School boards should not tolerate having any members subjecting teachers--either individually or as a profession--to harsh criticism and extremely negative statements. Teacher bashing can cause employee relations to decline, and teachers' negative attitudes to permeate the schools. Ultimately, students are the losers. (MLF)

Responses from 33 state education departments to a survey sent to all 50 state education departments about Total Quality Management (TQM) revealed that 22 departments were not currently considering TQM, 11 were considering it, but only 8 submitted designs. Advises school boards of steps to take to bring TQM to their schools. (MLF)

Summarizes federal and state actions regarding national standards and describes two private groups: the College Board and its partner the Educational Testing Service; and the New Standards Project, a joint effort of the National Center on Education and the Economy and the Learning Research and Development Center. (MLF)

An anonymous school board member offers tongue-in-cheek advice to prospective school board members--starting out with the fact that, no matter how impressive board members' resumes are, their backgrounds will not fully prepare them to serve on school boards. (MLF)

School board presidents today operate in an era of consensual leadership and must play many roles. A former school board chairman developed a three-part conceptual framework. Thirteen practices are listed for board presidents. A sidebar summarizes findings from a study of 45 superintendents about the role of the school board chairman. (MLF)

School boards must take the responsibility for school change, beginning with an attack on illiteracy. Reasonable standards for success in teaching reading, writing, and math must be established. (MLF)

This manual provides guidelines on the roles and responsibilities of boards of education and administrators in creating effective schools for American Indian students. Mission statements from both the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Indian Education Programs and the Association of Community Tribal Schools reflect a shared goal of ensuring…

At a time when the ongoing effort to reform public education in the United States is strongly influenced by requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), policymakers and education leaders at all levels are focused on improving student achievement in math and reading. Emphasis on these two areas, however, is generating concern among…

This report proposes changes to the current higher education budget development process in Illinois in order to provide more information to institutions and to make the process more inclusive and open. It argues that budget development should be goal-based and accountable, responsive, incentive-based, recognize diversity of institutions, stable…

Guidance is provided in the area of facilities planning, design, and management. Facilities directly influence learning in physical as well as psychological ways. In facilities development, long-range plannning is critical. Strategic and tactical planning characterize an effective planning process. Facilities advisory committees should be involved…

Across the nation, about 16,000 school boards are responsible for selecting their chief school administrators, including the superintendent. To aid school boards with their selection process, this paper provides some helpful hints. First, boards need to establish goals, philosophy, and school district needs and determine all possible alternatives…

The purpose of this paper is to assist school district decision makers in formation of computer policy by: (1) developing a framework for analyzing the policy making process; (2) reviewing national and local policies on computer use; (3) analyzing current practice as de facto policy; and (4) evaluating the effects of written and/or de facto…

This report summarizes results of a survey of states, teacher centers, and professional organizations on the status of teacher inservice and staff development. The 43 states and the District of Columbia that responded to the survey have a state level plan for both inservice and professional development. Some, by law, require implementation of the…

An Arizona school board member offers 13 tips for avoiding excessive or divisive emotional involvement in school board issues. These tips generally emphasize the importance of civility, open-mindedness, factual support for arguments, tact, detachment, and humor. (TE)

Provides an update on emerging safety issues, new technological developments, and upcoming regulations that could affect school transportation programs. Two new sets of federal regulations to watch for will govern underground fuel storage tanks and hazardous materials, and restrict asbestos in vehicle brake linings. (MD)