Competency-Based Leadership

Dr. M. Scott Norton has served as a classroom teacher, coordinator of curriculum, associate superintendent and superintendent of schools. He served as Professor and vice-chairman of the Department of Educational Administration at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and as Professor and Chairman of the Department of Educational Administration and Policy Studies at Arizona State University.

• Chapter 1—The Building of the School Principalship in AmericaThe Primary Chapter GoalThe School Principal: A Historical PerspectiveEstablishment of American SchoolsHorace Mann and Universal EducationBenjamin Rush and the Spirit of NationalismCommon Schools in AmericaThe Emergence of the Junior High SchoolThe Development of the American High School and the Evolution of the School PrincipalshipThe Lancastrian System of InstructionThe Emergence and Development of the Position of Assistant PrincipalThe School Principal’s Limited Role as an Assistant PrincipalChanging Roles of the Assistant PrincipalSummaryReferencesDiscussion QuestionsCase StudiesChapter 2—Theory and Concepts Into Practice: Foundations for the Work of the School PrincipalThe Primary Chapter GoalTheory and Concepts and Their Influence on the Work of the School PrincipalThe Scientific Management Era: Its Influence on the Growth of the PrincipalshipThe Human Relations Era and Its Influence on the Growth of the PrincipalshipThe Behavioral Science Era and the Years of PostmodernismContemporary Problems encountered By School PrincipalsKeeping the Quality School Principals on the JobPrimary Responsibilities of the School PrincipalMajor Issues and Problems Facing Education: Implications for the Work of the School PrincipalSummaryReferencesDiscussion QuestionsCase StudiesChapter 3—Competency-Based Administration and Its Implications for the Work of the School PrincipalThe Primary Chapter GoalThe Competency Concept and Its Implications for the School PrincipalCharacteristics and Behaviors of the Competency-Based School PrincipalA Competency-Based Personal Growth Model for the School PrincipalThe ISLLC Standards and Their Knowledge Requirements for School Leaders NASSP Administrative Skill DimensionsThe School Principal’s Job Description: Identification of Required CompetenciesCore Competencies of the School PrincipalEthics and Responsibilities of the School Principal: Important Competency-Based CharacteristicsSummaryReferencesDiscussion QuestionsCase StudiesChapter 4—The School’s Vision and Mission—Foundations for Effective Planning, Organization, and Decision-Making by the School PrincipalThe Primary Chapter GoalThe School Principal’s Administrative PhilosophyThe Planning Process: A Foundational Responsibility of the School PrincipalProblem Analysis, A Required Skill for Decision-MakingOrganizational Theory: A Basis for Decision-MakingHow Does the Principal Demonstrate Decisiveness?Sources of Power and Decision-MakingDecision-Making as a Group ProcessSummaryReferencesDiscussion QuestionsCase StudiesChapter 5—Organizational Culture and Organizational Climate: The School Principal and Staff RelationshipsThe Primary Chapter GoalSchool Culture and Climate: Can They Be Defined?How the School Benefits from Understanding the Culture in Which It is EmbeddedOrganizational Climate and Its Impact on Significant Aspects of School ProgramsHow Does School Climate and School Culture Enhance School Improvement, Including the Staff Development Process?How the School Principal Can Determine the Status of the School ClimateThe Implementation of the Human Resources Process at the Local School LevelJob Satisfaction and the Climate of the SchoolBest Practices for Improving the School’s Climate: What the Research SaysSummaryReferencesDiscussion QuestionsCase StudiesChapter 6—The Principal’s Leadership for Building Positive School-Communitiy RelationsThe Primary Chapter GoalThe Public Relations Competencies and Indicators of Competency of the School PrincipalSchool Public Relations Suggestions for Local School PrincipalsThe Teacher’s Role in Fostering Positive Community-School RelationsSchool Support Personnel and Their Importance in an Effective Public Relations ProgramThe Leadership Responsibilities of the School Superintendent in Promoting an Effective Public Relations ProgramWorking With the MediaAn Operational Model for Planning, Initiating, Implementing and Evaluating the School’s Public Relations ProgramSummaryReferencesDiscussion QuestionsCase StudiesChapter 7—The Legal World of the School Principal: Legislation, Court Rulings, School Board Policy, Administrative Regulations, and School Rules & Procedures.The Primary Chapter GoalThe Legal Basis for Public School Operations: The Federal GovernmentLandmark Court Cases With Direct Implications for the Work of the School PrincipalK-12 Facts for Education in America: Education is Big BusinessThe Legal Basis for Educational Operations: The State GovernmentPolicy, Regulations, By-Laws and Rules: Who Does What?School Board Policies and Their Influence on the Work of the School PrincipalCharacteristics of Effective School District PoliciesSummaryReferencesDiscussion QuestionsCase StudiesChapter 8—Planning and Organizing: Foundational Skills Required of the School PrincipalThe Primary Chapter GoalThe School as an Important Component of School SystemSystems Theory and Its Implications for Effective PlanningThe Benefits of Internal and External ScanningShort and Long-Range PlanningStrategic and Operational PlanningStatement of Strategic ObjectivesAnalysis of the Gap Between the Vision and Current PracticesStrategies for Decreasing the GapInfluences on Organizational DevelopmentViewing School Organization in Different WaysPlanning, Organizing and AccountabilitySummaryReferencesDiscussion QuestionsCase StudiesChapter 9—The School Principal’s Responsibilities for Curriculum Development and Instructional LeadershipThe Primary Chapter GoalWhat is Curriculum and Why Is Its Conception Important for Practice in Schools?Curricular Issues and the Related Problems That School Principals Must FaceDesigning the CurriculumExamining the Curriculum from Various Theoretical PerspectivesThe Primary Responsibilities of the School Principal for Curriculum DevelopmentThe School Principal as an Instructional SupervisorHow Curriculum is OranizedThe School Principal and Program Supervision as Related to Curriculum DevelopmentThe Evaluation of Teacher PerformanceThe Classroom VisitationThe Improvement of Student AchievementSummaryReferencesDiscussion QuestionsCase StudiesChapter10- Performance Appraisal and Staff Development: Access to ProgressThe Primary Chapter GoalPerformance Appraisal and the Work of the School PrincipalPerformance Evaluation Methods and Activities Utilized by School PrincipalsThe Timing of the Classroom VisitationThe Staff Development ProcessThe RPTIM Model for Staff DevelopmentSelected Methods and Strategies for Implementing Staff Development in SchoolsTeam Projects, Think-Tank Activities and Shadow GroupsThe Use of Teacher Talent in Related School ProgramsClinical Supervision, A Formative Classroom Evaluation ModelClassified Employee Staff Development Methods and StrategiesSummaryReferencesDiscussion QuestionsCase StudiesChapter 11—The Principal as a Student Advocate: Administration of Pupil Personnel Services and Special Needs ProgramsThe Primary Chapter GoalThe District Office of Personnel Services and Its Common Program ServicesThe Pupil Personnel Services Function: An Increasing Responsibility of the School PrincipalStudent Services at the Local School LevelThe Student: The School’s Number One ClientThe School Principal as a Student AdvocateDescriptions of Selected Legislative Acts Concerning Pupil Personnel ServicesThe Special Education ProgramThe School Principal and Special EducationSummaryReferencesDiscussion QuestionsCase StudiesChapter 12—Budgeting Responsibilities of the School Principal: New Demands for AccountabilityThe Primary School GoalSchool Finance, A Historical Inhibiting Factor of Educational QualityThe School Principal: Accountability for Managing the School BudgetSchool-Based Management and the Responsibilities of the School PrincipalChanging Rules for Principals in SBA School DistrictsBuilding a School BudgetAn Operations Model for the Procedural Flow of Budget PreparationAccounting ProceduresThe School District and School Spending AuditsSummaryReferencesDiscussion QuestionsCase Studies

Compenency-Based Leadership will be one of those books that stays on my top ten reading list. The knowledge base, understandings and skill sets outlined in this book are the essential ingredients for becoming and remaining a high performing principal. Principals and aspiring principals should make this book a "must read".