Teachers and administrators who understand the "politics" in schools can operate more successfully to facilitate change. This text teaches educators to identify and influence common social patterns that affect their work in school organizations. It combines literature from educational leadership and foundations of education to provide a comprehensive introduction to organizational theories related to schooling. A particularly notable feature is that in addition to traditional bureaucratic and political approaches, there is a substantial focus on recent critical and feminist theories. Extensive use of narrative vignettes makes the theories accessible for prospective and practicing teachers. Practice cases and exercises assist students in applying the theories to their own organization settings.

Assuming little prior knowledge of theories about school organizations, this volume is intended as a text for introductory graduate courses, as well as for advanced undergraduate courses, and groups such as site-based management teams and district professional development committees.