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Until very recently, ethical issues were given little attention in administrator-preparation programs. This digest in Spanish outlines the ethical responsibilities of school leaders and the dilemmas that they face. It offers the following suggestions for resolving ethical dilemmas: (1) Leaders should have and be willing to act on a definite sense of ethical standards; (2) leaders should examine dilemmas from different perspectives; (3) leaders can reframe ethical issues; and (4) leaders should have the habit of conscious reflection. Educators can create ethical institutions by developing an ethics committee or a shared school covenant. The virtues that leaders must practice include honesty, courage, and stewardship. The leader's responsibility is complex and multi-dimensional, rooted less in technical expertise than in simple human integrity. (Contains 10 references.) (LMI)

A decade ago, principals were asked to become instructional leaders who exercised firm control by setting goals, maintaining discipline, and evaluating results. Today, they are encouraged to act as facilitative leaders by building teams, creating networks, and "governing from the center." Rapid shifts in administrative philosophy can be frustrating for practitioners, especially if they are seeking the one best way to lead. These seemingly contradictory approaches, however, can be viewed as complementary strategies rather than as competing paradigms. This digest outlines the tenets of three broad leadership strategies--hierarchical, transformational, and facilitative. It offers the following guidelines for choosing leadership strategies: (1) leaders should use strategies flexibly; (2) leaders should balance short-term and long-term needs; (3) strategic choices must serve institutional values; and (4) the same action can serve more than one strategy. (LMI)