Local school boards are complicated governing bodies wrapped in the political tangle of their legal responsibilities, constituents' wishes, and the educational needs of the children. How then do some school board chairpersons unravel this political tangle and move their board forward while others become entrapped in the political web? This concept and question lead to the examination of the leadership orientations of local school board chairpersons in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Literature was reviewed concerning school board leadership. The historical perspective of school boards as well as the legal responsibilities granted them as agents of the state were also reviewed. A questionnaire was sent to all Virginia School Board chairs, superintendents, and school board members in which they rated the chairperson on desirable board characteristics. Based on the responses of the three groups of participants, these characteristics were categorized according to the four leadership orientations described by Bolman and Deal (1984). The lack of validity evidence undermined confidence in drawing inferences about identification of a dominant leadership orientation although modestly higher means were reported for the structural and humanistic orientations. The lack of convergent and discriminate validity evidence in this analysis preempted any meaningful test of the theory advanced by this research concerning local school board chairs in Virginia. / Ed. D.

No description available.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Education)) --University of Limpopo, 2010 / This research was initiated and undertaken in 2004 as an attempt to address one of the developments in education, namely the introduction of the policy of inclusive education and training system in South Africa in general and the Limpopo in particular. The major concern of this study is the implementation of the policy of inclusion to schools for learners with a hearing impairment (SLHI) in the Limpopo Province. This policy attempts to alleviate the system of discriminating learners with a disability (LWD) by including them into one single education system. However, the paradigm shift from specialized education system to inclusive education model has possible challenges to the management and governance of SLHI because managing schools for LHI requires specific skills, expertise knowledge and training of stakeholders. .Managers and governors of SLHI do not normally have these skills. In order to fully prepare managers and governors of SLHI within the context of inclusive education, they need to be trained in all spheres of management, and to do this, training programmes are needed. The specific research problem of this study is the lack of training of stakeholders, insufficient resources, and infrastructures which impact negatively on the management and governance of SLHI within the context of inclusive education model. Many buildings and schools are not accessible to wheelchair users. Classrooms are not equipped with group system hearing aids to facilitate teaching and learning of LHI. The fact that many inclusive education programmes for the first term steps are not yet in viii visible places or explicit, in the Limpopo Province contribute to the problem of implementation of inclusive education in the Limpopo Province. An in-depth study of literature dealing with research methodology was undertaken. This was meant to determine suitable research methods for this study. Both the quantitative and qualitative research methods were used. The findings from the empirical research (interviews, spontaneous sketches questionnaires and focus group interviews) were fully substantiated by the literature review. This complied with the rule of triangulation and also enhanced reliability of this research. In view of the findings of the research, it became evident that there are definite challenges of management and governance of SLHI by the implementation of inclusive education model in SLHI in the Limpopo Province. Models to train teachers were suggested. It is hoped that if these models can be implemented in SLHI, management problems could be minimized. Training programmes for parents were suggested. These programmes are crucial because parents play the major role in school management since they are the most in stake as is required by governance. Because education is not static, further research in this field is recommended in order for stakeholders to move along with current changes and developments in education. The present researcher hopes that this study will contribute greatly to the attempt to solve the problems of educators, learners and stakeholders.

This thesis has aimed to study steering process and institutionalization in the context of educational policy work. This has been conducted by using empirical material from the political decision-making process that preceded the implementation of a new national program on how principals should be educated and certified. By using an aggregated theoretical point of view containing new institutionalism and traditional Swedish curriculum theory, the process was analyzed from different perspectives. The results depict a process that contained several actors who tried to shape the principal education program differently. From the theoretical perspectives, the decision-making process could be understood as an act of both self-interest as well as trust in their own beliefs and cultural values. The result also tells us how an institutional environment is created and what that implies for actors who are parts of that environment.

ABSTRACT This dissertation examines the years 1980-2000 as a sociologically transformative period in Boston's history. The guiding research question is how organized politics and the policies that emerged responded to racial conflict, inequality and economic development, and wholesale change in the city's economic base during this period. The policies of the three governing regimes--the end of Kevin H. White's sixteen-year term, Raymond L. Flynn's nine years in office, and the beginning of Thomas M. Menino's twenty-year mayoralty--are analyzed in the content of these domains to identify the outcomes of several policy agendas that have helped shape life in Boston today. This analysis is in the context of urbanization and urbanism, viewed through the lenses of urban regime, growth machine coalition, progressive city, and government communalism theories. The study utilizes retrospective autoethnography linked with interviews and archival data research. The study found that during the end of the mayoral administration of Kevin White, Boston was in turmoil politically and racially. Political contests centered on growing poverty and inequality and racial unrest in the city. The election of 1983 was a "critical election" both because an African American was in the final runoff and because the two finalists repudiated the growth machine coalition and the racial politics of the past. Flynn's election began the populist transformation of economic policies in Boston to heal racial divisions. After he resigned to become Ambassador to the Vatican, the urban regime of Thomas Menino left intact many of the redistributive policies Flynn enacted; however, it also gradually returned to the growth machine coalition model of economic development, fueling the greatest class and income inequality in Boston's history. In the final analysis, both the policies of each urban regime and the activities of the religious, cultural, business, and neighborhood organizations that comprise city life changed the city in sociologically significant ways. This is the story of Boston 1980-2000, the role of its three mayors during that period, and how the city entered the twenty-first century with its physical decline in part reversed but with issues of race and class remaining significant touchstones.

The purpose of this study was to identify and investigate the specific superintendent leadership type and underlying factors that support significant student achievement gains in communities where misalignment with the McCarty-Ramsey model exists. Utilizing a mixedmethod research strategy, contributing school districts were identified through a survey developed by McCarty and Ramsey. This survey indicated that districts could show positive student achievement gains while exhibiting misalignment among these factors. While all four types of superintendent leadership style were revealed in the survey, a prevalent superintendent leadership types was associated with the misaligned districts showing significant academic growth. This study indicated the professional advisor or the professional advisor/decision maker superintendent had the greatest achievement results in misaligned districts. The second investigation phase involved school districts that met two criteria: misalignment with the McCarty-Ramsey model, and three years of significant student achievement gains, as measured by the California Academic Performance Indicator. Interviews were conducted with identified school board presidents and superintendents to reveal practices or initiatives promoting these results. The interview protocol consisted of a series of open-ended questions regarding effective leadership and programs. The second finding revealed the effective superintendent focuses efforts on five specific district leadership actions identified by researchers such as Waters and Marzano. More specifically, this study revealed two practices were present in top performing school districts. First, a narrow focus on non-negotiable instructional practices across the district, and frequent monitoring by the superintendent, site and district leadership teams including follow - up debriefings regarding implementation of district expectations. These findings have significance in districts dealing with challenges among the community power structures, board types or superintendent leadership. This research shows that regardless of the political challenges, budgetary issues, or relationship chaos that might exist in the district and community, the professional advisor superintendent who has established clear district wide instructional expectations and, who consistently ―inspects the instructional program has a significant, positive impact on student achievement.

For many years the traditional point of view about principals was that they were the so-called teachers in a leadership role. They took the lead with the teaching of the curriculum and they had to be responsible for controlling the whole educational process. With the changes over the past few years, not only over the entire globe, but also specifically here in South Africa, the role of the principal has also changed. In terms of the new Schools Act and changing education legislation, the principal has many more responsibilities being a representative of the department at the school and a member of the school’s governing body. Human resource management is one of the most important aspects of school management. The purpose of this research is to determine which educational juridical determinants play a role in human resource management at schools. To succeed in the purpose of this research it is firstly determined which statutory common-law and judicial determinants are applicable and secondly the determinants’ implications for human resource management in education are emphasized. Subsequently a literature study was done about the work environment of the principal in the management of human resources at a school. The specific areas of human resource management at a school and the related role of the principal formed an essential pall of the research. After a questionnaire had been sent to a sample of principals and their responses had been statistically analysed, it was possible to deduce findings and compile recommendations. The general impression that came to the fore from the responses was that school principals experience a critical lack of competence as managers of human resources. This is possibly caused by a shortage of proper empowerment in the basic elements of human resource management as well as in the aspects of policy as determined by the Department of Education. The conclusion can justly be made that it will not only presently, but also in the future be absolutely necessary to pay formal attention to this important aspect. The training of teachers must without doubt include elements of human resource management as well as related educational legislation. When the preceding requirements are met and when the Department of Education continuously present empowerment workshops on this crucial subject, it will definitely lead to more effective and purposive management of schools. Furthermore it will also probably lessen the pressure on principals that will lead to a more stable management environment. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, 2003

Thesis (MPA) --University of Limpopo, 2013 / The study investigated the involvement of parents in school governance in Sibasa Circuit. Among others the study found that parents experience various challenges with their role in this regard. School Governing Bodies struggle to maintain a full complement of the parent’s component. However, there are various ways and means that can be used in order to improve the situation. The study used both qualitative and quantitative approaches in both data collection and analysis. The result from the study indicates that lack of capacity is a challenge to parents in contributing positively towards the involvement of school governance. The findings of this study have shown that there is a major concern that parents need to be given the opportunity to make inputs in the school. The study shows that the level of capacity and lack of ownership by parents is still a challenge; however the interest to change the status is still available by the parents. The recommendations suggest the following: • Parents should first be made familiar with the South African Schools Act of 84 of 1996. If parents could be educated on this Act, they would know the duties of governing bodies and what is expected from them. • The training should be conducted among all chairpersons, secretaries and treasurers in order for them to be taught how to conduct their duties; Effective consultation should be introduced in schools in order to encourage parents to be involved in school governance. Establishment of parental association can improve the involvement of parents in school governance. Parental association must educate parent members about the importance of communication. They must know that they have to communicate with other parents who are not members of the school governing body, because their duty is to represent their interests. This will help to foster parent involvement in school. Lastly, the National Department of Education needs to review Section 27 of South African Schools Act 84 of 1996 to include remuneration of school governing body members. This section is the one that states that no remuneration must be given to people for governing body duties. Remuneration can help to motivate parents to participate fully in governing body duties.

Thesis (M.ED. (Educational management)) --University of Limpopo, 2010 / Refer to document

Thesis (M.Ed. (Educational Management)) --University of Limpopo, 2010 / Refere to document