Chapter 2: Understanding Stakeholder Groups

Just as surely as actors play to their audiences, school administrators play to the expectations of community audiences. These groups (audiences) are school administrators’ publics. Administrators new to their communities are well advised to identify the publics that will affect and be affected by their performances.

Alice Pennington, a newly appointed elementary school principal in a community with a population of 3,000, is well aware her new challenge represents a crucial test of her ability to succeed as an educational leader. She understands the stresses of childhood and the concomitant concerns of parents.

The school board and superintendent have high expectations for exemplary performance from the new principal. The faculty is wondering what kind of principal Alice will be in this her first administrative assignment. Certainly the community in general is hoping the rookie principal will meet expectations. Alice is enthusiastic and wants to succeed. She is abundantly aware that successful school leadership requires a basic acquaintance with individuals and groups in the school setting and in the larger community. She is interested in the characteristics of her students. Are they rich, poor, black, white, Oriental, Hispanic, Catholic, Protestant, or Jewish? Do they come from dual or single-parent homes? Are they Latch Key kids? What kinds of work do their parents pursue? What are their family sizes and do they reside in rental or owned homes? These kinds of data equip school leaders to provide meaningful leadership in curriculum development, instructional programming, assessment, test score interpretation, student services, parent involvement, and school improvement in general.