Public and Private School Administration: An Overview in Christian Perspective
Edition: 2
Copyright: 2019
Pages: 206
Edition: 3
Copyright: 2026
Pages: 236
Edition: 2
Copyright: 2026
Pages: 236
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Public and Private School Administration: An Overview in Christian Perspective provides a resource compatible with the mission of universities that seek to prepare educators for service in public, private, and Christian schools. It speaks to the practical-mindedness of administrators while also grounding best practices in theory, research, and biblical principles. For readers who view school administration not only as service to students, parents, and faculty but also as service to God, this book will serve to affirm their calling. It provides an overview of both public and private school administration in Christian perspective that also addresses leadership standards commonly accepted by accrediting agencies.
The goal of Public and Private School Administration is to develop basic knowledge, skills and dispositions related to the following:
- Professional standards that drive principal preparation programs and the evaluation of acting
- administrators
- Historical background of school administration
- Theoretical frameworks that have impacted the field
- Biblical principles applied to educational leadership
- Best practices derived from research and practical experience
- Distinctions of school administration in different types of school settings—public, private, and
- Christian
Introduction
VISION: THE DRIVING FORCE
Chapter 1 Creating and Communicating a Shared Vision
Chapter 2 Continuous School Improvement
INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP
Chapter 3 Creating an Environment Conducive to Learning
Chapter 4 Leading Curriculum Development
Chapter 5 Developing the Faculty
ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT
Chapter 6 Resource Acquisition and Stewardship
Chapter 7 Organizational Management and Distributed Leadership
Chapter 8 Proactive Measures for School Safety
ADVOCACY, NEGOTIATION, AND PARTNERSHIPS
Chapter 9 Partnering with the Community
Chapter 10 Political and Legal Context
Chapter 11 Ethics in School Administration
Chapter 12 Online Learning
About the Authors
Russell L. Claxton is an Online Chair in Liberty University’s School of Education. He has been a coach, teacher of business education, and a principal at both middle and high school levels in the Atlanta, Georgia, area. Presently, he teaches educational leadership and applied research methodology courses. His presentations and publications address such topics as school law, transition programs, school safety, and professionalism in education. He holds degrees from the University of Georgia, the University of West Georgia, and Liberty University
Samuel James Smith serves as Professor of Education at Liberty University and is Director of School Administration Programs. He began his career as an English and history teacher and later became a school principal. His specialization is in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus on historical and philosophical foundations of education. He has worked as a teacher and administrator in Houston, Texas, and Daytona Beach, Florida. He began teaching in higher education at Mid-America Christian University in Oklahoma City while completing his doctorate at Oklahoma State University. He studied history at Houston Baptist University and Liberty University. His research pursuits involve the topics of learning theory, character education, educational leadership, and second-career teachers.
Connie L. Pearson is a professor in Liberty University’s School of Education. In addition to her experience teaching and administrating elementary through secondary schools in both public and private sectors, she has been a college dean, university vice president, and accreditation commission officer. As an author and international conference speaker, she has addressed topics of teaching pedagogy, gender research, classroom management, differentiated instruction, and educational philosophy. She holds degrees from the University of Tennessee, Illinois State University, and Tennessee Temple University.
Andrea P. Beam is the Director of Liberty University’s Secondary Education Licensure Programs. She has taught in public school special education and has been an administrator in elementary and secondary schools in Virginia Beach. Presently, she teaches courses in special education, school law, and educational leadership and has published on the topics of inclusion, leadership, Brain Gym, school improvement plans, business programs for special education students, and differentiation. She holds degrees from George Washington University, Norfolk State University, and Old Dominion University.
John C. Bartlett is Assistant Professor at Liberty University, where he teaches courses in school finance, resource management, and educational leadership. He also supervises internships in school administration. He has served as a public school principal in Knoxville, Tennessee, and has authored and presented on topics such as instructional improvement, school culture, brain-based research, instructional technology, school leadership principles, and philosophy of education. He holds degrees from Tennessee Temple University, Tennessee Technological University, and Liberty University
Dr. Bunnie L. Claxton is the founder and chief executive officer of Dissertation Research Specialist, a company that supports the implementation of doctoral programs in universities around the world. She currently serves as a consultant to universities regarding dissertation research to assist with program development, course development, and faculty training. She also provides support to doctoral candidates through her website www.dissertationspecialist.com. She is an adjunct instructor, subject matter expert, and dissertation chair for multiple universities. She is an international speaker, and she presented her research at Oxford University and Cambridge University in 2025. She was the keynote speaker for the World Conference on Teaching and Education in Berlin, Germany. Formerly, she served as the director of applied doctoral research at Liberty University. Dr. Claxton has been involved in the field of education since 1994, including public school, private school, home school, and higher education. Dr. Claxton served as the superintendent for Liberty University Online Academy, an online K–12 school with over 16,000 students, and she currently serves on the board of directors. She is the author of 20 textbooks and is best known for her Step-by-Step textbook series. A few titles include A Step-by-Step Guide to Conducting Applied Research, A Step-by-Step Guide to Conducting Qualitative Research, A Step-by-Step Guide to Conducting Quantitative Research, A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Literature Review for Doctoral Research, and A Step-by-Step Introduction to Research Methods: Qualitative, Quantitative, Mixed-Methods, and Applied.
James A. Swezey is a Qualitative Research Chair and a Professor of Educational Leadership at Liberty University. In addition to serving as a Christian school administrator, he has been a high school history and Bible teacher and a combat survival instructor for the U.S. Air Force. His publications include book chapters and articles on religion in public schools, worldview, school safety, teacher professionalism, professional development, and the history of the Association of Christian Schools International. He holds degrees from George Fox University, Columbia International University, Simpson University, and the Community College of the Air Force.
Public and Private School Administration: An Overview in Christian Perspective provides a resource compatible with the mission of universities that seek to prepare educators for service in public, private, and Christian schools. It speaks to the practical-mindedness of administrators while also grounding best practices in theory, research, and biblical principles. For readers who view school administration not only as service to students, parents, and faculty but also as service to God, this book will serve to affirm their calling. It provides an overview of both public and private school administration in Christian perspective that also addresses leadership standards commonly accepted by accrediting agencies.
The goal of Public and Private School Administration is to develop basic knowledge, skills and dispositions related to the following:
- Professional standards that drive principal preparation programs and the evaluation of acting
- administrators
- Historical background of school administration
- Theoretical frameworks that have impacted the field
- Biblical principles applied to educational leadership
- Best practices derived from research and practical experience
- Distinctions of school administration in different types of school settings—public, private, and
- Christian
Introduction
VISION: THE DRIVING FORCE
Chapter 1 Creating and Communicating a Shared Vision
Chapter 2 Continuous School Improvement
INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP
Chapter 3 Creating an Environment Conducive to Learning
Chapter 4 Leading Curriculum Development
Chapter 5 Developing the Faculty
ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT
Chapter 6 Resource Acquisition and Stewardship
Chapter 7 Organizational Management and Distributed Leadership
Chapter 8 Proactive Measures for School Safety
ADVOCACY, NEGOTIATION, AND PARTNERSHIPS
Chapter 9 Partnering with the Community
Chapter 10 Political and Legal Context
Chapter 11 Ethics in School Administration
Chapter 12 Online Learning
About the Authors
Russell L. Claxton is an Online Chair in Liberty University’s School of Education. He has been a coach, teacher of business education, and a principal at both middle and high school levels in the Atlanta, Georgia, area. Presently, he teaches educational leadership and applied research methodology courses. His presentations and publications address such topics as school law, transition programs, school safety, and professionalism in education. He holds degrees from the University of Georgia, the University of West Georgia, and Liberty University
Samuel James Smith serves as Professor of Education at Liberty University and is Director of School Administration Programs. He began his career as an English and history teacher and later became a school principal. His specialization is in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus on historical and philosophical foundations of education. He has worked as a teacher and administrator in Houston, Texas, and Daytona Beach, Florida. He began teaching in higher education at Mid-America Christian University in Oklahoma City while completing his doctorate at Oklahoma State University. He studied history at Houston Baptist University and Liberty University. His research pursuits involve the topics of learning theory, character education, educational leadership, and second-career teachers.
Connie L. Pearson is a professor in Liberty University’s School of Education. In addition to her experience teaching and administrating elementary through secondary schools in both public and private sectors, she has been a college dean, university vice president, and accreditation commission officer. As an author and international conference speaker, she has addressed topics of teaching pedagogy, gender research, classroom management, differentiated instruction, and educational philosophy. She holds degrees from the University of Tennessee, Illinois State University, and Tennessee Temple University.
Andrea P. Beam is the Director of Liberty University’s Secondary Education Licensure Programs. She has taught in public school special education and has been an administrator in elementary and secondary schools in Virginia Beach. Presently, she teaches courses in special education, school law, and educational leadership and has published on the topics of inclusion, leadership, Brain Gym, school improvement plans, business programs for special education students, and differentiation. She holds degrees from George Washington University, Norfolk State University, and Old Dominion University.
John C. Bartlett is Assistant Professor at Liberty University, where he teaches courses in school finance, resource management, and educational leadership. He also supervises internships in school administration. He has served as a public school principal in Knoxville, Tennessee, and has authored and presented on topics such as instructional improvement, school culture, brain-based research, instructional technology, school leadership principles, and philosophy of education. He holds degrees from Tennessee Temple University, Tennessee Technological University, and Liberty University
Dr. Bunnie L. Claxton is the founder and chief executive officer of Dissertation Research Specialist, a company that supports the implementation of doctoral programs in universities around the world. She currently serves as a consultant to universities regarding dissertation research to assist with program development, course development, and faculty training. She also provides support to doctoral candidates through her website www.dissertationspecialist.com. She is an adjunct instructor, subject matter expert, and dissertation chair for multiple universities. She is an international speaker, and she presented her research at Oxford University and Cambridge University in 2025. She was the keynote speaker for the World Conference on Teaching and Education in Berlin, Germany. Formerly, she served as the director of applied doctoral research at Liberty University. Dr. Claxton has been involved in the field of education since 1994, including public school, private school, home school, and higher education. Dr. Claxton served as the superintendent for Liberty University Online Academy, an online K–12 school with over 16,000 students, and she currently serves on the board of directors. She is the author of 20 textbooks and is best known for her Step-by-Step textbook series. A few titles include A Step-by-Step Guide to Conducting Applied Research, A Step-by-Step Guide to Conducting Qualitative Research, A Step-by-Step Guide to Conducting Quantitative Research, A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Literature Review for Doctoral Research, and A Step-by-Step Introduction to Research Methods: Qualitative, Quantitative, Mixed-Methods, and Applied.
James A. Swezey is a Qualitative Research Chair and a Professor of Educational Leadership at Liberty University. In addition to serving as a Christian school administrator, he has been a high school history and Bible teacher and a combat survival instructor for the U.S. Air Force. His publications include book chapters and articles on religion in public schools, worldview, school safety, teacher professionalism, professional development, and the history of the Association of Christian Schools International. He holds degrees from George Fox University, Columbia International University, Simpson University, and the Community College of the Air Force.