As school boards and superintendents have been forced to seek new efficiencies and ways to do better with less, many school leaders have found themselves particularly perplexed by the unique challenges of special education. But districts can do better to equip school leaders to better meet student needs while helping policymakers provide targeted support for cost-effective practices.

As school boards and superintendents have been forced to seek new efficiencies and ways to do better with less, many school leaders have found themselves particularly perplexed by the unique challenges of special education. But districts can do better to equip teachers and administrators to better meet student needs while helping policymakers provide much-needed targeted support for cost-effective practices.

As school districts across the country struggle financially, Frederick M. Hess of AEI and Eric Osberg of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute offer new insight into how school leaders can not only survive the current economic storm, but also restructure their schools to save money and improve efficiency.

Breakthrough leadership is possible in schools. This Outlook offers five strategies to help reform-minded educators step boldly out of self-defeating mind-sets into the turbulence of change.

In this era of constrained resources, how can schools cut costs, eliminate inefficient spending, and fuel school improvement?