Safe schools require the collaboration and support of students, staff, parents, and the community. Lists 10 important steps school leaders can take. Contains a safe school quiz developed by the National School Safety Center to help gauge the situation at individual schools. (MLF)

School boards can minimize financial losses by identifying potential risks. If a risk cannot be avoided, the next step is a loss-control program aimed at reducing the impact of any loss. (MLF)

Learning the ropes of school board service requires focus, patience, and good humor. A veteran board member offers suggestions for avoiding first-meeting disasters, building a strong relationship with the superintendent, and dealing with the news media. Includes tips from a superintendent about referring calls to appropriate school administrators.…

Interviews with 11 Colorado state legislators about their views on local control reveal they have no fear of pushing the constitutional envelope when it comes to legislating school policy. School board members must get involved in the legislative process, whether by lobbying legislators on behalf of important education issues or testifying as…

In "Wood," a dismissed employee sued the school district, the board, and three board members for violating Washington's Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA). The Court of Appeals ruled that e-mail exchanges between board members discussing board business are "meetings" governed by OPMA. Board members should review state law with…

Four years ago the General Accounting Office told Congress that public school buildings were in bad shape. However, school board members who responded to a survey (294 completed surveys, a 50.8% response rate), while acknowledging some unsatisfactory conditions, a majority (78%) say their school buildings are either better than adequate or…

In 1969 the Supreme Court, in "Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District," established the right of students to freedom of expression in school unless the exercise of that right would materially and substantially interfere with the requirements of appropriate discipline or collide with the rights of others in the school.…

This guide is intended to help public school leaders sort through the arguments that voucher proponents advance, examining who supports vouchers, what kinds of voucher proposals are surfacing, and what arguments proponents typically offer in their campaigns. The text gives public-school advocates the tools to recognize and refute the fallacies…

Issues in students' First Amendment rights are discussed in this paper, which is directed toward school board members. The "Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Schools" (1969) decision is discussed, in which the United States Supreme Court struck down the discipline imposed on students who wore black armbands during school hours to protest…

This bulletin explores the roles that various stakeholders have in systemic reform and offers some recommendations for action. Data were derived from a review of research on systemic education reform and interviews with four Oregon administrators. Chapter 1 provides a sampling of the diverse groups that are calling for reform and offers some of…

Schools can lead the fight against tobacco use and addiction. As of December 1990, 39 states and the District of Columbia have legislation restricting or prohibiting smoking in school buildings or grounds. Kansas and New Jersey are the only states that currently ban the use of tobacco products in all school buildings. Sixteen states statutorily…

"Lack of discipline" heads the list of major school problems in annual polls on public education. Studies show a major factor distinguishing effective schools is an "orderly climate." The school board must have a firm discipline policy that reflects its goals and relates discipline to the total learning process. In establishing policies the school…

With adequate preparation, effort, and commitment, the school system's collective bargaining process can become an opportunity for management and employee organizations to resolve significant concerns. This paper recommends nine steps for a pragmatic approach to negotiations. (1) Prepare: Preparation includes reviewing the current collective…

Information concerning methods and available materials for conserving energy is needed by small, rural schools to offset continued increasing energy costs and lack of financial support and technical assistance. The first step in developing an energy conservation policy is to obtain school board commitment and to establish an energy saving policy.…

The materials in this manual are designed to help workshop leaders prepare for and present a workshop for school board members on identifying and practicing policies that effectively foster improved instruction. In confirming school boards' commitment to school improvement, this workshop also points out the boards' roles in governance, the…