Principal Leadership in Improving Rural High Schools in Maine

American public school leaders face enormous challenges in increasing student achievement in the midst of increased scrutiny and decreased resources. The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2002 and subsequent reauthorizations of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) have engaged high schools throughout the United States in a national reform movement that emphasizes a federally driven accountability model. As a result, schools in the United States have, for the last decade, faced significant reform initiatives that require school leaders to increase the capacity and commitment of their teachers. The expectations and demands of principals have shifted from simply being building managers to becoming educational leaders who can communicate a compelling vision, build staff capacity, redesign schools and above all, increase student growth and achievement