current issues in educational leadership

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By: Mike Wolking - Guest Author on August 15th, 2017

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6 Critical Issues in Educational Leadership and How to Address Them

Personalized Learning  |  School Districts  |  Innovative Leadership  |  District Leadership

When our team partners with a school district to tackle its toughest education leadership challenges , relationships are built at all levels of the organization. We may encounter superintendents and cabinet staff first, but we tend to find ourselves learning in many nooks and crannies of an organization over time, listening to content area specialists, IT staff, teachers and school leaders, and even attending parent nights or school board meetings.

The 6 Challenges Facing Educational Leadership 

With that concept in mind, I’ve found it extremely helpful to reference a diagnostic framework from Harvard professor Dean Williams, outlined in his book “ Real Leadership ”. Williams argues that good leaders do not simply create followers - rather, they facilitate learning within and across groups in order to address complex realities that demand change. In doing that work a variety of challenges may emerge, which Williams organizes into 6 primary domains. Over the past five years working with districts across the country, I’ve seen many of these challenges in action.

• The Activist Challenge

In an activist challenge, a group’s values and principles may not reflect the the reality of the choices it makes or the systems it has in place. In the classroom this might occur if a school espouses the belief that students learn at different paces but has no systems for students to make up work or receive extra support if they fall behind. The leadership work here entails helping a group align its values with its systems, structures, and actions. My teammates and I often find ourselves engaging in district work of this type when developing a leadership strategy that requires a vision and implementation plans for system-wide shifts to personalized learning or competency-based education .

• The Leadership Development Challenge

In a development challenge, a group has untapped potential that is simply not yet developed. For example, this challenge may be present in staffing models in which all teachers have the exact same responsibilities, when in reality some may be well-suited for coaching or curriculum work beyond the the 4 walls of their classroom (some good resources on how to address that here ). The leadership work here requires tapping into the raw potential of the group and bringing out latent capabilities that are overlooked or simply stifled by current systems.

• The Transition Challenge

In a transition challenge, if the current value set shifts to a new value set great progress can be made by the organization. I think of professor Todd Rose’s work challenging the conventional wisdom of averages in favor of individuality and “jaggedness” in education, and of technology’s role in accelerating and supporting that process. In the classroom, I think of the growth mindset transition in getting students to shift from “I’m not smart” to “I’m able to learn if I try.” The leadership work here involves helping a group unpack its current beliefs and principles in order embrace a new set of ideas that can improve performance.

• The Maintenance Challenge

In a maintenance challenge, a group must weather changing circumstances and preserve the work it has done in order to be able to move forward in the future. I saw this taking place a few years ago in several districts as Common Core support eroded in state legislatures and leaders were left alone to adjust to changing state standards and assessments. Effective leaders and teachers had been focused all along on broader competencies and principles of teaching and learning that allowed practitioners to stay focused on a coherent instructional vision; those hyper-focused on specific tests or curricular materials faced a more difficult battle in adjusting to a changing landscape. The leadership work here is to preserve the essentials and keep performance at a high level until a threat passes or the unknown becomes known.

• The Creative Challenge

In a creative challenge, a new opportunity arises that gives a group a window to explore new ways of thinking and doing in hopes of making a permanent and lasting change for the organization. This is often the “innovation” work that schools are charged to tackle through grants like Next Generation Learning Challenges , the XQ Super School Project , or Race to the Top funding; it might also come in the form of a community passing a penny tax to fund new resources for schools, an election that allows for a fresh start with a new school board majority, or a chance for leaders to enact policy waivers that enable new work. My colleagues and I are often called on to help groups with creative challenges such as these in order to imagine new realities, develop curiosity about possible solutions, and connect partners across the country doing similar work.

• The Crisis Challenge

In a crisis challenge, a group faces an unexpected event or change in circumstances that threatens its ways of working or even its very existence. This might occur when a state or district takes over management of schools, or when an abrupt shift in leadership occurs within an organization. The immediate leadership work is to establish a process to de-escalate the situation and then focus on addressing the key issues that led to the crisis in order to prevent its recurrence.

Whatever the challenges you face, leadership work will require a mix of short-term steps and long-term planning to address key structures in your organization and changing circumstances that surround it. It’s complex stuff, and having a framework in mind as you move through the process won’t solve all of your problems. But it might help determine just what type of challenge you are facing in the first place.'

Do you want to learn more about how to develop innovative leaders in your school districts? Read and download this free Innovative Leadership Development Guide .

About Mike Wolking - Guest Author

Mike Wolking was formerly a Senior Strategist at Education Elements, and left to pursue the Ian Axford Fellowship in Public Policy in New Zealand.

• Connect with Mike Wolking - Guest Author

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Educational leadership: what are the current issues and how should they be studied?

Alison Fox 18 Apr 2016

2016 is a great time to review the state of educational leadership research and reflect on firstly, what are the key contemporary issues and secondly, how best to research them. Educational leadership has been studied from a school perspective – in particular the traditions of school effectiveness and school improvement – and from the perspective of individual school leaders and their personal styles/characteristics. In the last decade there has been a broadening to consider distributed and collective, teacher, views of leadership. However, have we offered a platform for the full range of leadership issues to be raised and reflected on the most appropriate ways to research them? Who is currently considering feminism in educational leadership, a topic popular in the 1990s (e.g. Blackmore, 1999; Strachan, 1999) and reviewed and revisited in the mid-2000s (e.g. Young and astral, 2012; Linley and Preston, 2009)? How is gender and leadership currently conceptualised and studied? Are the influences of all views of gender being considered and contradictions of views revealed, as advocated by Fuller (2014)?

As we celebrated international women’s day on 8 th March, see the blog from the IoE about the current state of women in academic leadership   which also refers to research activity in the BELMAS RIG in Gender and Leadership . LGBT perspectives on educational leadership also need to be considered, beyond student leadership (e.g. Renn and Bilodeau, 2005). Who is considering this and how? What about studies of faith and educational leadership? Which faiths are included (or excluded) from our windows into educational leadership? There is important work on the connections between Islam and the enactment of leadership in educational settings e.g. Shah (2006) and thinking about single faith schools e.g. Cairns et al (2004) but what about the relationship between faiths such as Judaism, Sikhism or Buddhism and educational leadership?

There are many aspects of educational leadership still to be researched. Many educational researchers, whatever their focus, will have a leadership dimension – although perhaps yet to be foregrounded? Those studying curriculum development, social justice or pupil wellbeing for example. The educational leaders themselves might be best placed to prioritise the issues most affecting them in their practice. As well as listening to current educational leaders and reflecting on those not yet heard to identify issues worthy of study, the next open-mindedness needed by researchers is to review the most appropriate ways to research issues related to educational leadership.

Whilst there has been diversification from quantitative approaches and modelling in school effectiveness research to include qualitative approaches, such as narrative, life history and case study, have we fully embraced the insights to be gained by methods such as phenomology, autoethnography and critical approaches? BERA and BELMAS offer two events in 2016 as a stage to consider the scope of contemporary issues and the breadth of research designs to investigate and shed light on them. The first is hosted by Newcastle University on April 26 th . The second will fall within the remit of the Educational Leadership SIG at the BERA annual conference in Leeds. For further information on the programme, as it becomes available, consult the BERA website .

Blackmore, J. (1999) Troubling Women Feminism, Leadership and Educational Change, Buckingham: Open University Press.

Cairns, J., Gardner, R. and Lawton, D. 2004 Faith schools: consensus or conflict? London: Routledge.

Fuller, K. (2014) Gender educational leadership: beneath the monoglossic facade, Gender and Education , 26(4): 321-337.

Linley, A.L. and Preston, A. (2009) Understanding leadership experiences: the need for story sharing and feminist literature as a survival manual for leadership, Gender and Education, 21(6): 769-777.

Renn, K.A and Bilodeau, B.L. (2005) Leadership Identity Development among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Student Leaders, NASPA Journal , 42(3): 342-367.

Shah, S. (2006) Educational leadership: an Islamic perspective, British Educational Research Journal , 32(3): 363-385.

Strachan, J. (1999) Feminist Educational Leadership: Locating the concepts in practice, Gender and Education , 11(3): 309-322.

Young, M.D. and Skrla, L. (2012) Reconsidering feminist research in educational leadership , Albany: State University of New York Press.

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Editorial article, editorial: insights in leadership in education: 2022.

• Attallah College of Educational Studies, Chapman University, Orange, CA, United States

Editorial on the Research Topic Insights in leadership in education: 2022

This collection of articles provides an overview of educational leadership as we emerge from the pandemic crisis into a divisive era characterized by political unrest, social and cultural upheaval, and persistent economic hardship. Across the globe, leaders in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions are faced with the challenges of making up for student learning loss during the pandemic, educator burn out, parental and community concerns about curriculum content, mental health issues and the impact of artificial intelligence on education. Education leaders are taxed with meeting these challenges with scant resources in a conservative policy climate that favors traditionalism at the expense of a liberal progressive outlook.

The nine articles included in this Research Topic offer a variety of perspectives on issues pertaining to education leadership. Orr's overview of leader preparation in “ Reflections on leadership preparation research and current directions ,” reinforces the importance of leadership outcomes – particularly those related to improvement of student learning. Now recognized as a field of its own, the study of leadership preparation has developed over the past 20 to 30 years. Yet we know little about the relationship of preparation to leadership effectiveness in facilitating marginalized and under-represented students' academic achievement. Orr identifies partnerships between schools and universities as a key element of quality preparation programs in the U.S. echoing a more general commitment to collaborative approaches to leadership development and institutional effectiveness.

For instance, Pashmforoosh et al.'s study of 40 school leaders who participated in virtual professional learning communities (VPLC) found these communities of practice across schools in Texas were instrumental in building principals and assistant principals instructional leadership capacity. “ Building school leaders' instructional leadership capacity through virtual professional learning communities,” highlights the effectiveness of community building through collaboration. Participants worked with each other to identify creative solutions to problems of practice in their high-needs schools.

In another example of collaboration, Washington and Johnson , in their article, “ Toward culturally sustaining/revitalizing indigenous family-school-community leadership ,” identify promising leadership models that are more respectful of indigenous communities' self-determination over education. The collaborative partnerships advocated in this review are focused on learning from the indigenous communities' ways of knowing, being and doing to craft education policies and practices to benefit indigenous students and their families.

Fahrenwald et al. also focus on collaborative partnerships between higher education institutions and the civil society in Austria. “ Taking the lead for campus-community-partnerships” is a brief research report, which raises questions about how these CCPs are led, managed, and sustained. Their research findings indicate that despite the importance attached to the potential of CCPs to foster social innovation through collective action, there is little institutional support for them. Most are initiated voluntarily by mid-career women faculty members. To realize the potential of these partnerships, the authors recommend greater institutional commitment and maintenance of support.

Another article that focuses on higher education discusses the results of a PhD program evaluation. In “ Leadership in PhD (LeaP): a longitudinal leadership skill building program for underrepresented biomedical research trainees ,” Doles et al. found the program effective in helping underrepresented biomedical research trainees build community and develop new leadership skills. The positive feedback from students suggests possibilities for the LeaP model to be adapted for other health professional programs designed to increase diversity in the field.

Klinck et al. studied School Management Teams (SMT) in South Africa to understand better the necessary competencies, abilities and attitudes that lead to improved service delivery. Findings reported in “ Creating a high-performing school management: bringing talent to the table for effective service delivery ” include a set of desirable interpersonal skills, managerial skills, emotional intelligence, effective communication, and team building skills. The authors recommend that the SMTs are provided training and development to strengthen these skills in order to provide better social justice education and increased academic achievement.

Finally, three articles consider different approaches to leadership including transformational leadership, caring leadership, and servant leadership. In “ Transformational educational leaders inspire school educators' commitment ,” Kareem et al. studied the effect of leader's transformational style on teacher commitment in India. They found that the positive effect of this kind of leadership encouraged a culture of collaboration and self-development. Steilen and Stone-Johnson report on a study of elementary principals' caring leadership during the pandemic. In “ “There wasn't a guidebook for this”: caring leadership during a crisis,” the authors advocate for in-service and pre-service leadership development to help leaders prioritize care as central to their work not only for others but also for themselves. And Dami et al. discuss the results of a study of Christian higher education lecturers in Indonesia in their article “ Servant leadership and job satisfaction: the mediating role of trust and leader-member exchange .” They found that servant leadership positively influences trust, leader-member exchange and job satisfaction.

At the heart of most of these articles is an interest in understanding better how education leaders work impacts others – students, community members and other educators. They illustrate the primary focus of leadership research over the past 20 years, which has been on the relationship between leadership and student learning. These articles contribute to this important agenda by offering different theoretical and conceptual approaches to leadership, global perspectives, and a variety of education settings. Moving forward, as the negative effects of racism, sexism, ableism, homo-and transphobia, and anti-migrant policies and practices place increasing numbers of our communities in jeopardy, courageous education leadership is imperative for the wellbeing of future generations. My hope is that in the next decade, education scholars and researchers commit to generating new knowledge of how leadership matters in the lives of those served. Leadership is fundamentally about prioritization and decision-making that has the power to elevate human potential or stifle it. To ensure the former, we will need a concerted global effort on the part of the academic community partnering with education practitioners, community members and students themselves.

Author contributions

MG: Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing.

The author(s) declare that no financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Conflict of interest

The author declares that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision.

Publisher's note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Keywords: leadership, collaboration, student learning, education, courage

Citation: Grogan M (2024) Editorial: Insights in leadership in education: 2022. Front. Educ. 9:1372208. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2024.1372208

Received: 17 January 2024; Accepted: 29 January 2024; Published: 15 February 2024.

Edited and reviewed by: Ekkarin Sungtong , Prince of Songkla University, Thailand

Copyright © 2024 Grogan. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Margaret Grogan, grogan@chapman.edu

This article is part of the Research Topic

Insights in Leadership in Education: 2022

Educational Leadership Themes for 2022-2023

Strengthening Family and Community Partnerships

The education profession: changing the narrative, the self-directed learner, confronting poverty in schools, beyond the textbook: content and curriculum, leading through change, centering thinking and discussion skills, social justice in schools.

Nurturing Well-Being in Schools

Summer 2022 (online only) , september 2022, october 2022, november 2022, december 2022 / january 2023, february 2023.

EL ’s experienced team of writers and editors produces Educational Leadership magazine, an award-winning publication that reaches hundreds of thousands of K-12 educators and leaders each year. Our work directly supports the mission of ASCD: To empower educators to achieve excellence in learning, teaching, and leading so that every child is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged. 

ASCD is a community dedicated to educators' professional growth and well-being.

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Advanced Theories of Educational Leadership pp 1–16 Cite as

The Current Scholarship About Educational Leadership

• Khalid Arar   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-4094-966X 11 &
• Izhar Oplatka   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-2759-2515 12  
• First Online: 07 October 2022

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Part of the book series: Policy Implications of Research in Education ((PIRE,volume 14))

The first chapter reviews current conceptualizations of educational leadership and the significant streams of research on this organizational phenomenon at the school level. We deal with different challenges, including diversity, equity, and inclusion in the neoliberal era and current school leadership in an emergency. Different theoretical views of leadership (e.g., sociological, economic, psychological) are analyzed, and traditional leadership models (e.g., trait, behavior, contingency, transformational, moral, distributed) are briefly described. Some reference is given to the issue of women in educational leadership, business management leadership, and student achievement, and leadership and the influences of cultural contexts.

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Arar, K., Oplatka, I. (2022). The Current Scholarship About Educational Leadership. In: Advanced Theories of Educational Leadership. Policy Implications of Research in Education, vol 14. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-14510-0_1

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Current issues in educational management and leadership

Journal of Management Development

ISSN : 0262-1711

Article publication date: 1 January 2012

Beycioglu, K. (2012), "Current issues in educational management and leadership", Journal of Management Development , Vol. 31 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/jmd.2012.02631aaa.001

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2011, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Article Type: Guest editorial From: Journal of Management Development, Volume 31, Issue 1

When the related literature is reviewed, one may claim that educational administration is a vast and problematic area (Bush, 2008; Evers, 2003; Greenfield and Ribbins, 1993; Gunter, 2005; Hodgkinson, 1996; McCarthy, 1999; Smylie and Bennett, 2005; Şimşek, 2004; Turan, 2004; Waite, 2002). For Allix and Gronn (2005), for example, the field of educational administration and leadership is a theoretical enigma and paradox.

There have been various discussions on the issues of the field such as the theory-practice gap issues, leadership issues, principal/leader development issues, etc. (Donmoyer, 1995, 1999; English, 1994, 2002, 2003, 2006; Firestone, 1996; Fullan, 2001; Gronn, 2002; Heck and Hallinger, 2005; Hodgkinson, 1991; Leithwood and Duke, 1999; Sergiovanni, 2007; Smylie and Hart, 1999; Spillane, 2006).

This special issue intends to have a look at the current issues in the field of educational administration and leadership. The authors have contributed to the issue with their partial research conducted in their unique context or they have contributed to the issue with their conceptual papers which are of a value for the field. For example, the first article entitled “Distributed leadership: implications for the role of the principal” by Dr Alma Harris focuses on distributed leadership in schools and explores the implications arising from this model of leadership for those in formal leadership positions. The paper considers how the role of the principal, in particular, is affected and changed as leadership is more widely shared within the organization.

In the article entitled “Contextual framing for school leadership training: empirical findings from the Commonwealth Project on Leadership Assessment and Development (Co-LEAD)”, Dr Stefan Brauckmann and Dr Petros Pashiardis are in search to find out school leaders’ training needs around the Commonwealth in order to provide some answers with regards to the professional development needs of school principals. Charles F. Webber and Shelleyann Scott’s article entitled “Student assessment in a Canadian civil society” discusses the need for respectful open dialogue and trusting relationships in educational assessment among stakeholder groups including teachers, educational leaders, parents, unions, professional associations, department of education personnel, academics, informal community leaders, and politicians. Helen Wildy and Simon Clarke’s paper entitled “Making local meaning from national assessment data: A Western Australian view” presents a case study of the support provided to all three education sectors in one state of Australia to assist school leaders. In their paper “Relationship between the school administrators’ power sources and teachers’ organizational trust levels in Turkey” Yahya Altınkurt and Kürşad Yılmaz aim to explore the relationship between school administrators’ power sources and teachers’ organizational trust levels. In “Are we legitimate yet? A closer look at the casual relationship mechanisms among principal leadership, teacher self-efficacy and collective efficacy”, a paper by Türker Kurt, Ibrahim Duyar, and Temel Çalık, aims to examine the relations among principal leadership styles, collective efficacy, and teacher self-efficacy.

Based on the content of this special issue we may conclude that current issues in the field of educational management and leadership have, in a sense, centered on the issues of leadership in school organization, leadership development/training and the importance of assessment in educational administration.

I would like to thank to the JMD editorial team for giving us a space to discuss our current issues in a leading scholarly journal. I also would like to express my sincere thanks to the following colleagues for their contribution to this special issue; Dr Allan David Walker, Dr Alma Harris, Dr Charles Webber, Dr Ciaran Sugrue, Dr Daniel Muijs, Dr David Gurr, Dr Esmahan Ağaoğlu, Dr Helen Wildy, Dr Lars Björk, Dr Lejf Moos, Dr Mehmet Şişman, Dr Mualla Aksu, Dr Özge Hacıfazlıoğlu, Dr Petros Pashiardis, Dr Selahattin Turan, Dr Simon Clarke, Dr Deniz Örücü, Dr Şefika Mertkan Özünlü, and Dr Yaşar Kondakçı.

I wish to express my deepest gratitude to the authors of the articles published in this special issue. I hope this issue would be an asset and contribution to the field.

Kadir Beycioglu Guest Editor

Allix, N. and Gronn, P. (2005), “Leadership as a manifestation of knowledge”, Educational Management Administration & Leadership , Vol. 33 No. 2, pp. 181–96

Bush, T. (2008), Leadership and Management Development in Education , Sage, London

Donmoyer, R. (1995), “A knowledge base for educational administration: notes from the field”, in Donmoyer, R., Imber, M. and Scheurich, J.J. (Eds), The Knowledge Base in Educational Administration: Multiple Perspectives , SUNY Press, New York, NY, pp. 74–95

Donmoyer, R. (1999), “The continuing quest for a knowledge base: 1976-1998”, in Murphy, J. and Seashore, K.S. (Eds), Handbook of Research on Educational Administration , Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, CA, pp. 25–43

English, F.W. (1994), Theory in Educational Administration , HarperCollins, New York, NY

English, F.W. (2002), “The point of scientificity, the fall of the epistemological dominos, and the end of the field of educational administration”, Studies in Philosophy and Education , Vol. 21 No. 2, pp. 109–36

English, F.W. (2003), “Cookie-cutter leaders for cookie-cutter schools: the teleology of standardization and the de-legitimization of the university in educational leadership preparation”, Leadership and Policy in Schools , Vol. 2 No. 1, pp. 27–46

English, F.W. (Ed.) (2006), Encyclopedia of Educational Leadership and Administration , Vol. 1/2, Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA

Evers, C. (2003), “Philosophical reflections on science in educational administration”, International Studies in Educational Administration , Vol. 31 No. 3, pp. 29–41

Firestone, W.A. (1996), “Leadership: roles or functions”, in Leithwood, K., Chapman, J., Corson, D., Hallinger, P. and Hart, A. (Eds), International Handbook of Educational Leadership and Administration , Kluwer Academic, Dordrecht, pp. 395–418

Fullan, M. (2001), Leading in a Culture of Change , Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, CA

Greenfield, T.B. and Ribbins, P. (1993), Greenfield on Educational Administration: Towards a Human Science , Routledge, London

Gronn, P. (2002), “Distributed leadership”, in Leithwood, K. and Hallinger, P. (Eds), Second International Handbook of Educational Leadership and Administration , Kluwer Academic, Dordrecht, pp. 653–96

Gunter, H.M. (2005), “Conceptualizing research in educational leadership”, Educational Management Administration & Leadership , Vol. 33 No. 2, pp. 165–80

Heck, R.H. and Hallinger, P. (2005), “The study of educational leadership and management: where does the field stand today?”, Educational Management Administration & Leadership , Vol. 33 No. 2, pp. 229–44

Hodgkinson, C. (1996), Educational Leadership: The Moral Art , SUNY Press, Albany, NY

Leithwood, K. and Duke, D.L. (1999), “A century’s quest to understand school leadership”, in Murphy, J. and Seashore, K.S. (Eds), Handbook of Research on Educational Administration , Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, CA, pp. 45–72

Sergiovanni, T.J. (2007), Rethinking Leadership , NSDC/Corwin Press, Thousand Oaks, CA

Smylie, M.A. and Bennett, A. (2005), “What do we know about developing school leaders? A look at existing research and next steps for new study”, in Firestone, W.A. and Riehl, C. (Eds), A New Agenda for Research in Educational Leadership , Teachers College Press, New York, NY, pp. 139–55

Smylie, M.A. and Hart, A.W. (1999), “School leadership for teacher learning and change: a human and social capital development perpectice”, in Murphy, J. and Seashore, K.S. (Eds), Handbook of Research on Educational Administration , Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, CA, pp. 421–41

Spillane, J.P. (2006), Distributed Leadership , Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, CA

Turan, S. (2004), “Modernite ve postmodernite arasında bir insan bilimi olarak eğitim yönetimi” (“Educational administration as a balancing discipline in the human sciences between modernity and post-modernity”), Akdeniz Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi ( Akdeniz University Journal of Faculty of Education ) , Vol. 1 No. 1, pp. 1–8

Waite, D. (2002), “‘The Paradigm Wars’ in educational administration: an attempt at transcendence”, International Studies in Educational Administration , Vol. 30 No. 1, pp. 66–81

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Issues and Trends in Educational Leadership – EDUC 840

CG • Section 8WK • 11/08/2019 to 04/16/2020 • Modified 02/01/2024

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Course Description

A study of the current issues and trends related to the field of education leadership. Emphasis will be placed on research and analysis of practices related to effectiveness.

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the  Academic Course Catalog .

Educational leaders serve in a world impacted by many social, economic, and political factors; thus, leaders must maintain a clear understanding of these issues in order to implement change. This course will provide an in-depth analysis current trends and issues impacting leadership. This will enable the candidate to focus on personal growth and development of characteristics of leadership.

Course Assignment

Textbook readings and lecture presentations

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations , the candidate will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions (2)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. For each discussion, each candidate will be assigned to argue either in support or against a pre-determined topic related to an emerging issue in education. Each candidate will create a thread consisting of a minimum of 450 words. For each thread, the candidate must support his/her assertions with at least 2 scholarly citations in current APA format. In addition to the initial thread, the candidate is required to reply to 2 classmates’ threads acknowledging/ answering the opposing side of the initial post. Each reply must be a minimum of 250 words, and must include 1 scholarly citation. (CLO: B, D, E, F, G)

Journal Article Critique Assignments (2)

The candidate is required to complete 2 Journal Article Critiques throughout the course. The candidate must select articles from peer reviewed journals of his/her choice. Article topics will coincide with educational trends/issues listed in the assignment instructions. Each critique must be a minimum of 700 words, and must follow current APA style. The journal article critique must include a title page and reference sheet in current APA format. (CLO: A, D, E, G)

Letter to Principal Response Assignment

The candidate will compose a formal written response to a letter received as principal from a stakeholder regarding an emerging issue or trend in education affecting the school. (CLO: B, C, G)

Case Study Assignment

The candidate will write a paper detailing his/her 3-year strategy based on a provided case study. The paper must include a title page, a visual table, and an agenda for the meeting in current APA format. The paper should be in narrative form consisting of a minimum of 1,000 words. (CLO: A, C, D, F)

Educational Leadership Paper Assignment

The candidate will write a paper of at least 2,000 words detailing his/her response to the growing needs of education in order to engage and provide learning opportunities for today’s students. The paper must include a minimum of 5 scholarly references, a title page, and a bibliography in current APA format. (CLO: A, E, F, G)

Reflection Summary Paper Assignment

Reflecting on the varied emerging issues and trends related to educational leadership (textbook readings) learned during the term, each candidate will reflect and elaborate on one (1) educational issue/trend that was most interesting. The candidate will include scriptural insight and understanding as it applies. The paper must be a minimum of 500 words, and include 2 scholarly references in current APA format. (CLO: A, B, C, D, E, F, G)

Quizzes (3)

Each quiz will cover a combination of assigned readings, presentations, and website materials. Each quiz will be open-book/open-notes and will contain 10 multiple-choice and/or true/false questions. Quizzes will have a 30 minute time limit each, and may only be attempted once. (CLO: A, B, C, D, E, F, G)

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Educational trends and issues in educational administration

Educational administration plays a pivotal role in shaping the direction and effectiveness of educational institutions. It involves the management and coordination of various aspects within the education system, ranging from policy development to resource allocation, personnel management, and curriculum implementation.

As the field of education continues to evolve and adapt to societal changes, it is essential to examine the key trends and issues in educational administration that are currently shaping the landscape of education.

Read on to learn what educational administration is, why it's important to schools, and current trends, issues, best practices, and challenges in the field today.

Definition of educational administration

Before delving into the trends and issues, it is important to first establish a clear understanding of what educational administration entails.

Educational administration refers to the process of managing educational institutions and overseeing their operations to ensure effective teaching and learning environments. It involves the strategic planning, organization, coordination, and evaluation of educational programs, policies, and resources to facilitate optimal student outcomes.

In essence, educational administration encompasses the roles and responsibilities of school principals, superintendents, administrators, and other educational leaders who are entrusted with the task of providing quality education to students. These professionals are responsible for creating and maintaining conducive learning environments, fostering collaboration among staff, implementing effective instructional strategies, and ensuring the overall success of educational institutions. 1

Importance of educational administration

Educational administration plays a pivotal role in ensuring the provision of quality education within schools. It encompasses various responsibilities that contribute to creating an optimal learning environment for students.

Educational administrators are responsible for ensuring that schools meet their legal and financial obligations. They ensure that qualified and trained teachers are present in each classroom, monitor student progress, and maintain clean and safe learning environments. Administrators also handle financial responsibilities, such as timely payment of bills, protecting intellectual property rights, and maintaining school buildings and facilities.

Through educational administration, schools can effectively measure student performance. Administrators utilize various assessment tools, including test results, to make informed decisions about class size, curriculum design, and instructional methods. By analyzing student performance data, administrators can identify areas where improvements are needed and implement targeted interventions to enhance student learning outcomes.

Educational administration plays a vital role in ensuring that students have access to essential resources. This includes providing textbooks and learning materials that align with state standards, organizing after-school enrichment programs, arranging field trips, and facilitating other extracurricular activities. By offering these resources, administrators enhance students' educational experiences and promote holistic development.

The hiring and assignment of teachers are critical aspects of educational administration. Administrators oversee teacher recruitment processes and ensure that highly effective teachers are placed in appropriate classrooms. By fostering a strong teaching workforce, administrators contribute to student success by providing them with quality instruction and support. Effective teacher assignments can create a positive learning environment, resulting in improved student outcomes.

Educational administration serves as a bridge between policy implementation and student achievement. It ensures that schools operate efficiently, comply with regulations, and prioritize student needs. By effectively managing resources, personnel, and educational policies, administrators contribute to the overall success of schools and the educational journey of students.

In conclusion, educational administration is of utmost importance in schools as it enables the fulfillment of legal and financial responsibilities, measures student performance, provides access to resources, and promotes student success. Through effective administration, schools can create an environment conducive to learning and empower students to reach their full potential.

Top trends in educational administration

In recent years, several trends have emerged in the field of educational administration, shaping the way schools operate and enhancing student learning. These trends are influenced by technological advancements, changing educational philosophies, and the recognition of the importance of equity and inclusion and have given rise to e-learning, video-assisted learning, blockchain data, big data, learning analytics, artificial intelligence, gamification, cloud technology, asynchronous learning, and the rise of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) rather than STEM occupations. 2

Some of the more notable trends include:

Technology integration

The integration of technology has become a prominent trend in educational administration. Schools are increasingly incorporating technology tools and resources to enhance teaching and learning experiences. This includes the use of interactive whiteboards, educational apps, online collaboration platforms, and multimedia resources. Technology integration enables personalized learning, fosters student engagement, and provides access to a wide range of digital resources.

Online learning and digital resources

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of online learning and digital resources in educational administration. Schools have implemented virtual learning environments, learning management systems, and online collaboration tools to ensure continuous education during remote or hybrid learning models. The availability of digital resources, such as e-books, educational videos, and interactive learning platforms, has expanded access to educational materials beyond the physical classroom.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)

AI and ML are increasingly being explored in educational administration to enhance instructional practices and support personalized learning. These technologies can analyze large amounts of data, identify patterns, and provide targeted interventions for individual students. AI-powered tools, such as adaptive learning systems and intelligent tutoring systems, can provide personalized feedback and recommendations to students, improving their learning outcomes.

Equity and inclusion

Educational administration is placing a strong emphasis on promoting equity and inclusion within schools. Administrators are actively working to create inclusive learning environments that cater to the diverse needs of all students. This includes implementing inclusive policies, providing professional development on cultural competence, fostering a welcoming school climate, and addressing systemic barriers that hinder equitable access to education.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives

Schools are increasingly prioritizing diversity and inclusion initiatives in educational administration. Administrators are focusing on creating inclusive policies, diverse curricula, and equitable hiring practices. DEI initiatives aim to eliminate educational disparities, celebrate diversity, and provide equal opportunities for all students. These initiatives promote cultural understanding, respect, and social justice within the educational system.

Culturally responsive leadership

Culturally responsive leadership has gained recognition as a critical trend in educational administration. Administrators are encouraged to lead with cultural competence by understanding the diverse backgrounds and experiences of their students and staff. Culturally responsive leadership involves creating a culturally affirming and inclusive school environment that acknowledges and respects the cultural identities of all individuals within the educational community.

Data-driven decision-making

Data-driven decision-making is becoming increasingly important in educational administration. Administrators are utilizing student performance data, attendance records, and other relevant metrics to inform instructional practices and decision-making processes. Data analysis enables administrators to identify areas for improvement, develop targeted interventions, and evaluate the effectiveness of educational programs and initiatives.

Assessment and evaluation

Assessment and evaluation practices are evolving in educational administration. Administrators are exploring new methods of assessing student learning, such as performance-based assessments, portfolios, and authentic assessments. Additionally, there is a growing emphasis on formative assessment strategies that provide real-time feedback to guide instruction and support student growth.

Evidence-based practice

Educational administration is increasingly relying on evidence-based practices to inform decision-making. Administrators are encouraged to utilize research and evidence to guide the implementation of effective instructional strategies, curriculum design, and professional development initiatives. Evidence-based practices ensure that educational decisions are grounded in empirical data and have a higher likelihood of positively impacting student outcomes.

However, implementing assessment and evaluation practices and adopting evidence-based practices in educational administration does not come without challenges.

Some of the common obstacles include:

• Time constraints : Administrators often face time constraints when it comes to implementing comprehensive assessment and evaluation systems. Gathering data, analyzing results, and making informed decisions based on assessment data can be time-consuming. Balancing these responsibilities with other administrative duties can be a significant challenge.
• Standardization and validity : Ensuring the standardization and validity of assessments is crucial for accurate evaluation. Administrators must navigate the complexities of designing assessments that align with curriculum objectives, measure student progress effectively, and provide meaningful data for decision-making. Maintaining the integrity of assessment practices and ensuring fairness across diverse student populations can be demanding.
• Data Analysis and interpretation : Analyzing and interpreting assessment data requires expertise in data analysis and the ability to extract meaningful insights. Administrators need to possess data literacy skills to make sense of the data and use it to inform instructional practices and resource allocation. Lack of data literacy among administrators can hinder the effective use of assessment data for decision-making.
• Stakeholder resistance : Implementing assessment and evaluation practices, as well as evidence-based practices, may face resistance from various stakeholders. Teachers, students, and parents may have concerns about the impact of assessments on instructional time, curriculum narrowing, and potential biases. Addressing these concerns and fostering a culture of understanding and acceptance of assessment and evidence-based practices requires effective communication and stakeholder engagement.

Emerging issues in educational administration

In the ever-evolving landscape of education, administrators grapple with various challenges that impact the delivery of quality education and student success. These challenges, known as emerging issues in educational administration, arise from a range of factors, including financial constraints, teacher shortages and turnover, and the complexities of policy changes and implementation.

Addressing these issues requires the collective efforts of educational leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders to navigate the intricacies of resource allocation, recruitment and retention, and effective policy implementation.

Funding and educational finance constraints

One of the ongoing challenges in educational administration is the issue of funding and budget constraints. Many schools face financial limitations that impact their ability to provide quality education and necessary resources for students.

Insufficient funding can result in inadequate staffing, outdated infrastructure, limited access to technology, and a lack of extracurricular opportunities. These budget constraints pose significant challenges for administrators in managing resources effectively and ensuring equitable access to education.

Teacher shortages and turnover

The shortage of qualified teachers and high turnover rates present a pressing issue in educational administration. Many regions face challenges in attracting and retaining highly skilled educators. Factors contributing to teacher shortages include low salaries, challenging working conditions, and a lack of professional development opportunities. High turnover rates disrupt continuity in schools and negatively impact student achievement. Administrators must navigate these challenges by implementing strategies to recruit and retain talented educators.

Policy changes and implementation challenges

Educational administrators often face difficulties in effectively implementing policy changes. Changes in education policies, such as curriculum reforms and assessment and accountability measures, can be complex and require significant coordination and planning. Implementation challenges may arise due to limited resources, resistance to change, and conflicting stakeholder interests. Administrators must navigate these challenges by developing clear implementation plans, providing professional development opportunities, and fostering collaboration among stakeholders to ensure successful policy implementation.

These emerging issues in educational administration require strategic planning, collaboration, and innovative approaches to address effectively. Administrators must advocate for increased funding, develop strategies to attract and retain qualified teachers and navigate policy changes to ensure the provision of quality education and positive student outcomes.

Best practices in educational administration

To ensure effective educational administration, administrators must adopt best practices that promote collaboration, shared decision-making, and continuous professional development. By implementing these practices, administrators can foster a supportive and engaging environment that enhances student learning outcomes. Current best practices in educational administration include:

Collaborative leadership

Collaborative leadership involves engaging and involving various stakeholders in decision-making processes. By actively seeking input from teachers, staff, students, and community members, administrators can create a culture of shared responsibility and collective ownership. Collaborative leadership fosters trust, encourages innovation, and promotes a sense of shared vision and purpose.

Shared decision-making

Shared decision-making empowers stakeholders to participate in important educational decisions. Administrators facilitate open communication channels, provide opportunities for meaningful input, and actively involve teachers, parents, and community members in decision-making processes. Shared decision-making not only leads to better decision outcomes but also strengthens relationships and cultivates a sense of ownership and accountability within the educational community.

Team building

Effective team building is crucial in educational administration. Administrators foster strong and cohesive teams by promoting open communication, creating opportunities for collaboration, and recognizing and leveraging individual strengths. Team building enhances productivity, promotes a positive work environment, and supports the successful implementation of educational initiatives.

Professional development

Continuous professional development is essential for administrators to stay abreast of current research, trends, and best practices in education. Administrators should provide opportunities for ongoing learning, such as workshops, conferences, and online courses. By investing in professional development, administrators enhance their leadership skills, deepen their understanding of effective instructional practices, and improve their ability to support teachers and staff.

Coaching and mentoring

Coaching and mentoring programs support the professional growth and development of teachers and staff. Administrators establish coaching and mentoring relationships to provide guidance, feedback, and support to educators. By implementing effective programs, administrators can help foster a culture of continuous improvement, promote reflective practice, and enhance instructional effectiveness.

Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)

Professional Learning Communities are collaborative groups of educators who engage in ongoing professional learning and collaborative inquiry. Administrators facilitate the formation and participation of PLCs, creating opportunities for teachers to collaborate, share best practices, and collectively solve problems. PLCs promote a culture of continuous learning, encourage data-driven decision-making, and improve instructional practices.

Community engagement

Engaging the community is a best practice in educational administration. Administrators establish partnerships with community organizations, businesses, and local leaders to enhance educational opportunities and resources for students. Community engagement promotes a sense of belonging, provides real-world connections to classroom learning, and enriches the educational experiences of students.

Family and community partnerships

Building strong partnerships with families and the broader community is vital for educational success. Administrators establish effective communication channels, involve families in decision-making processes, and promote meaningful engagement in school activities. Family and community partnerships foster a supportive and inclusive learning environment, improve student attendance and academic performance, and enhance overall school success.

Volunteerism and service learning

Encouraging volunteerism and service learning initiatives is a best practice in educational administration. Administrators create opportunities for students, teachers, and staff to engage in community service activities that align with educational goals. Volunteerism and service learning promote civic responsibility, foster empathy and social awareness, and provide hands-on learning experiences that deepen student understanding.

By implementing these best practices, educational administrators can create an environment that supports collaboration, continuous improvement, and the holistic development of students. These practices contribute to the overall success of schools and promote positive educational outcomes.

Administration challenges for educational leadership

Educational administration is a complex field that faces numerous challenges due to the intricate nature of educational systems and the external pressures exerted by political and social contexts. Additionally, the increasing demands for accountability and transparency add another layer of complexity to the work of educational administrators.

Educational systems are multifaceted and encompass various levels, including federal, state, and local entities. The complexity arises from the intricate web of policies, regulations, and administrative structures that educational administrators must navigate. Coordinating and aligning efforts across different levels and ensuring effective communication and collaboration can be a significant challenge for administrators.

Educational administrators operate within a political and social landscape that can exert significant pressure. Politicians, policymakers, and community members often have diverse expectations and interests, leading to competing priorities and demands.

Administrators must navigate these pressures while balancing the needs of students, teachers, and other stakeholders. This requires skilled communication, negotiation, and the ability to make informed decisions that align with the best interests of the educational community.

In recent years, there has been an increasing emphasis on accountability and transparency in education. Administrators are expected to demonstrate the effectiveness of their practices, measure student outcomes, and ensure responsible use of resources. Meeting these demands requires robust data collection and analysis systems, effective assessment and evaluation methods, and transparent communication with stakeholders. However, striking a balance between accountability and the unique needs of individual students and schools can be challenging.

Financial constraints pose a significant challenge for educational administrators. Limited funding can hinder the implementation of innovative programs, restrict access to necessary resources, and impact the quality of education provided. Administrators must make difficult decisions regarding budget allocations, resource management, and cost-effective strategies while striving to provide an equitable and enriching educational experience for all students.

The shortage of qualified teachers and high turnover rates present ongoing challenges for educational administrators. Recruiting and retaining highly skilled educators is crucial for maintaining educational quality and continuity. Administrators must develop effective strategies for attracting talented teachers, creating supportive work environments, and providing ongoing professional development opportunities to enhance job satisfaction and reduce turnover.

The field of education is continuously evolving, driven by technological advancements, research findings, and shifting societal expectations. Educational administrators must adapt to these changes and ensure that their schools remain relevant and responsive. This requires staying updated on emerging trends, integrating new instructional approaches, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.

In conclusion, educational administration faces a range of challenges stemming from the complex nature of educational systems, political and social pressures, and the demands for accountability and transparency. Administrators must navigate these challenges while striving to provide high-quality education, support teachers and staff, and meet the diverse needs of students and stakeholders. Overcoming these challenges requires effective leadership, collaboration, and a commitment to continuous improvement in the ever-changing educational landscape.

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• Retrieved on June 4, 2023, from indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/what-is-educational-administration
• Retrieved on June 4, 2023, from powergistics.com/education-technology-trends/

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Classroom Q&A

With larry ferlazzo.

In this EdWeek blog, an experiment in knowledge-gathering, Ferlazzo will address readers’ questions on classroom management, ELL instruction, lesson planning, and other issues facing teachers. Send your questions to [email protected]. Read more from this blog.

The Biggest Policy Challenges Schools Are Facing Right Now

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There are many education policy challenges facing schools at the moment.

Today, two educators share which ones they think are the most important ones.

‘Legislative Attacks’

Keisha Rembert is a lifelong learner, equity advocate, and award-winning educator. She is the author of The Antiracist English Language Arts Classroom , a doctoral student and an assistant professor/DEI coordinator for teacher preparation at National Louis University. Prior to entering teacher education, Keisha spent more than 15 years teaching middle school English and U.S. history.

George Orwell’s words in his book 1984 resonate deeply today: “Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.” These words hold immense relevance as we traverse the landmine of educational bills that have enacted book bans; restricted the exploration of race, sexual orientation, and gender identity topics; and prohibited the teaching of historical truths or any discourse that may result in “ discomfort, guilt, or anguish .”

In the past year, education-focused legislative attacks have become palpable and personal. We have seen an influx of anti-LGBTQIA+ bills , totaling a whopping 283, nationwide. In Florida, the value of AP African American Studies has been questioned, undermined, and dismissed as “ lacking educational value. ”

And critical race theory has become persona non grata, a scapegoat to thwart discussions and actions toward racial justice in our polarized American political landscape. These examples highlight the trend of states’ attempts to not only control curricula, learning, and discourse but also to stifle justice and constrict bodies and intellectual progress, negatively impacting the whole of society.

According to a 2022 Rand Corp survey, one-fourth of the teachers reported being influenced by legislative actions, pending and imposed, to change their lessons. It is scary to think that state legislatures, without any educational expertise, wield the power to manipulate knowledge and rewrite history. In the words of Paulo Freire, “Leaders who do not act dialogically, but insist on imposing their decisions, do not organize the people—they manipulate them. They do not liberate, nor are they liberated: they oppress.” And thus, the barrage of these oppressive educational policies are not only unconscionable but also fundamentally untenable for student and societal success.

We find ourselves at a critical juncture, where the exclusion of diverse perspectives and the suppression of uncomfortable truths have the potential to distort our collective consciousness. It is in recognizing and embracing the history of the most marginalized among us that we truly learn about ourselves, our growth as a society, and the ideals to which we aspire.

These dehumanizing legislative impositions hinder our students’ understanding of our shared history and also represent a dangerous path that encroaches on our personal and academic freedoms. They undermine our capacity to nurture students’ critical-thinking skills and hamper our ability to cultivate a citizenry that values democratic ideals and engages thoughtfully in meaningful change.

As educators, we must continue to fight and offer our support to those living under oppressive state regimes. In our classrooms and beyond, we should:

• Advocate academic freedom: We cannot be passive bystanders while the rights of our students, selves, and colleagues are at stake. We must actively engage in discussions and initiatives that protect and promote freedom of all kinds within our schools, communities, and nation. We must reject the notion that any student should be denied the invaluable opportunity to be exposed to truth, diverse and inclusive perspectives, ideas, and experiences. Our championing of freedom creates an environment that fosters critical thinking, humility, and a deeper understanding of our world.
• Foster critical thinking and humility: The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “The only way to deal with unjust laws is to render them powerless by ignoring them.” It is time to lean into what we know is right and teach our students to do the same. To navigate this time of distortions and mistruths, our students need to be analytical thinkers who are discerning, open-minded, and equipped to challenge rhetoric and resist the manipulative forces that are restricting knowledge and controlling narratives.
• Uphold the ideals of democracy and global humanity: In the face of state-led oligarchies, it is our duty to instill in our students civic literacy, agency, collective responsibility, and the need to dismantle oppressive systems. Our students must be justice seekers who build bridges as compassionate citizens.

If we are not vigilant, we risk facing a fate reminiscent of the residents of Oceania depicted in 1984 , where “every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture repainted, every statue and street building renamed, every date altered. And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Party is always right.”

Censorship is antithetical to freedom; it begets spirit-murdering curricula violence, posing a direct threat to the mental and emotional well-being of students whose histories, identities, and personhood are silenced and deemed inconsequential and without value. By perpetuating harm, these laws also establish a dangerous precedent for future educational policies. The brevity of this moment demands action. If education is the ultimate pursuit of liberation, then the freedom it promises hangs in the balance.

STEM Access

Kit Golan ( @MrKitMath ) is the secondary mathematics consultant for the Center for Mathematics Achievement at Lesley University in Cambridge, Mass.:

Despite the demand for mathematical thinkers, our country continues to push data-illiterate and math-phobic graduates into the workforce. As such, a vital issue facing public schools today is inequitable access to high-level math courses, which acts as a gatekeeper for many who might enter science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers.

Most course sequences prevent students from reaching rigorous math classes, especially students of color. Often, students who do have access to these courses come from privileged backgrounds whose families have invested time and money outside of the school day to “race to the top.” Regardless, many colleges use AP Calculus as a determining factor for entrance and class placement even though most students don’t reach this or other high-level math courses that better align with their career aspirations due to systemic barriers.

Few districts have created flexible course sequences that allow students to reach high-level math classes by senior year, meaning many students who do not accelerate in middle school may never be able to reach higher math classes without taking multiple math classes simultaneously or attending summer school.

Many middle school students do not know their career trajectory; having the option to delay acceleration until junior year and take a compressed Algebra 2/precalculus course would allow more students to access rigorous courses without being barred in middle school. Additionally, because current Algebra 2 courses focus heavily on symbolic manipulation that modern graphing technology renders obsolete, a compacted course could focus more on developing the conceptual understandings needed by eliminating this content. Yet, few schools have made this transition despite the obvious benefits.

Truly, this is a larger issue of tracking and acceleration for some students. Despite the consensus that sorting practices have a disproportionately negative impact on outcomes for marginalized students (NCTM, 2018), many parents still advocate for their children to be accelerated. Because teachers frequently struggle to differentiate for mixed-ability math classes, students who are ready for additional challenges may slip through the cracks as their teachers attempt to support struggling students’ access to grade-level content.

I’m not advocating separating these students into different streams, as the reality is that no matter how well you think you’ve grouped students by ability, there is no such thing as a truly homogeneous class; student variation is one of the only constants in education! Instead, teachers need additional professional development, time, and support (and reduced class sizes!) to better be able to differentiate their classes to ensure that all students have both access and challenge.

This is a systemic issue that requires structural changes beyond individual teachers. Sadly, most middle and high schools rarely have schedules allowing students to gain additional experience with math unless they are pulled from arts or other elective courses. Meanwhile, community colleges have recently begun to replace “developmental math” (their “low track”) courses with co-requisite models where students would enroll in both a credit-bearing course and an additional support class designed to help them gain access to the math content of the former. How might K-12 schools replicate that idea to provide additional support to students who need it?

Ultimately, the issue facing public schools is whether AP courses should be considered a privilege for the few who have access to outside resources or if it should be accessible to any who are interested in pursuing that pathway. Under the current paradigm, only students who take additional math courses outside of their standard school day or who are able to double up on math courses early in high school are able to reach AP Calculus by senior year. It’s outrageous that students who take Algebra 1 “on time” in 9th grade are considered remedial math students when measured along the path to AP Calculus. It’s past time we updated high school math options to reflect the 21st-century needs rather than settle for the status quo of the past century.

NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics). (2018). Catalyzing change in high school mathematics: Initiating critical conversations . Reston, VA: Author.

Thanks to Keisha and Kit for contributing their thoughts.

They answered this question of the week:

What do you think is the most important education policy issue facing public schools today, why do you think it is so important, and what is your position on it?

Consider contributing a question to be answered in a future post. You can send one to me at [email protected] . When you send it in, let me know if I can use your real name if it’s selected or if you’d prefer remaining anonymous and have a pseudonym in mind.

You can also contact me on Twitter at @Larryferlazzo .

Just a reminder; you can subscribe and receive updates from this blog via email . And if you missed any of the highlights from the first 12 years of this blog, you can see a categorized list here .

The opinions expressed in Classroom Q&A With Larry Ferlazzo are strictly those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of Editorial Projects in Education, or any of its publications.

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