Leadership for School Restructuring

Abstract

School restructuring creates new expectations of those who offer leadership to schools, expectations not well captured in images of instructional leadership. This article describes a 4-year program of research about transformational forms of leadership in schools responding to a variety of restructuring initiatives. Evidence is summarized about transformational leadership practices and behaviors in schools, their effects on a variety of school and teacher variables, and thought processes that give rise to such leadership practices. On the basis of this evidence, the author argues for the promise of transformational leadership in school-restructuring contexts.