Human Resource Leadership for Effective Schools – Fifth Edition

Citation

Bass, L. (2008), "Human Resource Leadership for Effective Schools – Fifth Edition", Journal of Educational Administration, Vol. 46 No. 1, pp. 119-120. https://doi.org/10.1108/09578230810849844

In his book, Human Resource Leadership for Effective Schools, John Seyfarth (2008) has kept up with the trends and current knowledge regarding human resource leadership. The cover selected for this text tells much of the story. Three educational leaders are apparently deep in thought as they discuss and consider possible solutions and their outcomes. Puzzle pieces in place and silhouettes of puzzle pieces still floating surround the educational leaders. This says that some pieces of the puzzle have been figured out, while other pieces still float about as administrators try to come up with the best conclusions.

About 16 years ago, Seyfarth wrote his first edition and focused on the impact of human resource decisions on student achievement. Though not popular then, student outcomes are now at the center of most decision‐making with regard to human resources management; perhaps because of enhanced levels of accountability that school leadership faces as a result of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). While older texts and some current authors do not take this into account, Seyfarth considers NCLB's negative and positive outcomes in his fifth edition. Furthermore, the new edition has a new title that reflects current terminology, as well as new cases that deal specifically with NCLB issues.

Fittingly, the layout of the book considers the needs of the graduate students in educational leadership programs who engage in reading the text, as well as those of the younger students who will be affected indirectly by current and future administrators. The book is easy for students of educational leadership to follow, while it keeps the needs of school children first in each topic addressed. Seyfarth provides a layout of each chapter that carefully guides the reader. He covers the topics covered by other human resources texts including: interviewing, collective bargaining, grievance adjudication, employee evaluation, and reduction‐in‐force. Reading this text, it is clear that Seyfarth is a leader on the topic of school resources management, and at the same time, on a crusade to improve the performance of educational leaders in this area.

This text is different from others in that Seyfarth goes beyond providing helpful information about the law. In his introduction to chapter one, Seyfarth states that “it is the goal of this book to help improve the practice of human resources leadership in schools”. In this text, it is clear that the author desires to be intimately connected to the educational leaders who use it in their practice. He wants school leaders who use his text to be better at hiring and managing employees in schools as a result of studying his text. Seyfarth takes on educating school leaders to be effective human resources managers a mission. To make this mission possible, he closely aligns his text with the Educational Leadership Constituent Council (ELCC) standards covered in the personnel course. Seyfarth continues to update his editions with the most current information possible in the field. Throughout the various topics treated in this text, Seyfarth makes abundantly clear the importance of careful decision‐making on behalf of school leadership. He stresses that every personnel decision ultimately affects student learning and achievement either directly or indirectly.

In addition to the clear layout and the focus on student achievement, other features that make this text stand out are the helpful definitions, tables, charts, models, and exhibits that Seyfarth strategically places in the chapters to add depth and understanding to topics covered in the chapters. Additionally, the author added a number of interesting new cases to this edition. Also new and fitting to the times are more electronic resources for the user of this text. For added support, Seyfarth includes helpful activities and questions that are sure to prove helpful to students of educational leadership and the instructors who teach the class.

The one possibility that might enhance this text is the use of pictures, color, and/or enhanced graphics. Though the text reads well, is well organized, and completely updated in its information, it does not stand out in terms of aesthetics. Yet, this reviewer would recommend the use of this text in for school human resource management courses because accurate, effective, and current content far outweighs aesthetics. Perhaps aesthetics will be ministered to in the sixth edition. While this is a book that any educator might enjoy, it seems best suited for school leaders and district office personnel. The strategies and ideas presented would be helpful to the new administrator looking to re‐invigorate a stagnant staff; the school/district leader who engages in personnel hiring and promotion; the teacher looking to move into an administrative position; or the veteran administrator engaged and/or interested in renewal. It best serves those who have stepped, or are in the process of stepping up to the plate to ensure effective leadership for human resources for the sake of quality education.