A School Districts Journey to Excellence Lessons From Business and Education [Paperback]

This resource examines how one of the nation's largest districts improved performance outcomes and achieved significant gains by integrating strategies from educational and business arenas.This resource examines how one of the nation's largest districts improved performance outcomes and achieved significant gains by integrating strategies from educational and business arenas. Good commonsense ideas are embedded throughout. The more we document success, the greater the chance that?others will replicate effective strategies. A must-read book for every school administrator. It blends business principles with excellent leadership in one of Americas largest school districts to create a model for achieving excellence in school districts everywhere. This is a well-written, practical illustration of how a leader makes things happen. McNeal and Oxholm offer a glimpse into the alignment required between district and community interests for public schools to regain the trust of the public and to emphasize academic gains as a unifying force for the future. Could easily serve as a handbook for successfully leading any school system, large or small, during this challenging era of high-stakes accountability. The real-world examples gave me numerous ideas and perspectives that I will act on immediately. This book of lessons is an outstanding review of the key elements to earning and holding the public trust. McNeal and Oxholm?come from?very different backgrounds,?but their?shared values identify the disciplines that are critical to building a successful public school system in an environment of high attention and scrutiny. Written from actual experience and?provides specific responses to specific challenges. If a school system is interested in results rather than rhetoric, then it should follow the teachings in this book as the gospel. A reml)