Educational Leadership

During the last decade of the 20th century, the United States entered a new era of educational leadership. The seat of educational authority shifted from the district office to the individual school, from the principal-as-manager to the stakeholders: students, teachers, families, community members, school boards, politicians, and corporate and philanthropic foundations.

In Educational Leadership, educator Pat Williams-Boyd traces these changes from their roots in the 19th century to the present day. She shows readers what leadership looks like when it is distributed throughout a community and explains how collaborative relationships can be forged. She also examines techniques for effective leadership during the hazardous process of school reform and presents a critical discussion of 20 leading school reform models.

An objective discussion of educational leadership from both inside and outside the school system, focusing on ethical issues, dominant models, and today's unprecedented commitment to community involvement.

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Williams-Boyd (education, Eastern Michigan University) examines the shift in authority from the district office to the individual schools and the shift from the principal as authority-manager to a variety of constituents who share the school's governance, and describes 20 leading school reform models. He explores how leadership distributed throughout a community might look, how collaborative relationships might be forged, and how the school can become an environment of shared authority and authentic partnerships. He examines issues of leadership and discusses the moral and ethical responsibilities that leaders must exercise. Lists of reform funding resources, organizations, and leadership workshops and institutes are included. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)\