Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership

This case was developed as part of a doctoral course for educational administration students who were specializing in K-12 educational administration. It could be used in a leadership, special education, or policy course for future school leaders or teachers. Currently, most educational institutions use Carnegie Units to structure how students earn credit throughout the year. In addition, many schools have an attendance policy delineating specific guidelines that students must meet to earn credit. Recently, two high school seniors had their graduation jeopardized due to issues with Carnegie Units and a district’s attendance policy. Drawing from the case of Matthew and Jerry, this article will explore attendance policies and the usage of Carnegie Units.

This case describes initial conflicts experienced by a new superintendent that involve faculty resistance and diminished academic expectations at the high school, compared with the district’s other schools. Compounding the situation is the fact that the Board of Education was bitterly divided when reaching their superintendent hiring decision, with several members supportive of hiring the current high school principal. Fueled by the discovery of numerous parent complaints regarding discriminatory treatment of their children, the superintendent is confronted by the high school faculty who aggressively defend their practices and a high school principal who appears to be undermining her authority.

School leaders are familiar with the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, but they also need to be legally literate about Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. This need is particularly pressing in the wake of significant recent changes in Section 504 as a result of the Americans With Disabilities Amendments Act. This case illustrates the eligibility and entitlement of a student with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder under Section 504 before and after these amendments. Would you be able to take the legally correct course of action if you were Amy Davidson? Do you have legally current and defensible answers to the discussion questions?

Laura Dannon, an educator with experience as teacher, assistant principal, and principal, enjoys her profession. Faculty camaraderie and student/teacher busyness at her school have led her to think all is well. A sudden outburst by a new teacher causes her to reflect on what is really happening. What has changed? Have media criticism, movements against education, attacks on teacher unions, criticisms of college education teacher preparation programs, and a severe economic downturn created an environment in which she needs to rethink her priorities? How does one lead amid criticism, crisis, and disrespect? How can one be a successful leader at the micro level when the broader narrative is dominated by negativism and perceptions of failure?

The case of Allen Elementary School presents tangled narratives and wicked problems describing the multidimensionality of school community work. Using multiple converging and diverging vignettes, the case points to the distinctiveness of individual experience in schools; the ways institutionalized organizational narratives become cultural resources for framing, scripting, and revising problems as plots; and the interdependence of micro- and macro processes. Drawing from work on organizational narratives, situated problems, and politics, the case asks students to consider (a) the improvisational character of organizational narratives authored by leaders for particular publics with particular interests, (b) the social and cultural construction of leadership, and (c) how organizational narratives and the construction of leadership play into public engagement by enlarging/diminishing scope of conflict.

When a new superintendent is hired, Tom Thompson, middle school principal, is squeezed between complying with the demands of the district and cultivating a positive culture in his school. He wrestles with the stress of facing tough leadership choices that take a toll on his physical and mental health. Tom realizes that a career-ending move might result from a miscalculation of available options. This case discusses the role of the principal in the district hierarchy, the impact on school staff resulting from punitive district personnel policies, the development of relationships with a new supervisor, and the ethics of test administration underlying administrative decision making.

This case was developed for use in a course in educational leadership or organizational theory with a focus on change in educational organizations. In this case narrative, data are presented relating to a proposed restructuring of an educational leadership program. Students should analyze the narrative to look for information that helps them identify internal and external factors that lead to and inhibit change and innovation. In addition, students should identify issues faced by program-level leaders who, as middle managers, must respond to both leaders and followers.

This case explores various entrepreneurial initiatives introduced by Dr. Ron Dow, dean of libraries, at a private, research-extensive institution in the northeastern United States. The case serves as an example of how entrepreneurial ideas can be applied within educational contexts, specifically, the academic support context of the university library. The accompanying teaching notes facilitate analysis of the potential and limits of entrepreneurial practice for educational leaders who operate within the ever-changing fiscal landscape of academe.

Elementary school students at a suburban K-12 charter school are facing a difficult transition into the secondary program. In an effort to ease this transition and retain students, the principal requires the secondary teachers to implement a study skills program into the daily curriculum. Initially, the teachers do not voice any objections to the principal, but as the workload increases, their frustration is communicated in a staff meeting. Moreover, students have displayed a negative attitude toward the program. The principal understands that he must diffuse the resentment of the teachers and gain student support to preserve the positive culture of the school.

Acceptance of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer (GLBTQ) adolescents in high schools is growing. Yet, the experience of this family suggests that creating and maintaining a safe environment for GLBTQ students requires constant vigilance, even in the best of environments. As school administrators face competing pressures from stakeholders, GLBTQ advocacy is often left to the students, unlike other types of diversity advocacy based on race, culture, or gender. This case describes how one family chose a “safe” school and struggles to keep it so. The case challenges education administration students to experience school through the eyes of a young man who is gay, and his family, and to determine what is adequate student support.