The School Administrator

August 2007 Number 7, Vol. 64Where's Graduate Study Going?Eliminating the Ed.D., online doctorates, training nontraditionals

Features

Deleting the Doctorate (and Other Vestiges of Outmoded Preparation)
by Arthur Levine and Diane R. Dean
The lead author, who formerly presided over Columbia’s Teachers College, examines the quiet aftermath of his brash call two years ago for sweeping changes in how universities educate school leaders, including his proposal to eliminate the Ed.D.
Similar Reading: Eight Barriers to Change and AASA’s Statement on a ‘Disconnect’
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The Doctoral Debate
by Margaret Terry Orr
The rapid growth in educational leadership programs at universities nationwide is raising serious questions about education schools’ selectivity of graduate students and quality of instruction.
Similar Reading: AASA Study: Half of Superintendents Hold Doctoral Degrees and Tackling Problems of Practice in the Ed.D. and Resources
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Preparing Non-Educators for the Superintendency
by Tim Quinn
The Broad Foundation trains cohorts of skilled executives in various fields for leading urban school systems and then supports them on the job.
Similar Reading: A Roster of Academy Graduates and John Barry: A Flight Path Like No Other and A Degree of Difference: A Doctorate in Management
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The Online Doctorate: Flexible, But Credible?
by Patti Ghezzi
It’s a new option for aspiring school system leaders — doctorates in educational leadership that can be completed from the comfort of a home computer. But traditional doctoral providers raise plenty of questions about rigor and acceptance by school boards.
Similar Reading: Where to Find Online Doctorates and Matt Hutcheson: My Cyber Route to Higher Learning
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Profile

A Simple Formula for a Complex Place by Jay P. Goldman

Brenda Dietrich operates under a spotlight even brighter than most, leading a suburban Kansas school district populated by high-expectation types from government and business.

Departments

Board-Savvy Superintendent

A Healthy Recipe for a Presidential Relationship by Doug Eadie

Superintendents who take the time and trouble to build a solid working partnership with their school board president have realized a powerful return on their investment.read more

Focus

Navigating Your Entry in a New Community by Nadine Binkley

For a superintendent, a positive entrance into a new position and community is critical.read more

When Toilet Paper Becomes a Safety Concern by David Moscinski

Good planning, well ahead of homecoming, can help eliminate the problem of misbehaving hordes of students. But a long-standing tradition can take some time to break.read more

Guest Column

Why We Invest in Board-Certified Teachers by Michael N. Riley

A veteran superintendent in Washington state first learned about national board certification for teachers not from a journal or a workshop but from a teacher — and soon thereafter from many teachers — and that has made all the difference.read more

People

People

The latest look at the superintendent turnstile — promotions and retirements across the land. The Sidelight falls on Sandra Mercier, a superintendent who also runs an apple orchard, a longtime family business.read more

Tech Leadership

What’s That in Your Students’ Pockets? by Jim Hirsch

How prepared are school staffs for today’s scenario where students bring a wide array of personal technology devices into classrooms?read more

President's Corner

At the Heart of AASA by Sarah D. Jerome

In her debut column, AASA’s elected leader says her mission as association president is to champion public education and the children served by public schools.read more

Executive Perspective

Burning Thoughts on a Snowy Day by Paul D. Houston

AASA’s executive director finds hours of thinking pleasure just outside his office window — and a commentary on racism, placeism and testism.read more

Federal Dateline

Scholars Shoot Down Chicken Little Theories by Bruce Hunter

AASA’s government relations chief shares a recent learning experience that compared contrasting theories of how to change the direction and function of public education.read more

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