School districts in both Canada and the United States provide the sites for this research. Many of these districts were in the midst of reform or restructuring initiatives and these initiatives became an important context within which to understand the work of district leaders. The authors describe how effective superintendents work with their immediate staffs, elected trustees, and school-based administrators. Each chapter examines the meaning of effective district leadership from different perspectives. Common to almost all of the chapters is an appreciation of the exquisitely "political" nature of the superintendent's work. Contributors to the volume include Edward A. Holdaway and Anthony Genge; Derek J. Allison, Patricia A. Allison, and Helen A. McHenry; Kenneth Leithwood and Roseanne Steinbach; Frances Wills and Kent Peterson; Joseph Murphy; Richard G. Townsend; Donald Musella; Mark Holmes; Stephen B. Lawton, Joyce Scane, and Shihui Wang; and Kenneth Leithwood.

Bridge the great divide between distanced administrative duties and daily classroom impact. This book introduces a top-down power mechanism called defined autonomy, a concept that focuses on district-defined, nonnegotiable, common goals and a system of accountability supported by assessment tools. Defined autonomy creates an effective balance of centralized direction and individualized empowerment that allows building-level staff the stylistic freedom to respond quickly and effectively to student failure.

Success Strategies for School Board Leaders will help school boards effectively lead their districts with commitment, imagination, and courage, while minding legal and ethical constraints. This edited volume-- based on words of wisdom from experienced superintendents--features long-term guiding principles to help school board members deal with the challenges of leadership. School boards play a critical role in education and the advice offered in this book will help to strengthen their workings.

For many years, the authors have been fellow travelers on the journey to help educators improve their schools. Their first coauthored book focuses on district leadership, principal leadership, and team leadership and addresses how individual teachers can be most effective in leading students—by learning with colleagues how to implement the most promising pedagogy in their classrooms

"The authors fill a gap in the literature by providing a practical, experience-based look at how superintendents should approach the most important relationship in their professional lives. Working effectively with school boards is what it is all about, and this book shows you how." -Paul D. Houston, Executive Director, American Association of School Administrators "This book provides practical insights and useful ideas to help district leaders who are serious about keeping the educational interest of children first among their priorities." -Pedro A. Noguera, Professor, New York University "Clearly lays out the important role the superintendent has in leading the district in partnership with the board of education. This book is well worth the time of every current and aspiring superintendent and school board member!" -Anne Bryant, Executive Director, National School Boards Association "This book is a useful tool in building district governance teams. The authors′ collective wisdom provides valuable insight for superintendents and school board members." -Luan B. Rivera, President, California State Boards Association "A wonderful, clear, and jargon-free primer on how to be a successful superintendent. This book is must reading for superintendents and a real plus for school boards." -Dede Alpert, Former California State Senator, Former Member, California State Assembly "An outstanding fieldbook for those interested in down-to-earth strategies for navigating the complexities of providing leadership in school districts." -General Davie, Jr., Retired Superintendent of Schools Foster a strong superintendent-school board relationship centered on quality teaching and learning! Effective Superintendent-School Board Practices helps current and future superintendents and school board members develop an effective governance team that prioritizes quality teaching and learning. Designed for practicing and aspiring superintendents and school board members, this exceptional book relates the everyday experiences and challenges faced by this important district team. Combining 84 years of service as superintendents in urban, rural, and suburban school districts, the authors offer: Real-life vignettes that highlight problems, successes, key points, and useful practices Indispensable information on building relationships, creating a team, managing conflict, and staying focused on the mission and priorities of the district Reflective practice questions and self-assessments throughout This rich resource offers knowledge, skills, and strategies to teach and inspire current and future leaders, based on the experiences of practitioners who have learned what works and what doesn′t, leaving valuable time to focus on student achievement.

This important book, written by educational expert and urban school leader, Tom Payzant, offers a realistic understanding of what urban school leadership looks like from the inside. Payzant shares his first-hand knowledge of the unique managerial, instructional, and political tasks of this role. Effectively combining practical lessons and research, Urban School Leadership includes in-depth analysis of various leadership concerns. The book covers topics such as improving student achievement, working with unions, building community, and maintaining and developing resources. Most importantly, it offers stories of real school leaders whose successes and missteps reveal the inherent "messiness" of this difficult job. Urban School Leadership is part of the Jossey-Bass Leadership Library in Education series. "This important book provides compelling examples of how effective leaders can have hope, see progress, and achieve success for all children in the schools and districts they lead."—Richard Riley, former United States Secretary of Education "Tom Payzant is one of the few people who could provide such a comprehensive, useful book for educational leaders at all levels. This very practical book is grounded in the important experiences and impressive judgment of one of our nation's most successful school superintendents"—Jon Schnur, co-founder and CEO, New Leaders for New Schools "Tom Payzant is one of the finest urban educators of our generation. Urban School Leadership is compelling, crisp, and wise—providing a clear path for those dedicated to improving the trajectory of children's lives."—Timothy F.C. Knowles, executive director, Center for Urban School Improvement, University of Chicago "Urban School Leadership is a must read for anyone interested in the landscape of urban public education in America."—Beverly Hall, superintendent, Atlanta Public Schools