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In this paper, the authors recap the history and evolution of ISSPP research in the USA with research teams that grew from one location in 2002 to seven teams at present. The authors also examine the unique context of public education in America by describing its governance, key policies and funding as well as increasing student diversity due to changing internal student demographics and global population migrations. In particular, the authors describe how decentralization in American public education that has led to long-standing systemic inequities in school resource allocations and subsequently to marked gaps in performance outcomes for children from poor communities, especially for those of color. These existing inequities were the reason the USA research team was the only national ISSPP team from the original network of eight countries that choose to study exclusively leadership in challenging, high needs schools that performed beyond expectations.

The authors describe the common multi-case case study methodology (Merriam, 1988) and interview protocols employed in order to gather multiple perspectives on school success in high-needs communities and the principal's contribution to that success. Leithwood and Riehl's (2005) framework of core leadership practices for successful school leadership was used to analyze our data across all cases.

The authors present key findings from cases across the USA and synthesize common trends across these findings.

The authors conclude the paper with a discussion of their overarching impressions from almost two decades of study, the importance of national and local context in examining school leadership and, lastly, suggestions for future research.

This article contributes to findings from the longest and largest international network on successful leadership.

The aim of this paper is to utilize successful leadership practices drawn from seven nations to improve leadership preparation.

This study used a case study approach to gain a contextualized understanding of successful leadership across seven nations. Data sources primarily featured interviews with principals, teachers, staff members, parents, and students. Cases were analyzed within and then across nations with regards to organizational learning (OL), instructional leadership (IL), and culturally responsive practices (CRP).

The cross‐national analysis of successful leaders indicated emerging policy trends, demographic changes, similarities and differences among leaders, and recommendations for leadership preparation.

This paper draws from successful practices in OL, IL and CRP in seven nations to make recommendations for improving leadership preparation.

Populations in the United States and Australia are also becoming increasingly culturally diverse. In the United States, for example, it is projected that between 1990 and 2050, the percentage of the US population of Hispanic origin will be almost triple, growing from 9% to 25% (making them the largest minority group by far) and the percentage Asian population will be more than double, growing from 3% to 8%. During the same period, the percentage of Black population will remain relatively stable increasing only slightly from 12% to 14%; while the percentage of White population will decline sharply from 76% to 53%. Australia has a long history of skill- and humanitarian-based migration policy. This has resulted in a culturally diverse society, especially in parts of the capital cities of the states and territories. This emphasis looks likely to continue in the future, and will continue to change the Australian society as the humanitarian needs change across the world.

This study aims to examine seven challenging schools in the US and the practices their principals employed in leading these schools to a measure of success in terms of student performance.

Uses a case study methodology, a two‐stage framework is used to analyze the data. First, uses Leithwood and Riehl's three core leadership practices to determine whether these leaders were demonstrating the necessary practices for success, then develops and describes three principles that enabled these leaders to translate their core practices into school success: accountability, caring and learning.

The principals formed a diverse group, varying in gender, race, experience and education. But they shared some common characteristics, most notably, all seven demonstrated facility with the core leadership practices of direction setting, developing people and redesigning the organization. They were leaders who managed to set and maintain a sense of purpose and direction for their schools and generally exerted a positive influence on people's willingness to follow their lead, even in the face of challenging conditions.

Provides recommendations for the preparation and practice of school leaders.

The purpose of this paper is to revisit a successful school to see how the principal had sustained success over time.

The paper uses a case study research design similar to the 2005 report.

The old findings revealed a principal who had used direction setting, developing people and redesigning the organization, as well as the enabling principles of accountability, caring and learning to turn around a failing, high poverty urban school. The new findings revealed that, while the same core practices and enabling principles were still in place, a significant change in governance structure had been required to sustain the school's success. Specifically, the school converted from a traditional public school to a charter school in order to protect investments made in teacher professional development. The resulting initiatives, introduced to stem teacher turnover, led to the emergence of greater teacher leadership and professional self‐renewal processes that sustained the school's success.

The paper adds to the literature on sustaining school success and the utility of governance change.

The purpose of this paper is to examine four case studies from the International Successful School Principalship Project to explore and highlight how the role of the principal is critically important to sustaining school success. Implications for improving the preparation of aspiring and practicing school leaders are discussed.

Data were collected using multiple sources, including documents and interviews with a variety of people including the principal, other school leaders, teachers, school council/board members, parents and students. Each case study was analyzed to understand how the principal and other leadership contributed to school success.

There were several core dimensions of the principals’ leadership that led to sustained school success. Principals clearly articulated views on education and helped their schools set appropriate directions. They were all concerned with the professional development of teachers to build capacity and teacher leadership. All principals were instructional leaders who influenced teaching and learning and were committed to making a difference. They exhibited other qualities such as resilience and their motivation to sustain their efforts over time. Another important dimension was building community. These principals reached out to their communities. They clearly understood that they could not succeed in isolation.

The notion of sustainability in education remains ambiguous and this paper provides some empirical evidence of how successful school principals maintain school success over an extended period. Importantly, it considers how aspirant and practicing principals can be developed and supported in their efforts to lead and sustain successful schools.

The purpose of this paper is to examine how Robbins ES has sustained high academic performance over almost 20 years despite several changes in principals.

The paper analyzed longitudinal data based on: state-level academic and demographic data; two earlier studies of the school; and recent interviews with teachers, the principal, and parent leaders.

The analyses of these longitudinal data revealed four ongoing factors were responsible for sustained academic performance: high expectations, distributed leadership, collective responsibility for student performance, and data-based decision making. However, challenges that persistently confront Robbins staff include limited resources (e.g. technology and library materials), high mobility rate, and some cases of unsupportive parents.

This study adds to understanding how high-need urban schools can sustain high academic performance in spite of changes in principals, shifting community demographics, and high student mobility.

The purpose of this paper is to report on a study to produce wheatless bread from acha/fonio (Digitaria exilis) flour with sprouted soybean flour (SSF) using Irish potato starch (IPS) as gluten replacer and determine the sensory qualities of the product.

Acha bread (AB) was baked from acha flour with varying quantities of yeast and IPS added as determined by the 3² factorial design arrangement. Nine different formulations of acha were produced. The loaves were assessed for loaf volume (LV), specific loaf volume (SLV), loaf firmness (LF), proximate composition and consumer acceptability to determine the effect of IPS, yeast and SSF.

The different levels of yeast and IPS gave significant (p < 0.05) changes in firmness of the loaves. A negative effect was observed for yeast and positive effect for IPS. Beyond 4 per cent yeast the effect of yeast on LV was not significant. Hence, the optimal level of yeast was between 2 to 4 per cent. The effect of IPS significantly (p < 0.05) increased the LV. The product with 2 per cent yeast +20 per cent IPS +5 per cent SSF was judged the best recipe for consumer acceptable acha bread. Addition of SSF made the bread softer and significantly increased the crude protein and fibre content of the loaf. The acha bread had apparent yield stress of 286.6 to 546.8 kN/m² and specific loaf volume of 2.05 to 2.16 cm³/g.

A deliberate attempt was made to remove sugar from this product and as such is believed to serve as a good alternative to wheat bread for diabetic individuals and those allergic to gluten. Further research will investigate the functionality of IPS and SSF in AB making and nutritional qualities of the product.

The study demonstrates that IPS was effective in retaining gas evolved during baking and that SSF significantly increased the nutritional quality of acha bread.

The results of this research contribute to development of specialty cereal based foods for diabetic individuals in Africa and Dominican Republic where acha (fonio) is grown.