Findings from "Getting There from Here," a yearlong study of effective school leadership in 10 districts in 5 states, identify some of the problems that get in the way of effective school leadership. Offers nine practices that boards and superintendents can use to work together to achieve district goals. (MLF)

Experiences of a Michigan school district provide a case study for examining the political, economic, and community-relations issues embedded in a decision to privatize. Support can be achieved only if all parties feel they were given adequate attention during deliberations on the issue. (MLF)

In Massachusetts; Washington D.C.; New York City; Chicago; Baltimore; Cleveland; and a host of other big cities, challenges to both elected and appointed local school boards have become commonplace in the last year. Discusses the situation in Chicago. (MLF)

School districts are being offered sponsored curriculum materials from various corporations that contain samples of the companies' products. Marketing contracts with beverage companies are another way advertising is entering schools. School board members' choices are complicated by the pressure to do more with less. A sidebar recounts the decision…

How constituents and teachers perceive school board members often influences boards' accomplishments and efficiency. Guidelines for keeping board members' public image bright concern visibility, accessibility, and credibility. Some strategies for communication include a personal newsletter, e-mail, and making friends with the press. (MLF)

School governance is not easy. Advice on keeping boards harmonious includes: don't keep secrets; trust your colleagues; watch out for mavericks; and set some rules-and follow them. A sidebar lists strategies for success. (MLF)

This publication is the master plan for higher education in Illinois and covers statewide goals, institutional missions, instruction, research, public service, equal opportunity and affirmative action, student financial aid, and state funding. Section I lists goals for the Illinois Higher Education and Coordination and Planning Board and describes…

This essay presents an overview of the past 25 years of collective bargaining in American public education. Drawing distinctions between compensation and noncompensation issues, the essay addresses the issue of striking a balance between the interests of organized teachers and the educational interests of their communities, and it incorporates…

In recent years, the Illinois State Board of Education engaged in a series of special studies on all aspects of the State's public schools. The major part of this report describes eight fundamental problems in Illinois elementary and secondary education, as identified by the Board through its studies, and the actions which have been proposed in…

The resolution of free speech issues in the public school context has, until recently, involved a precarious balancing between the First Amendment rights of students and teachers and the role of public schools in inculcating students with fundamental values. This year, in "Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier," the Supreme Court struck…

A special publication compiled for the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB) consists of the School Code, plus numerous other statutes selected by IASB for their relevance to public school governance and administration, as enacted as of January 1, 1994. In addition to the School Code, laws from other sections of the statutes are added to…

This paper examines formal goal statements for education systems from 43 states to determine the overall context of such statements, governance of education goals, and goals related directly to students and learning. Context is explored by determining who is responsible for developing goal statements, the reasons for articulating education goals,…

To meet the challenge of effective instructional support, districts should develop and implement policies governing remedial education that are tailored to the needs of students and the resources of their local communities. An overview of state and federal remedial education programs is provided. Varying combinations of factors within and outside…

This report presents a portrait of the staff who work in State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO) member agencies and the organizational structure and personnel policies of the agencies which employ them. Data sources included questionnaires submitted by 322 professional staff working in SHEEO agencies and an organizational survey…

Raymond Callahan's superintendent vulnerability thesis suggests that school superintendent behavior is subject to the political winds of local school boards, in turn dominated by the economic values of American businessmen. This thesis inspired a body of research termed "dissatisfaction theory," which describes the sequence of events…