Leadership in Action

This book outlines how administrators in our school system can move from managerial efforts to leadership functions. Identifying taxpayers as the school systems’ foremost client presents leaders with the critical perspective for ensuring accountability. Government is the taxpayers’ servant and act as managers of educational funding and programs, and is supported by administrators working in schools, districts and regional offices.A key understanding is that school is a student’s place of work, and current processes for evaluating and reporting their progress identifies them as the most accountable workers in our culture. Taxpayers are better served when educators and government are held accountable by similar assessment processes. Accountability is enhanced when power for selecting teachers and schools is shifted from administrators to parents, and quantifiable information provides the basis for these decisions. Ensuring that students have their learning assessed consistently guarantees fairness to students and provides critical information for parents and taxpayers. Proven leadership strategies for ensuring accountability and superior levels of performance are presented for each administrative level.

Leadership in Action provides a wide-ranging, engaging, and practical set of strategies to help school systems improve. In a crisp, fact-based approach, Dueck wrestles with core issues facing teachers, administrators and politicians today. Highly recommended for anyone looking for an honest assessment of how we can transform our schools and educational support systems., In his latest publication, Leadership in Action, Dr. Dueck presents an honest, but blunt, assessment of the lack of credible accountability in the public-school systems of North America. From the perspective of a long and successful career in public education, he documents the need for data driven criterion to evaluate all levels of the system. While many of the elements of this book may be controversial, a plethora of practical ideas are provided that make this a worthwhile read for all those who care about student success., Once again Dr. Dueck has demonstrated thoroughness and thoughtfulness in his concise exploration of the myths and realities of achieving the best possible education system and outcomes for students. It is refreshing to read the work of someone unafraid to challenge accepted narratives, particularly when those narratives lie on a foundation that is ideological rather than research-based. Whether you ultimately agree or disagree with the conclusions, this book is a must-read for anyone serious about exploring education reform.

Jim Dueck, EdD, has a career in education spanning forty years of service as teacher, principal, superintendent, and assistant deputy minister. He has also advised representatives from approximately fifty education systems around the world regarding assessment and accountability, including the U.S. government’s launch of the Race to the Top (Common Core) initiative.