Background: Using meta-analytic review techniques, this study synthesized the results of 79 unpublished studies about the nature of transformational school leadership (TSL) and its impact on the school organization, teachers, and students. This corpus of research associates TSL with 11 specific leadership practices. These practices, as a whole,…

The author's dissertation, summarized in this presentation, was primarily concerned with the question, "Are public schools like Max Weber's conceptualization of bureaucracy?" From a survey of the literature discussing the nature of organizations, a taxonomy of organizational facets was used, first, to identify and classify the features…

Five models of organizational decision-making are described, and a case study of the rational model as seen in the budget process at Stanford University during the 1970s is presented. Several issues are addressed to help administrators who are interested in increasing the organization's rational decision-making. The five models are as follows: the…

The finding reported previously in this journal (EJ 265 763), that elementary schools conform more to the image of the rational bureaucracy while secondary schools fit that of the anarchy or loosely coupled system, is reinforced and extended using a large sample, more reliable measures, and more elaborate techniques. (Author)

To implement School Based Management (SBM) in Charleston County, South Carolina, the school district was reorganized to include a management team to make shared decisions on all phases of district activities. Local schools were required to develop short and long range plans that encouraged needs assessment, goal identification, strategy…

To establish a context for envisioning the school counselor of 2021, it is first necessary to envision the public school of the future. In this chapter, a trend in which schools move away from large institutional educational structures, with an emphasis on redesigning them into small learning centers within the larger establishment is predicted.…

This book presents ways in which school administrators can identify and redirect school funds to improve student performance. It quantifies the degree of overall financial inequality in the country using figures for all districts and shows how education dollars are currently spent, why these dollars are ineffectual, and how different and more…

A conceptual model for an individualized training program for school administrators integrates processes, characteristics, and tasks through theory training and application. Based on an application of contingency theory, it provides a system matching up administrative candidates' needs in three areas (administrative process, administrative…

Oaklea (Oregon) Middle School provides an innovative program of instruction to district students in grades 5-8. To facilitate this individualized approach, the school is divided into four smaller schools in which teachers and students spend four years together as students proceed through the instructional program. An important feature of this…

In an application of contingency theory, data from 45 Arizona schools were analyzed to determine the relationships between three sets of independent variables (organizational structure, leadership style, and environmental characteristics) and the dependent variable (organizational effectiveness as perceived by principals and teachers). Contingency…

This article analyzes the purposes for which collaborative special education programs are established and outlines alternative structures for operationalizing the concept of collaboration in schools. These structures include the teacher assistance team, the child study/resource team, peer collaboration, behavioral consultation, collaborative…

This book provides a series of conceptual guidelines and models, predicated on Catholic tradition and law, for all those responsible for educational governance in Catholic elementary and secondary schools and in the various forms of parish religious education programs. Chapter 1, "Education and Governance," discusses Catholic educational…

Invitational education is a general framework for thinking and acting about what is believed to be worthwhile in schools. It centers on five basic principles: (1) people are able, valuable, and responsible, and should be treated accordingly; (2) educating should be a collaborative, cooperative activity; (3) the process is the product in the…

This report describes a study which identified concerns and questions of general and special educators about inclusion and effective strategies for operating a successful inclusion model. Seven pairs of special and general educators in elementary and middle schools comprised the primary study group. Study group pairs interviewed their faculties…