Overview

School board members and superintendents face the reality of providing all students access to a quality education and carefully requesting and allocating public funds to finance excellent educational opportunities. One of the key resources available to boards and superintendents are external experts (consultants). This book uses a case study of one district’s experiences with external experts over a 14-year span. The district’s experiences with the six external experts are described in detail covering’ a wide range of topics, including governance and decision making, cultural diversity, finance, and school safety. Special emphasis is placed on lessons learned from each external expert and about the ways school leaders can facilitate the effectiveness of external experts. Relevant aspects of effective district leadership are discussed in depth, including the importance of understanding values and context, assessing need, using available internal resources, and superintendent professional development. Suggestions for board members, current superintendents, and aspiring superintendents are included, which focus on ways district leaders can improve their own performance and improve collaborative work between board members and administrators

Full Product Details

9781610486385

Table of Contents

Reviews

As a District Administrator at a small public school in Northern Wisconsin, I found that Making External Experts Work Solutions for District Leaders to be a valuable resource that I will use for ongoing professional growth for not only myself, but also for my District. This book gives much needed advice for how to look for the best external experts to bring into your District. Districts are constantly facing budget constraints, and always looking for expert resources who will help take your school to the next level. This book will be a guide to ensure that your school district is the school district of choice for both parents and students, but also for teachers looking to team with a progressive school district that is on the cutting edge of educational trends. -- Ellis, Dr. James N. I read Making External Experts Work with great anticipation. I believe the insights and ideas of highly successful practitioners should be shared with others. After reading Making External Experts Work, I was not disappointed as I found the book to be well done and more importantly, beneficial to my work. The authors provide superintendents and other district leaders, including boards of education, with insight about why a school district should invest in a relationship with an external expert. The external experts discussed in the book speak specifically to critical areas in which school districts must address in order to achieve a high level of learning for all through a commitment of continuous improvement. I have had the good fortune of being part of organizations that benefited from the knowledge and experiences shared by external experts. Not only did it have an impact on my learning, but it positively impacted the school district and community. This book provides a practical approach for helping school districts consider the advantages of partnering with external experts. You will not be disappointed. -- Carlson, Dale There is an inherent problem in the title of Superintendent. That problem is the root word Super. Superintendents -- and other central office staff -- are looked to for always having the answers because they are Super. Tom Evert and Amy Van Deuren have taken a fresh look at the use of external experts. Their practical advice -- linked to relevant examples -- will make this book a dog-eared staple for every school administrator committed to improving his/her professional practice. -- Heilmann, Ron Even though Thomas Evert and Amy Van Deuren wrote this book for school district leaders, it is a valuable resource for anyone in a leadership role, because the lessons learned can be easily transferred to other professional fields. Their broad definition of external experts as compared to the narrow conceptualization of consultants brings the book to life, providing excellent usable suggestions and insights for leaders. The case study format inspires interest and brings the book into real life situations. Chapter six is especially helpful as the authors reflect on lessons learned about leadership, providing valuable suggestions and ideas for all of us. Well done! -- Weber, Michael R.

Author Information

Dr. Evert is a former public school superintendent of 14 years and has served as a high school principal and director of student services.  His doctorate is in Ed. Psych. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  Dr. Evert is currently an instructor at Edgewood College in Madison, WI.  He teaches courses in law, media, curriculum, and instruction in addition to serving as a doctoral dissertation advisor.      Amy Van Deuren is an educator and author, and has a law degree from the S.J. Quinney School of Law, University of Utah.  She is currently an adjunct faculty member and internship supervisor at National Louis University, teaching courses in school law, school-community relations, finance, policy, and research.  In addition, Ms. Van Deuren is an instructor at Edgewood College teaching school law.    

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