The importance of asses.,ffient is discussed in:

NASSB Bulletin, 70 (486), 1- 58.

55

Notes 45

A good example of a program designed to introduce ethnicminority secondary school students to careers in education is theMentor in Er.lucation program. For information write:

Barbara ProbstNew York A,,iance for the Public Schools32 Wash ngton PlaceNew York: City, New York 10003

4. What Universities Should DoThe main sources of criticisms of the study '.nd practice of

educational administration and the preparation of educational ad-ministrators are:Achilles, C. L984). Forecast: Stormy weather ahead in educational

administration. Issues in Education, 2, 127-135.

Foster, W. (1987). Educational administration: a critical appraisal.Leaders for America's Schools. San Francisco: McCutchan,forthcoming.

Greenfield, T.B. (1987). Representing organization theory with ahuman face: The search for a human and humane under-standing of administration. Leaders for America's Schools. SanFrancisco: McCutchan, forthcoming.

Griffiths, D.E. (1979). Intellectual turmoil in educational ad-ministration. Educational Administration Quarterly, 25(3), 43-65.

Peterson, K.D., & Finn, C.E., Jr. (1985). Principals, superinten-cents, and the administrator's art. The Public Interest, 79, 42-62.Peprinted in Leaders for America's Schools. San Francisco:lvfcCutchan, forthcoming.

Shakeshaft, C. (1987). Women in educational administration: Im-plications for training. Leaders for America's Schools. SanFrancisco: McCutchan, fcrthcoming.

Cornett, L. (1985). Rethinking the selection and preparation ofschool principals. Paper presented to the National Governor'sAssociation Task Force and School Leadership and Manage-ment, Little Rock.


Discussions of alternatives to current approaches to preparingeducational administrators are found in:

Pohland, P.A. (1987). The return of the Mayflower: British alterna-tives to American Practice. Leaders for America's Schools. San

Francisco: McCutchan, forthcoming.

Murphy, M. (1987). Alternatives for educational administration:Lessons from abroad. Leaders for America's Schools. San Fran-cisco: McCutchan, forthcoming.

Other articles on the preparation of educational administratorsinclude:

Daniel E. Griffiths. The 4essorship revisited. Leaders forAmerica's Schools. San . Icisco: McCutchan, forthcoming.

Hawley, W.D. Universities and the improvement of school manage-ment. Leaders for America's Schools. San Francisco:McCutchan, forthcoming.

Mackett, M., Frank, F., Abrams, P., & Nowakowski, J. Computersand educational excellence: Poh.y implications for educationaladministration. Leaders for America's Schools. San Francisco:McCutchan, forthcoming.

Bessoth, R. (1987). J. Culbertson (Trans.). School administrationas a profession: A comparative study of educational develop-ment and training in six nations. Leaders for America's Schools.San Francisco: McCutchan, forthcoming.

Valverde, L.A. An exemplary preparation program: The co-opera-tive superintendency program of the University of Texas.Leaders for America's Schools. San Francisco: McCutchan,forthcoming.

Blodgett, B. (1986). Casing the world economy. TWA Ambassador,1986, March, 41-45.

Pitner, N. (1987). Graduate Preparation for the principal in Califor-nia. Leaders for Anterica's Schools. San Francisco: McCutchan,forthcoming.

57'

Notes 47

Cooper, B.S. & Boyd, W.L. (in press). The evolution of training forschool administration. In J. Murphy & P. Hal linger, Approachesto Administrative Training. Albany, NY: SUNY Press. Leadersfor America's Schools. San Francisco: McCutchan, forthcom-ing.

A paper with a suggested program and comprehensive bibliog-raphy is:

Achilles, C.M. (1987). Unlocking some mysteries of administrationand administrator preparation: A reflective prospect. Leadersfor America's Schools. San Francisco: McCutchan, forthcoming.

How the preparation program should reflect the research ongender difference is discussed in:

Shakeshaft, C. (1987). Women in educational administration: Im-plications for training. In Leaders for America's Schools. SanFrancisco: McCutchan, forthcoming.

The 1 ,:rspective on the education of Blacks for educational ad-ministration is given by:

Jackson, B.L. (1987). Edo cation from the black perspective with im-plications for administrator preparation programs. The role ofthe practicing superintendent in the preparation of school super-intendents. Leaders for America's Schools. San Francisco:McCutchan, forthcor. ing.

The generalizations concerning the test scores of people enter-ing teaching and educational administration were drawn from threesources:

Combined SAT scores for college-bound high school seniors by in-tended field of study. (1986). A Nation Prepared: Teachers forthe 21st Centuly. New York: Carnegie Forum on Education andthe Economy.

Griffiths, D.E., et al. (1986). Teacher Education in Massachusetts:The Public Sector. Boston: Board of Regents for Higher Educa-tion.

5


Guide to the Use of the Graduate Record Exam. (1985). Princeton:Educational Testing Service, 23.

A survey of certain UCEA doctoral programs is reported in:

Levan, F.D. & Norton, M.S. (1987). Doctoral studies of students ineducational administration in UCEA member institutions.Leaders for America's Schools. San Francisco: McCutchan,

forthcoming.

Wilson, K.A. (1987). A division of labor in the preparation ofeducational administration. Leaders for America's Schools. SanFrancisco: McCutchan, forthcoming.

Professional doctorates are discussed in:

Eells, W.C. (1963). Degrees in Higher Education. Washington: TheCenter for Applied Research in Education, 45-52.

Ideas for the professional model of preparation were drawnfrom:

Schein, E.H. (1972). Professional Education. New York: McGrawHill.

New theories of administration and organization are presentedin:

Burrell, G. & Morgan, G. (1979). Sociological paradigms and or-ganizational analysis. London: Heinemann.

Griffiths, D.E. (1987). Administrative thew y. N. Boy-an (Ed.). TheHandbook of Research on Educational Administration. Chicago:Longman, Inc.

An example of the kind of research emerging from new theoreti-cal approaches is:MacPherson, R.J.S. (1986). Talking up and justifying organization:

The creation and control of knowledge about being organized.Studies in Educational Administration. Armidale, NSW,Australia: Commonwealth Council for Educational Administra-

59

Notes 49

lion. Leaders for America's Schools. San Franc:sco:McCutchan, forthcoming.

Peterson's Guide to Graduate Study. (1986). Book 1 lists 505 institu-tions offering graduate courses in educational administration.They are distributed as follows:216 offer only master's degrees484 offer the master's plus other degrees173 offer doctorates (three offer only the doctorate:Claremont, Gonzaga, and International Graduate School)21 offer only the certificate of advanced study or educationalspecialist certificate.

The discussion of supply and demand for educational ad-ministrators is drawn from:Bliss, J.R. Public school administrators in the United States:

Analysis of supply and demand. Leaders for America's Schools.San Francisco: McCutchan, forthcoming.

One of the few papers on the clinical education of school ad-ministrators in existence is:

Peper, J.B. Clinical education for school superintendents and prin-cipals: The missing link. Leaders for America's Schools SanFrancisco: McCutchan, forthcoming.

5. What State Policy Makers Should DoDuring the information gathering phase of the Commission's

work, little enthusiasm was generated for this topic evea though issu-ing licenses to people who meet certain standards is an importantstate function. In fact, the licensing programs enacted by states andimplemented by colleges and universities were thought to constitutea national scandal. School administration licenses guarantee littleexcept that the individual has collected graduate coursework over aperiod of years. Although the schooling of future generations is, in

4

o o


the current rhetoric of public discourse, touted as our nation's mostcritical responsibility, it is difficult to think of another profession inwhich screening is so poorly executed.

Gousha, R., LoPresti, P.L., & Jones, A.H. Report on first annualsurvey of certification and employment standards for education-al administrators. Leaders for America's Schools. San Francis-

co: McCutchan, forthcoming.

ousha, R., LoPresti, P.L., & Jones, A.H. Mapping a dynamic field:Results from the second annual survey of certification andemployment standards for educational administrators. Leadersfor America's Schools. San Francisco: McCiachan, forthconling.

Bliss, J.R. Public school administrators in the United States:Analysis of supply and demand. Leaders for Ame&-a's Schools.San Francisco: McCutchan, forthcoming.

Commission members and the staff heard much criticism ofprofessional development programs. Both content and process weresaid to be inadequate to the needs of contemporary and future ad-ministrators. Among the most serious criticisms were that the prin-ciples of adult learning were violated routinely, programs were dis-continuous, fragmented, and of low quality; they required par-ticipants to be passive and were unconnected to the issues which ad-ministrators were engaged in resolving. In addition, content wascriticized as impractical, not reflective of best practices and, oftenenough, simply erroneous. Two papers of interest are:

Peterson, Kent D. (1986, January). The Inservice of AmericanSchool Administrators: One View.

Roland, Barth. (1986). On Sheep and Goats, Leaders for America'sSchools. San Francisco: McCutchan, forthcoming.

Many good models of professional development exist in theUnited States. Mentoring is occurring within and across school dis-tricts. The Peer Assisted Leadership (PAL) program of the FarWest Laboratory for Educational Research and Development is butone example.

61

1

Notes 51

State and university sponsored academies for principals and su-perintendents exist in more than onehalf the states. The profes-sional associations sponsor many excellent programs includingacademies, conferences and assessment centers.

The principles of adult education which should guide profes-sional development are well defined. School administrators wanttheir learning experiences to be of high quality. They expect to beconsulted about content and about the manner in which it is

presented. They are active learners who learn from each other andfrom many other sources. They expect to learn both technical skillsand broader conceptions and applications. They expect thatprograms will be efficiently presented in a well integrated manner.Participants also expect that they will be given ample opportunity topractice skills and to receive clear, specific feedback on their perfor-mance. Finally, participants expect to see a connection between ex-periences and both their own long range needs and the long rangeplans of their employers.

Roland Barth. (1985, April). Principal Centered ProfessionalDevelopment. Presented at the annual meeting of the AmericanEducational Research Association. Chicago, IL.

62

53

List of Commissioned Papers

Charles NI A .illes, "Unlocking some Mysteries of Ad-ministration and Administrator Preparation: A ReflectiveProspect."

Roland S. Barth, "On Sheep and Goats."

Roland S. Barth, "Principal Centered Professional Develop-ment."

Richard Bessoth, "School Administration is a Profession:A Comparative Study of Educational Development andTraining in Six Nations."

James R. Bliss, "Public School Administrators in the UnitedStates: An Analysis of Supply and Demand."

Judith Chapman, "A New Conception of the Principalship:Decentralization, Devolution, and the Administration ofAustralian Schools."

David L. Clark and Terry A. Astuto, "Paradoxical ChoiceOptions in Organizations."


Bruce S. Cooper and William L. Boyd, The Evolution of

Training for School Administration."

William Foster, "Educational Administration: A CriticalApproach."

Richard Gousha, "Report on First Annual Survey of Cer-tification and Employment Standards fur Educational Ad-ministrators."

Thomas B. Greenfield, "Representing Or3anizational

Theory with a Human Face."

William D. Greenfield, "Moral Imagination, InterpersonalCompetence, and the Work of School Administrators."

Daniel E. Griffiths, "The Professorship Revisited."

Daniel E. Griffiths, "The Preparation of School Ad-ministrators.

Willis D. Hawley, "Universities and the Improvement ofSchool Management."

Barbara L. Jackson, "Education From a Black PerspectiveWith Implications For Administrative PreparationPrograms", "Th, Role of the Practicing Superintendent inthe Preparation of School Superintendents."

Frederick D. Levan and M. Scott Norton, "Doctoral Studiesof Students in Educational Administration Programs inUCEA Member Institutions."

Muriel Mackett, Frederick Frank, Peter Abrams, and JeriNowakowski, "Computers and Educational Excellence:

Policy Implications for Educational Administration."

R.J.S. Macpherson, "Talking Up and Justifying Organiza-tion: The Creation and Control of Knowledge about BeingOrganized."

Martha M. McCarthy, "The Professoriate in EducationalAdministration: Current Status and Challenges Ahead."

Michael Murphy, "Alternatives for Educational Administra-tion: Lessons from Abroad."

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List of Commissioned Papers 55

M. Scott Norton, "National Survey of Departmental Or-ganization in Educational Administration."

John B. Pepor, "Clinical Education for School Superinten-dents and Principals: The Missing Link."

Kent D. Peterson, "The Inservice of American School Ad-ministrators: One View."

Kent D. Peterson and Chester E. Finn, Jr., 'Principals, Su-perintendents and the Administrator's Art."

Nancy J. Pitner, "Graduate Preparation for the Principal inCalifornia."

Paul A. Pohland, "The Return of the Mayflower: British Al-ternatives to American Practice."

Charol Shakeshaft, "Women in Educational Administration:Implications for Training."

Kenneth St. Clair, "A Proposal: Assuring the Supply ofNew Talent into the School Superintendency in Oklahoma."

Leonard A. Valverde, "An Exemplary PreparationProgram: The Cooperative Superintendency Program ofthe University of Texas."

Kevin A. Wilson, "A Division of Labor in the Preparation ofEducational Administrators."

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