Co-published with UCEA, this exciting new textbook is the first to tackle the ISLLC Standard #6—the political context of education. This unique volume helps aspiring school leaders understand the dynamics of educational policy in multiple arenas at the local, state, and federal levels. Leaders are responsible for promoting the success of every student by understanding, responding to, and influencing the political, social, economic, legal, and cultural contexts in which education and learning reside. Featuring Case studies and Suggested activities, this book provides an authentic illustration of the political dynamics that emanate from individual, social, economic, and cultural issues surrounding all schools and further aspiring school leaders’ understanding of political issues through experiences. By presenting problem-posing cases, theoretical grounding, relevant research, and implications for practice, this book provides aspiring leaders with the background, learning experiences, and analytical tools to successfully promote student success in their contexts. Companion website – includes shared resources relevant to all ISLLC standards, along with particular activities for ISLLC Standard #6

New Perspectives in Educational Leadership examines educational administration and leadership within the complex social, political, and community contexts that inform and influence the work of today's educational leaders. With particular attention to the implications and larger contexts of shifting demographics, high-stakes accountability, and globalization on schools and society in the twenty-first century, this volume seeks to advance lines of inquiry presented in other areas of education research, that have yet to be fully explored or imagined in the field of educational leadership. This unique blend of empirical, theoretical, and conceptual research by both established and emerging scholars in the field directly acknowledges and addresses the demands of leading increasingly diverse and complex school communities. Topics include: the social and cultural dynamics of leadership, reflective practice, politics of equity and adequacy, critical servant leadership, and the possibilities of transformative leadership within these dynamic educational contexts. As a primary or supplementary text in educational administration, leadership, and foundations courses, New Perspectives in Educational Leadership provides a much-needed complement to the traditional topics of instructional leadership and education management given the expanding and increasingly complex conditions that face educational administrators and school leaders today.

This collection explores the political philosophy and theory foundations for educational administration and leadership as they influence our understanding, analysis and practice in the field. The first section, "Political Philosophy: The Foundations," discusses the work of such writers as Machiavelli, Kant and Hegel, Hayek, Habermas, and Bourdieu as their theories apply to the educational context. The second section, "Political Analysis: The Critique," examines various types of political analyses, such as the politics of the policy process, minority politics, civil society, micro-politics, community politics, and cosmopolitan theory. The last section, "Current Political Controversies: The Practice," addresses current topical issues of a political nature, including the serving of the state economic agenda, the democratisation of educational organisations, the neo-conservative agenda, and globalisation. The broad international perspective from which these topics are covered makes this volume an excellent addition to the fields of educational leadership, organizational studies, and educational administration theory.

For courses in Educational Policy and Educational Leadership; For potential and current K-12 administrators From a leader in the field-a comprehensive text covering education policy and the policy process that encourages future educational leaders to be proactive-and gives them a firm understanding of educational policy and the important political theories upon which it is based. While expressing the belief that it is important for today's school leaders to know how to track educational policies and to seek to influence them, Frances Fowler, a well respected authority in the field of educational policy, recognizes that most leaders have little or no background in political science or policy studies and even less experience with the state politics of education. For these future and current administrators, Professor Fowler presents essential background information about the cultural, economic, demographic, and institutional roots of educational policy. She identifies and describes the major policy actors, and gives educators in depth descriptions of each stage of the policy process, complete with numerous examples of how policy unfolds in the development of educational policy.A goal of the book is to ensure that educational leaders understand the basic political theories that underpin educational policy development. To that end, the author provides example of how to apply this knowledge in everyday practice.

"What you will find inside this provocative text: It should come as no surprise, as the collection of papers in this book show that we are up against it. Killing those we despise has become normative in the political minds of both the powerful and the marginalised. Framing those who are weakest as the architects of their own disgusting state ... it has become commonsense in all societies, rich and poor.... Any counter-hegemonic project that seeks to rethink social justice and reframe educational leadership is, without question, confronting the enormous power of ordinariness, the commonsense about power, inequality and violence." Jonathan Jansen

For courses in Educational Policy and Educational Leadership; For potential and current K-12 administrators From a leader in the field–a comprehensive text covering education policy and the policy process that encourages future educational leaders to be proactive–and gives them a firm understanding of educational policy and the important political theories upon which it is based. While expressing the belief that it is important for today’s school leaders to know how to track educational policies and to seek to influence them, Frances Fowler, a well respected authority in the field of educational policy, recognizes that most leaders have little or no background in political science or policy studies and even less experience with the state politics of education. For these future and current administrators, Professor Fowler presents essential background information about the cultural, economic, demographic, and institutional roots of educational policy. She identifies and describes the major policy actors, and gives educators in depth descriptions of each stage of the policy process, complete with numerous examples of how policy unfolds in the development of educational policy. A goal of the book is to ensure that educational leaders understand the basic political theories that underpin educational policy development. To that end, the author provides example of how to apply this knowledge in everyday practice.

Convictions of Conscience: How Voices From the Margins Inform Public Actions and Educational Leadership seeks to help educational leaders to develop the competencies and capacities required to create socially just and equitable schools. It is for educational leaders interested in transforming systems and decolonizing education rooted socially, structurally and ideologically in hegemony. This edited volume promotes the questioning of assumptions embedded in neoliberal new managerialism practices that often undergird the preparation and training of school leaders. New managerialism in higher education seeks to understand the market forces in order to cater to the idiosyncratic, often self-promoting needs and interests of the few and seeks to respond with programs and policies aligned with those forces and interest. This volume suggests that the confluence of context, theory and pedagogical strategies within the field of educational leadership should inform curricular decisions in educational leadership preparation programs and such programs should be designed to prepare school leaders as both activists and advocates for marginalized students, parents, communities, and staff. Convictions of Conscience is a call on educational leaders who are committed to success for all students to reject new managerial approaches at all levels of educational leadership and is an invitation to expand their emphasis to concerns rooted in human context, particularly identity politics. Towards this end a decolonizing philosophically grounded practice of educational leadership that disrupts static relations within the structures of power is required to move toward a more socially just praxis. The chapter authors seek to problematize understandings of diversity and inclusion by emphasizing the integral role of equity and social justice as critical dimensions of human relationships. Additionally chapter authors intentionally interrogate the socio-cultural dimensions that affect educational leaders.