Leadership, Administration, and Leaders in Urban Schools

Session Type: Symposium

Abstract

This session focuses on aspects of principal leadership in urban schools. The papers address the following questions:
• How effective are urban school systems in selecting principals
to lead their schools? How might their efforts be improved?
• Is the professional preparation of principals adequate in
meeting the needs of today’s urban school students?
• How do preparation programs support effective urban school
administrators?
In addition, this session looks at (1) micro level practices at the administrative level that fail to address student needs and (2) the failure of administrative policies and research and theory to positively impact student success. The presenters offer a critical assessment of the issue opening the door for future exploratory and theory testing studies.

Sub Unit

• Division A - Administration / Section 1: Leadership

Chair

• Kofi Lomotey, Western Carolina University

Papers

• Professional Identities of Urban School Principals - Gary M. Crow, Indiana University; Samantha Paredes Scribner, Indiana University - Indianapolis; Samara Wolf Fetner, American Educational Research Association

• Urban School Leadership and Fit - Ira E. Bogotch, Florida Atlantic University; Leo Nesmith, Florida Atlantic University; Scott V. Smith, Florida Atlantic University; Frank Gaines, Broward Schools

• Black Students, Urban Schools, and Black Principals: Leadership Practices That Reduce Disenfranchisement - Kofi Lomotey, Western Carolina University; Kendra Parks Lowery, Madison Metropolitan School District