ISSUES IN SCHOOL MANAGEMENT

Centralization vs. Decentralization Practicality of site-based management: Let principals manage their schools Principals’ autonomy (Example: Cluster school implementation) Power/autonomy and accountability Site-based management: Rhetoric vs. reality Site-based management and school achievement? Distributed leadership in schools

School Safety Accountability Issue Emergency management Risk management Litigation issues Sexual harassment of staff and students School-wide prevention plan Safe and drug-free and violence-free schools Schooling crossings and traffic issues School Climate/culture and productivity

Collaboration and Partnerships Definition of school partnerships Understanding of the communities they serve Respond to their needs and interests School family partnership Barriers to school family/community/business partnerships Collaboration with employers

Consumers of Research vs. Researchers Should teachers and administrators continue to be consumer of research Benefits of action research Using research findings to inform professional practices School leaders to facilitate research among teachers/educators

Inclusive vs. Exclusive Approach Management of special education – The concept of inclusion Streaming practices in schools: Advantages and disadvantages from different perspectives (Lead to self-fulfilling prophecy) Collaborative leadership structure – participative decision making

Educational Reforms: Mandatory Change vs. Change from Within Top down change initiatives/programs Why did most school reforms fail? Management of school-based change School policy and change Benchmarking, standardizing, key performance indicators/index and etc. – Lead to more rigorous academic standards Guiding reforms through assessment and data analysis Sustaining change: Factors affecting it!

Gender Issues in Management Break the glass ceiling: Discrimination Teachers touching children: Sexual harassment Boys are doing poorly in schools Mrs. Brown vs. The lady principal Feminism in the teaching profession Leadership among female leaders

Valued-ends Leadership Principals providing moral leadership Principals as educators Principals as community builders – Creating community of learning within schools The concept of ‘No Child Left Behind NCLB) Creating school that serve moral purposes School leaders to educational leaders Charismatic school leaders Leading by heart

Principalship Principal preparation Professional qualifications for headship Socialization processes for early headship/induction programs Middle leadership in schools Developing school leaders through mentoring