Two Schools of Thought on Leadership Mesh in Virginia

On the typical university campus, the notion of a business school collaborating in fundamental ways with a school of education is somewhat akin to an unnatural act. Leaders in K-12 education often bristle at the idea of incorporating best business practices into their field. Nevertheless, the authors' experience at University of Virginia is proving that good ideas, when contextualized for environment, can transcend all artificial barriers. This is evidenced not only by the flow of business practice to education but also by the application of education practices to business. Recognizing that the nature and quality of leadership in schools is a primary driver of school success, the Darden Graduate School of Business Administration and the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia established a formal collaboration, the Partnership for Leaders in Education, to bring the latest thinking from educational leadership and general management to focus on the leadership and management backbone of school systems. This collaboration is described in this article.