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Outlines radical changes in managerial style within the workplace with particular reference to schools. Provides a case study of the Los Angeles County office of Education and its relationships with its connected schools. Discusses the selection of a site‐based decision model and the advantages this brings. Concludes that change takes time and this model is to be expanded into other area of education.

Many Black women continue to negotiate their way within higher education institutions, which are influenced by social class, race, and gender biases. Several scholars contend that Black women’s objectification as the “other” and “outsider within” (Collins, 2000; Fitzgerald, 2014; Jean-Marie, 2014) is still apparent in today’s institutions yet many persist to ascend to top leadership positions (Bates, 2007; Epps, 2008; Evans, 2007; Hamilton, 2004; Jean-Marie, 2006, 2008). In particular, the inroads made by Black women administrators in both predominantly white colleges (PWIs) as well as historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) depict a rich and enduring history of providing leadership to effect social change in the African American community (i.e., uplift the race) and at large (Bates, 2007; Dede & Poats, 2008; Evans, 2007; Hine, 1994; Miller & Vaughn, 1997). There is a growing body of literature exploring Black women’s leadership in higher education, and most research have focused on their experiences in predominantly white institutions (Bower & Wolverton, 2009; Dixon, 2005; Harris, Wright, & Msengi, 2011; Jordan, 1994; Rusher, 1996; Turner, 2008). A review of the literature points to the paucity of research on their experiences and issues of race and gender continue to have an effect on the advancement of Black women in the academy. In this chapter, we examine factors that create hindrance to the transformation of the composition, structure, and power of leadership paradigm with a particular focus on Black women administrators and those at the presidency at HBCUs. From a review of the literature, our synthesis is based on major themes and subthemes that emerged and guide our analysis in this chapter. The chapter concludes with recommendations for identifying and developing Black women leaders to diversify the leadership pipeline at HBCUs and other institutions for the future.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the work of district leadership of a large Canadian school district in becoming a learning organization over four years using knowledge management practices.

A qualitative study conducted from 2000‐2004 using a naturalistic research paradigm with the underlying principles of grounded theory. Data were collected from a sample of six supervisory officers through individual and focus group interviews.

Using knowledge management practices, the senior leaders of a large school district organically developed a unified new amalgamated super‐district. They redefined their roles from managers to knowledge leaders in order to reshape the district into a learning organization that could positively respond to the continual changes being rained down on them.

This paper offers insights that are both theoretical and practical on how senior leaders transform their role from operational managers to knowledge leaders for school improvement. The conceptual framework proves valuable in understanding how change can work in practice.

Although the study is limited by the specific context from which data were drawn, it offers useful lessons and direction for large districts undergoing major reforms.

This paper highlights the role of senior leadership as knowledge leaders managing a district towards becoming a learning organization via organic processes that promote knowledge flow.