Linking School Level Innovations with an Urban School District's Central Office

Abstract

This descriptive study of school principal-central office relations is framed within the context of school restructuring. It specifically looks at leadership perceptions of school level innovations and reports the level of awareness and support by job functions and location given to such innovations by an urban school system central office. The findings indicate that awareness and involvement were limited to just two specific departments: area superintendents and educational programs. The former has direct supervisory responsibilities over principals; the latter seeks to bring innovative ideas to the school district. Both departments are located as satellite offices of the central office Other central office administrators did not demonstrate the levels of value reorientation needed for school system restructuring.