Cracking the Code of Education Reform: Creative Compliance and Ethical Leadership

Lead between the lines― evaluate Ed policies to emphasize the positives and minimize the negatives

Although educational reform is intended for positive change, sometimes it misses the mark.  However, when school leaders capitalize on the positive aspects of reforms they can strategize to ensure the best outcomes for students.

Christopher Tienken, professor and international speaker, shares his insights on how to identify both positive and negative aspects of education reform to maximize the benefits for students. This book introduces a practical framework for interpreting educational reform within an evidence-based practice, and provides thoughtful ways to finesse results out of challenging policies. Designed for use on the ground level, this book features:
• Seven specific creative compliance strategies to maximize student and educator success
• Case studies that illustrate how to critique reforms and take action
• Reflective questions to guide evaluation and application
• Ethical decision-making checklist

Analyzing both successful and unsuccessful reform ideas from the past, this book champions creative compliance and how to lead innovatively/judiciously.

Christopher Tienken, Ed.D. is an associate professor of leadership, management, and policy and education consultant. He has public school administration experience as a PK-12 assistant superintendent, middle school principal, director of curriculum and instruction, and elementary school assistant principal. He began his career in education as an elementary school teacher. Tienken is the former editor of the American Association of School Administrators Journal of Scholarship and Practice and the current editor of the Kappa Delta Pi Record.

Tienken’s research interests focus on curriculum and assessment policy and practice at the local, state, national, and international levels. He was selected in 2019 as the Lead Author and Principal Investigator for the AASA Decennial Study of the Superintendent  and was invited to be a member of the Professors of Curriculum organization in 2015.  The Seton Hall College of Education and Human Services named him Researcher of the Year in 2014 and Tienken received the Truman Kelley Award for Outstanding Scholarship from Kappa Delta Pi in 2013. The Institute of Education Sciences recognized his research about the effects of professional development on student achievement and the National Staff Development Council (Learning Forward) awarded him the Best Research Award in 2008.

Tienken has authored over 80 publications including book chapters and articles. His third book is Defying Standardization: Creating Curriculum for an Uncertain Future was awarded Outstanding Book by the Society of Professors of Education in 2019. His co-authored books include, The School Reform Landscape : Fraud, Myth, and Lies with Don Orlich and Education Policy Perils: Tackling the Tough Issues with Carol Mullen. He presents papers regularly at state, national, international, and private venues. Tienken has ongoing research collaborations with colleagues at the Universita` degli Studi Roma Tre, Rome, Italy, the University of Catania, Sicily, and he was named as a visiting professor at both universities.