The School Superintendent: Theory, Practice, and Cases, vol. 3 PDF
Preview The School Superintendent: Theory, Practice, and Cases, vol. 3
The School Superintendent 3 2 The School Superintendent Theory, Practice, and Cases 3 Theodore J. Kowalski University of Dayton 3 FOR INFORMATION: SAGE Publications, Inc. 2455 Teller Road Thousand Oaks, California 91320 E-mail: [email protected] SAGE Publications Ltd. 1 Oliver's Yard 55 City Road London EC1Y 1SP United Kingdom SAGE Publications India Pvt. Ltd. B 1/I 1 Mohan Cooperative Industrial Area Mathura Road, New Delhi 110 044 India SAGE Publications Asia-Pacific Pte. Ltd. 3 Church Street #10-04 Samsung Hub Singapore 049483 Copyright © 2013 by SAGE Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Printed in the United States of America Kowalski, Theodore J. The school superintendent: theory, practice, and cases / Theodore J. Kowalski, University of Dayton. — Third edition. pages cm Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-4522-4108-1 (pbk.) 1. School superintendents—United States. 2. School management and organization—United States. 3. School superintendents—United States— Case studies. 4. School management and organization—United States—Case studies. I. Title. LB2831.72.K69 2013 371.2'011—-dc23 2012037088 This book is printed on acid-free paper. 12 13 14 15 16 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Acquisitions Editor: Diane McDaniel Editorial Assistant: Megan Koraly Production Editor: Libby Larson Copy Editor: QuADS Prepress (P) Ltd. 4 Typesetter: C&M Digitals (P) Ltd. Proofreader: Bonnie Moore Indexer: Sheila Bodell Cover Designer: Anupama Krishnan Marketing Manager: Terra Schultz Permissions Editor: Adele Hutchinson 5 Detailed Contents Preface Acknowledgments Part I. The Position: Roles and Context Chapter 1. Defining Practice Chapter 2. Society and Schools Part II. School Districts: Structure and Authority Chapter 3. School Districts as Organizations Chapter 4. School Boards Chapter 5. Superintendent and School Board Relationships Chapter 6. School District Policy Part III. Superintendent Leadership and Management Responsibilities Chapter 7. Providing Leadership at the District Level Chapter 8. Community Leadership Chapter 9. Material Resource Management Chapter 10. Managing Human Resources, Student Services, and Legal Services Part IV. Personal Perspectives Chapter 11. Contemporary Challenges Chapter 12. Personal Dispositions and Practice Chapter 13. Seeking the Position Glossary Author Index Subject Index About the Author 6 Preface The position of school district superintendent, despite its social importance, frequently has been misunderstood and mischaracterized. This problem stems from several circumstances, but three are especially notable. 1. The position is multifaceted; that is, it encompasses five major roles and even more specific job functions. Consequently, public preferences and judgments are inconstant. As an example, some citizens want a creative instructional leader; others prefer a hard-hearted manager. 2. There are vast differences among the approximately 14,000 local school systems in the United States. Although nearly two thirds of superintendents are employed in small systems, most of which are rural, media portrayals of the position are often based on large, urban district superintendents. 3. Superintendents differ with respect to their personalities, philosophy, and leadership styles. Yet we often develop perceptions of the position based on experiences with just a handful of administrators who have been in the position. The audiences for this book include school administration students, practitioners, school board members, and professors. Those aspiring to be superintendents or district-level administrators (e.g., assistant superintendents) will find the content to be especially relevant to their careers. The third edition infuses recent research and conditions to provide a balanced discussion of the theory and practice that defines the position's responsibilities, challenges, and best practices. School administration is treated as both a science and a craft, involving an intricate blend of espoused and applied theory. 7 Organization The first part of this edition examines two issues: role expectations and contexts of practice. The former addresses universal aspects of the position, such as pervasive responsibilities. The latter addresses district variability, such as differences in size, location, resources, and politics. After reading the three chapters in this section, you should understand the complexity of the position and how context (the nature of districts and their surrounding communities) affect what superintendents are expected to do and what they actually do. The second part of the book includes chapters examining organization and governance. Essential concepts such as district climate (especially culture), the organizational structure of a district, boards of education, and policy are discussed. After reading these four chapters, you should comprehend how aspects of a school district affect feelings toward public schools and behavior in districts. You should also know why organizational structure affects operations and outcomes and why a positive working relationship between a superintendent and school board is essential. The third section of the book examines the broad leadership and management responsibilities assumed by superintendents. Leadership is addressed in relation to communities and to districts. Management is addressed in relation to material and human resources; specific attention is given to leading and managing in relation to school improvement. After reading these four chapters, you should be able to differentiate between leadership and management and understand how each role should be accomplished in and outside of the district. The final portion of the book is devoted to three relevant issues: current social and professional challenges, factors contributing to success, and pursuing the position of district superintendent. The intent is to provide knowledge about the realities of practice. Focused attention is given to social challenges, school improvement, coping strategies, and career decisions. After reading these three chapters, you should be able to (a) reflect on your ability to work closely with superintendents, (b) identify your personal interest in being a superintendent, and (c) craft a career plan for reaching the position. Each chapter begins with a case study that is intended to draw your attention to a problem relevant to the ensuing content. At the end of each chapter, you will find three recurring elements: questions regarding chapter content, questions regarding the introductory case study, and key terms you should understand after having read the case study and chapter. As you answer the questions, hopefully you will integrate your experiences as an educator with what you have read so that the book's content becomes personally relevant. 8 New to this Edition The third edition provides expanded coverage in three areas. The first is problems of practice commonly encountered by novice superintendents. In all professions, the induction year is pivotal, because practitioners must make some important decisions independently. In the case of public elementary and secondary education, variations in district size, resources, and problems magnify this challenge. The second area is strategic planning. In virtually all states, school districts are now required to develop collaborative visions and goals and strategies for reaching them. In the vast majority of districts, the superintendent is the primary organizer, facilitator, and leader of the strategic planning process. The third area is emerging issues. Most notably, coverage is given to the implications of funding deficiencies for school districts and ramifications of escalating social problems, such as poverty and crime. Two new features in this edition are a list of key terms at the end of each chapter and a glossary of terms at the end of the book. The former highlight important aspects of a chapter and are intended to help you determine if you understand what you read. The latter provides definitions for words that appear in various parts of the book. Moreover, this edition includes more tables and figures than did the previous editions, and references throughout the book, and especially those pertaining to current conditions of practice, have been updated. 9 Acknowledgments Many individuals contributed to this book. I especially wish to thank Elizabeth Pearn, my office assistant, and Lesley McCue, my doctoral assistant; their help was invaluable to preparing the manuscript. In addition, appreciation is expressed to colleagues who either prepare superintendents or who are superintendents; their insights and contributions have been constructive and inspirational. Last, I thank my former students, many of whom are now successful superintendents. Their intellectual curiosity has been stimulating and their professional growth rewarding. I would like to thank the following reviewers, who provided feedback that informed the development of this new edition: Jan Hammond C.W. Post, Long Island University James E. Morse Western Michigan University Kay Worner St. Cloud State University I would also like to thank reviewers of previous editions: Mike Boone Texas State University, San Marcos Floyd Boschee The University of South Dakota James C. Christman Pittsburg State University Albert F. Inserra Dowling College John A. Kaufhold Texas A & M University, Kingsville Joanne P. Newcombe Anna Maria College Ralph A. Waltman Kent State University 10
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