How Schools Succeed

Context, Culture, and Strategic Leadership

All meaningful and enduring educational reform occurs locally. Evidence suggests that educational success is driven by the contextual conditions in which students learn. How Schools Succeed: Context, Culture, and Strategic Leadership, Second Edition considers a broad conception of educational context, taking into consideration work environment, facilities, and space as well as the interpersonal, social, and organizational settings in which teaching and learning occur. This is not a “one-fits-all” approach. It is, however, a proactive approach, and necessary tools and development strategies are offered to promote continual and sustainable school improvement at the local level. While this volume considers specific administrative roles in schools, it also explains strategic leadership in broad terms. School leadership not only implies principal and superintendent roles, but teacher roles as well—perceiving teachers as leaders and building leadership capacity are central concepts in understanding strategic leadership as well as moving toward genuine school reform.