Shared decision-making (SDM) is becoming a part of many American schools. Shared decision making is based on a premise that relies on four main assumptions: (1) those closest to the children will make the best decisions concerning the children's education; (2) teachers, parents, and school staff should have influence in policies; (3) those who implement the decisions should have a voice in the decisions; and (4) if those implementing the decision feel a sense of ownership of the decisions, they are more likely to implement the decision effectively. The idea behind SDM is not to replace the principal as a school leader, but rather incorporate the principal into a decision-making team. The purpose of SDM is to improve school effectiveness, improve student learning, increase staff commitment, and ensure schools are responsive to student's needs. There are some disadvantages to SDM; for example, SDM creates new demands on teachers and administrators. Successful implementation of SDM is dependent on many variables, five of which are: (1) start small, go slow; (2) agree on specifics at the outset; (3) be clear about procedures, roles, and expectations; (4) give everyone a chance to get involved; and (5) build trust and support. (Contains 10 references.) (KDP)