Successful School Leadership: Planning, Politics, Performance, and Power

The introductory volume in the Peabody Educational Leadership Series, Successful School Leadesrhip provides readers with a solid overview of the primary topics that current and aspiring leaders will be faced with when making decisions regarding education organizations. Blending leadership theory and practice, this foundational leadership text provides cutting edge content in each of the key domains of responsibility facing current and aspiring school leaders while weaving case studies, current media articles, and reflection point into each chapter to enhance student synthesis and application.

The book is divided into four frames of reference for optimal learning: Planning, Politics, Performance, and Power — the functions with which educational leaders must continually grapple. In each section, readers are presented with information about what school leaders need to know to successfully surmount the modern challenges to education and instruction.

Section one provides a foundation for the book by discussing the evolving context of educational leadership and proposes a strategic orientation to leading educational organizations through continual cycles of appraisal, analysis and action.  Section two delves into the important issues of governance, politics, finance and law as major contributors to the context of education, and as levers by which school leaders can shape institutions. Section three explores the various ways in which school leaders can assess and enhance the performance of their schools and educational organizations. The final section of text provides students with information about educational leader strategies in the development of people, partnering with communities, and uses of power, while the final two chapters give practical insights into the preparation for practicing strategic education leadership.

James W. Guthrie is a professor of public policy and education, chair of the leadership, policy and organization department, and director of the Peabody Center for Education Policy at Peabody College of Vanderbilt University.  He instructs both undergraduate and graduate courses and conducts research on education policy, educator compensation, leadership and school finance. Guthrie is the author of ten books, and more than 200 professional and scholarly articles. He was the editor-in-chief of the Encyclopedia of American Education, published in 2002.

Patrick J. Schuermann is a research assistant professor of educational leadership and public policy and director of technical assistance for the Center for Educator Compensation Reform at the Peabody College of Vanderbilt University.  A former middle school teacher and leader, Patrick conducts research on teacher quality and school leadership issues, with an emphasis on professional development and compensation.