Leadership and family factors: critical perspectives on international leadership standards, models, and practices

Abstract

This article focuses on the intersection of leadership and family factors. First, a critical lens informs definitions and models of family engagement. Then, a historical perspective delineates the evolution of parental involvement in a Western context. This groundwork leads to a broader discussion of the work of school leaders with families, including an examination of how standards for school leadership both signal the importance of families and communities and are borrowed in international contexts. Finally, the community school model illustrates a comprehensive place-based reform strategy which centers parental involvement and community engagement at the heart of equity-minded school leadership.