Finding Your Leadership Edge: Balancing Assertiveness and Compassion in Schools

As its title suggests, Finding Your Leadership Edge: Balancing Assertiveness and Compassion in Schools (Routledge) strives to help school leaders successfully navigate the inherent challenge of school leadership. Authors Brad and Jeremy Johnson begin their book by offering readers “leadership reflection quizzes” which can guide educational leaders in determining their levels of compassion, assertiveness, and agreeableness. The authors explain that assertiveness and compassion are necessary to build support so that individuals are motivated to accomplish goals, but they also acknowledge that assertiveness is often misunderstood as aggressive behavior. Leaders, they say, must consider all perspectives and emotions to develop a balanced response that involves clear communication, respect, confidence, active listening, boundary setting, and conflict resolution. Although relationships can be challenging, this book helps school leaders learn how to identify problems and plan possible solutions when leading schools. Specific examples also provide relatable scenarios where leaders explore why behaviors occur and how to use specific skills to navigate each scenario successfully.

—Susan C. Paul, EdD | Principal
Kaiserslautern High School, Germany, Department of Defense Education Activity

Designed to Fail: Why Racial Equity in School Funding Is So Hard to Achieve

In Designed to Fail: Why Racial Equity in School Funding Is So Hard to Achieve (University of Chicago Press), Roseann Liu attributes the problem with Pennsylvania’s school funding formula to structural racism. Because of it, urban school districts that serve Black and Brown students are perennially underfunded. An assistant professor in the College of Education Studies at Wesleyan University, Liu examines why Pennsylvania ranks 45th in the country for state share of funding for K–12 education. She contends that lawmakers have been standing behind a “hold harmless” status, guaranteeing that school districts receive at least as much funding as the previous year, regardless of changes in the number or needs of students. The result? Predominately white districts that see a decrease in student enrollment keep the same funding, while funding for majority-minority urban districts does not keep pace with increased enrollments. Thus, predominantly white districts receive more than their “fair” share of funding. Liu makes the case that it is no longer acceptable to give school districts equal funds. Instead, she says funding must be based on economic need.

—S. Kambar Khoshaba | Principal
South County High School, Lorton, VA

School Communities of Strength: Strategies for Educating Children Living in Deep Poverty

In School Communities of Strength: Strategies for Educating Children Living in Deep Poverty (Harvard Education Press), Peter W. Cookson, Jr. equips educators with specific strategies designed to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty. A senior research fellow at the Learning Policy Institute, Cookson explains how building communities of compassion, inclusion, and safety creates a conducive climate and culture of engagement, encouragement, and empowerment for teaching and learning. This book doesn’t limit its focus to increasing test scores. Instead, it shows how research-based strategies for connecting with students at a deeper level, (e.g., creating community schools) can help students who come from families living in deep poverty reach their full potential. Such strategies are sure to spark renewed hope among those who want to see all students celebrating visible and measurable success in school. “It is time to embrace a new hopeful narrative of the human journey, which educators can share, shape, and save, so each generation of students is inspired to live in a world where everyone is somebody,” Cookson writes. This book provides the keys to unlocking that world for the poorest among us.

—Mike Rumsey | Assistant Principal
Roxana Senior High School, Roxana IL

“Chalk and Gavel”

The “Chalk and Gavel” podcast, hosted by education professors Chris Thomas, a former school attorney, and Jamie Kudlats, a former principal, explores the intricate relationship between law and education, shedding light on how legal cases influence the educational landscape. By drawing on their professional experiences, the hosts dive into stories related to education law and bring to life the often-overlooked narratives that connect court rulings with classroom realities. Episode 5 “Cell Phone Searches and Angry Parents” is of particular interest to school leaders. In this episode, the hosts discuss Jackson v. McCurry, a case about the fallout from a school principal’s search of a student’s cell phone. The case highlights the complex relationship between student privacy rights and school authority. Ultimately, it underscores the need for schools to establish clear policies that outline the limits of authority concerning student property and emphasizes the importance of developing comprehensive policies that respect the rights of students while ensuring their safety. “Chalk and Gavel” is a valuable resource that encourages listeners to think critically about how judicial decisions impact educational practices and policies, fostering a deeper appreciation for the role of law in shaping student experiences.

—Nicole J. LeClaire | Superintendent
Bertrand Community School, Bertrand, NE