Closing the Leadership Gap

"Makes a distinct contribution to the field and will be a very useful resource for universities and school districts."
―Susan Villani, Senior Program/Research Associate, Learning Innovations
Author, Mentoring and Induction Programs That Support New Principals

"Will improve the training and practice of future school administrators and the learning of students across the country."
―Jim Lentz, Superintendent, Augusta Public Schools, KS

Blend theory with real-world practices to develop and sustain effective leadership!

University preparation programs for educational leaders are continually criticized for lack of connectedness to the real world, while school and district leaders face mounting pressure to adopt the latest research-based best practices. Closing the Leadership Gap demonstrates what happens when universities and districts work together to shape and support superior leadership that harnesses the qualities of excellence in both practice and research. The authors, experts in school-university partnerships for leadership development, help close the gap between academic training and day-to-day issues with a program that incorporates collaborative partnerships between university faculty and inservice administrators.

Filled with lessons learned, school leader voices, and reflections throughout, this book illustrates how to cultivate and sustain ethical, effective leadership. Readers will find:

• Field-tested tools, templates, and forms
• Research-based strategies to apply in any leadership development endeavor
• Performance assessment and documentation methods

This resource is ideal for staff developers, leadership coaches, university preparation programs, and prospective or practicing administrators committed to a strong leadership preparation curriculum that inspires leaders to remain in education and have a lasting, positive impact upon student achievement.

Teresa Miller is an Associate Professor at Kansas State University in the Department of Educational Leadership, serving as a co-liaison for site-based Leadership Academies training prospective principals and teacher leaders. Prior to coming to KSU, she was a public school educator for 28 years, as a teacher of Language Arts, Gifted Education facilitator, and principal at both elementary and secondary levels. As a principal, she received the Excellence in Educational Leadership Award from the University Council for Educational Administration, and was actively involved in her district in the planning and development of Professional Development Schools, a university-public school partnership for preparing teachers.

Mary Devin has been an elementary teacher, library media specialist, director of public information, and chief business official. In the last 12 of her 37 years in school administration, she was superintendent of a very diverse, mobile, high poverty district that became one of the highest academic performers in the state. Under her leadership, the district partnered often with a university, implementing academies to prepare administrators and to build teacher leadership capacity. Dr. Devin is an Associate Professor at Kansas State University in the Department of Educational Leadership, and serves as co-liaison for Leadership Academies.

Dr. Robert J. Shoop is Professor of Education Law and Senior Scholar in the Leadership Studies Program at Kansas State University. He has served as a teacher, community education director, and principal, and he was the Ohio State Evaluator of Student Rights and Responsibilities. He is the author or coauthor of more than one hundred journal articles, fifteen books, and several monographs and book chapters on various legal issues. His most recent books are Virtuous Leadership (2004); Sexual Exploitation of Students: How to Spot it and Stop It (2003); Leadership Lessons from Bill Snyder (1998); Sexual Harassment Prevention (1997); Sexual Harassment on Campus: A Guide for Administrators, Faculty Members, and Students (1996, co-edited with Dr. Bernice Sandler); and How to Stop Sexual Harassment in Our Schools (1994).

He is also the co-producer of a number of video programs on eliminating sexual harassment. These productions have received national and international recognition, including First Place Award, 1996 National Council of Family Relations Annual Media Competition; 1996 Gold Award of Merit, Houston Film Festival; and 1995 Golden Camera Award, International Film and Video Festival. Dr. Shoop is the 1996 recipient of the Michael C. Holen Excellence in Graduate Teaching Award, a past recipient of Kansas State University’s Outstanding Undergraduate Teacher Award, and a past member of the Board of Directors of the Educational Law Association. He has consulted with national associations, community colleges, universities, government agencies, and businesses and educational organizations throughout the United States and in several foreign countries. Dr. Shoop is a nationally recognized expert in the area of school law, with a focus on sexual harassment and abuse prevention and risk management. He has appeared as a guest on CNN, The Today Show with both Katie Couric and Matt Lauer, ABC’s 20/20, MSNBC with Lester Holt, CNN, Day and Date, The Jim Bohannon Show, The Oliver North Show, The Mark Furman Show, The Mark Walberg Show, and Outside the Lines with Bob Ley.

This is the seventh law-related book written by the team of Shoop and Dunklee. Their other books are School Law for the Principal (1992); A Primer for School Risk Management (1993); The Legal Manual for Programming Professionals (1994); The Principal’s Quick-Reference Guide to School Law (2002); and Anatomy of a Lawsuit: What Every Education Leader Should Know About Legal Actions (2005).