Why School Leaders Need Vision

The concept of “visionary” leadership is defined and applied in this book, as “supervision in schools” requires a level of “SUPER VISION” that can be best developed through quality leadership, mentoring -- and mutual ideas, and support -- for adding more value to the school. This book shows just how vision is important and useful in all schools and districts.

Time has thus come to find, build, and use high-quality visionary school leadership in its many dimensions; thus, this book takes at least ten different views (in the chapters) of the visionary roles and functions of education leadership in K-12 -- building on the roles, theories, and visionary actions of key players in the schools. No single perspective is enough, as all views must work in concert to the benefit of teachers and students, today. School leaders, moreover, need to have their own vision about the following: (a) what their work entails; (b) their school should be and look like; and (c) what their staff and students (and schools) can achieve.

Bruce S. Cooper, Ph.D., is Professor Emeritus, Education Leadership, Administration and Public Policy, Graduate School of Education, Fordham University, New York, New York. He also taught at University of Pennsylvania and Dartmouth College, after receiving his doctorate at the University of Chicago, with Donald A. Erickson, as his mentor.

Carlos R. McCray, EdD,is an associate professor at University of Louisville in the Educational Leadership and Administration Program. He teaches qualitative research to aspiring educational leaders. Professor McCray is the co-author of the books, School Leadership in a Diverse Society: Helping Schools Prepare All Students for Success and Cultural Collision and Collusion: Reflections on Hip-Hop Culture, Values, and Schools.

Stephen Coffin is a Ph.D. candidate in education at the Graduate School of Education, Rutgers University; teaches school finance as an adjunct professor for the Graduate School of Education, Montclair State University and as a part time lecturer for the Graduate School of Education, Rutgers University; teaches school and higher education finance and economics as an adjunct instructor for the Graduate School of Education, Fordham University; publishes articles, chapters and books; serves on three editorial review boards; is a former school business administrator; has earned an MBA in finance and MPA in public administration; and focuses on education finance and policy, charter schools, community economic development, school business administration, and equal educational opportunity and equity.