This book immerses prospective administrators in the realities of practice. Problem solving and decision-making skills are addressed through the use of open-ended case studies.

Effective practice in school administration requires both leadership and management. In today’s reform-minded, information-based society, practitioners must be able to frame problems correctly and then make effective decisions to ameliorate them. As leaders, district and school-level administrators are expected to focus on what should be done to improve schools; as managers; they are expected to focus on how to do things successfully. The cases in this book are designed to make students think about common problems of practice by encouraging them to bridge theory and practice. More precisely, the cases are intended to hone four essential practitioner skills:

1. The ability to frame a problem correctly

2. The ability to develop and evaluate alternative solutions to a defined problem

3. The ability to use data and other facts to counter the influence of politics and emotion in decision making

4. The ability to grow professionally by engaging in reflective practice