School Leadership

The pivotal role of the school leader as a factor in effective schools has been corroborated by findings of school effectiveness research over the last decades. School improvement researchers have also demonstrated increasing recognition of the importance of school leaders for all stages of the school improvement process. The school leader is most often cited as the key figure in the individual school's development, either blocking or promoting change, acting as the internal change agent, overseeing the processes of growth and renewal. In view of these ever-increasing responsibilities of school leaders for ensuring and enhancing the quality of schools, school leadership has recently become one of the central concerns of educational policy makers. Moreover, in most countries, the tasks and structures of schools and of the education system are changing. These change processes strongly influence the leadership of schools. The chapters of the book vividly reflect the ideas and experiences regarding current issues and trends in school leadership and leadership development from both perspectives, research and practice. They comprise insights from recent research findings and their consequences for the leadership of schools. They look at the growing importance placed on activities to "professionalize" school leaders, among them: training and development programs and selection procedures. They also examine the professional standing and the level of decision-making authority that school leaders in various countries have.