Title: A Mission of the Heart: What Does It Take to Transform a School? Insights Based on Interviews and Focus Groups with Principals and Superintendents from High-Needs Districts, Spring 2008
Author: Public Agenda
Year: 2008
Publication Information: Public Agenda. 6 East 39th Street, New York, NY 10016.
ERIC number: ED501559
Abstract: In summer and fall of 2007, Public Agenda completed five focus groups with principals in high-needs districts and 16 one-on-one interviews with superintendents and other high-ranking education officials, including a state superintendent of education. Interviews followed a systematic interview guide revolving around two broad questions: (1) What makes an effective leader in a high-needs school? and (2) How can we attract, train, retain and support more effective leaders of this kind? Based on this qualitative research, 12 insights are outlined as a way to promote discussion about how to define, advance, and find more effective leadership for high-needs schools: (1) Transformers Versus Copers; (2) Instructional Leadership-Talk Versus Action; (3) "Walking the Halls"; (4) Drinking in the Data-Not Drowning in It; (5) Parent Involvement; (6) Shaking Things Up Versus Consensus-Building; (7) Recruiting From the Farm Team; (8) What Money Can Buy-and What It Can't; (9) Most Current Training? Irrelevant; (10) Mentors-What They Can Teach and What They Can't; (11) Want to Help Me Out? Cut the Red Tape; and (12) Just Let Me Focus on My Job. Acknowledged limitations of the study include its small-scale exploratory nature, a lack of independent analysis of student achievement in the schools and districts where leaders were interviewed, and underrepresentation of middle schools and high schools. Interviewee and Focus Group information and related publications are included.
URL: http://www.publicagenda.org/files/pdf/missionheart.pdf
