In light of issues surrounding control of local school boards in Ontario, Canada, this opinion survey of 197 board trustees was conducted to determine support for full-time trustee representation. Questionnaires--sent by stratified random sampling--solicited demographic, geographic, and personal information and sought trustees' opinions on whether…

The objectives and accomplishments of the State-Level Information Base project are reviewed, and documents available to state-agency and other staff are summarized. The overall purpose of the project is to assist state-level planners and postsecondary education staff with their information needs, and to effectively match agency responsibilities…

A guide to understanding the major environmental and procedural factors in planning state-level information systems is presented. Attention is directed to: assessment of the developmental environment (agency authority and role, institutional concerns), selection of a procedural approach to information-system planning, assessment of information…

This is one of a series of implementation documents prepared in conjunction with the revised minimum standards adopted in 1983 by the Ohio State Board of Education. The minimum standards allow school districts to provide educational options to meet specialized student needs or interests; accordingly, the purpose of this document is to describe…

This paper presents examples of judicial reasoning in conflicts involving governing board bias and the power to decide in higher education and in various public school settings. Two cases, "Simard v. Board of Education" and "Hortonville Joint School District No. 1 v. Hortonville Education Association," provide the general…

A summary is presented of findings from a survey that sought to record the opinions of teachers and administrators in the Alaskan schools on key educational issues. Results of previous nationwide surveys are synthesized on the topics of teacher education programs, teacher certification, inservice teacher education programs, and incentive programs.…

This document proposes a model for the administrative involvement necessary to the negotiation of effective labor contracts in the schools. A historical analysis of laws, statutes, and significant court cases provides insight into the present scope, complexity, and limitations of collective bargaining in the schools of Washington State. Trends in…

A school board member describes how the use of four elements helped the board win public support for a referendum that was strongly opposed by an organized, respected committee: (1) Use of the media; rather than inviting press coverage of arguments by holding large public meetings, the board held numerous small, informative meetings. In this…

A merit pay plan can be successful if it contains unified and agreed upon objectives, integration and expansion of present key tasks, and endorsement and involvement of the entire educational staff. The responsibility of developing appropriate goals rests with the board of education, while the responsibility of documenting voluntary participation…

The mission, philosophy, and goals of the Fountain Valley School District (California) and their implementation in the areas of curriculum and evaluation and assessment, are detailed in this report, which is the result of an organizational self-study in order to improve the quality of the district's instructional and managerial services. Specific…

Calls on school administrators to protect education from further damage from federal legislation by being in closer touch with federal policymaking. Describes a Congressional shift away from instructional issues toward issues affecting noninstructional operations and a corresponding shift in lobbying effectiveness from a Washington-based emphasis…

A questionnaire completed by 138 principals indicated that fund-raising by pupils was extensive and was endorsed by parents, principals, and community organizations. The Toronto Board of Education subsequently adopted guidelines to ensure pupil safety in fund-raising outside school and to enhance the benefits of fund-raising, e.g., sharing,…

Describes Ku Klux Klan recruiting and literature dissemination activities in schools and communities and two particularly difficult conflicts caused by Klan activities in Meriden (Connecticut) and East Baton Rouge (Louisiana). Explains the legal issues involved and possible board and administrator responses to such activities and conflicts.…

All educators, legislators, and citizens must engage in self-examination to resolve some of the value conflicts in our society that contribute to today's crisis in education. Suggestions are offered to school board members, administrators, teachers, public officials, and citizens for ways they can help improve the educational system. (Author/WD)

Comments by five industry leaders on the major trends, concerns, or forces that will affect education this year. Topics include planning schools to serve the community, transforming school business officials into visionaries and communicators, administrator accessibility, school boards as catalysts of change, and community-based transportation.…