Outlines steps a board of education can take in formulating policy to help prevent white collar crime in its district. (IRT)

Boards of education can improve their own productivity by taking such steps as setting aside time to develop both immediate and long-term goals for the school system, establishing priorities among the goals set, beginning goals with action verbs, and indicating who is responsible for accomplishing the goals. (Author/IRT)

This is the 16th publication in an annual series intended to provide New Jersey board members and administrators who are representing their district in negotiations with the latest information on legal developments affecting negotiations, practical advice on bargaining strategy and tactics, and a handy source of reference for important case law.…

This guide to effective school board service is a "how-to" manual for school board members. The objective of the book is to condense the time board members need to become more effective school leaders, but it also contains information and advice intended to be helpful to experienced board members. Consisting of 17 chapters, the book is…

The context of school district governance is changing and becoming more complex. The individual roles of school board members and superintendents, and the relationship between school board members and superintendents are becoming increasingly important in light of the recent mandates for high student achievement. This brief looks at issues…

This handbook is part of an ongoing process to share models of Total Catholic Education boards, religious education boards, and Catholic school boards. The purpose of the book is two-fold: (1) to provide a rationale for having a group within the parish that sets the direction for the religious education of children, youth, and adults; and (2) to…

Although parents and citizens in each community should be encouraged to participate in the educational policy-making process, it has been shown that public access to school board meetings is thwarted in many subtle ways. To gain information that would help to balance the interests of privacy and public access in every school district, the State…

Boards and commissions, an important part of Catholic education since the late 1800s, experienced a significant revival in the decades following the Vatican Council II. Today, approximately 68 percent of the Catholic schools in the United States have some form of educational governance structure. Although the primary focus of this handbook, which…

To help new school board members gain a quick understanding of their job, this handbook's seven chapters and five appendices present useful guidelines and information. The first chapter discusses the general nature of school board membership, lists 12 characteristics of a good board member, and presents the Illinois Association of School Boards'…

Written particularly for organizations establishing or maintaining private Christian educational institutions but applicable in large part to educational organizations of any type, this document cites the reasons for writing a policy manual, lists advantages and disadvantages of establishing written policy, describes procedures for developing a…

The board's and superintendent's task in policy development should be clear: to recognize all members of the education community and to obtain their views before policies are set in concrete. (Author/JM)

Public schools and school boards are under attack from the religious right. Cites the strategies of some of these organizations, including quotes from Robert Simonds, the leader of Citizens for Excellence in Education. Advises school boards to have explicit policies on the selection of textbooks and academic freedom; to involve parents; and to…

Cites cases of ethical violations, such as patronage and nepotism in hiring practices, in some school districts. Advises school board members to review their personal and professional ethics and to consider measures that will help guide decisions when ethical dilemmas arise. Formal ethics training is recommended for all educators. (MLF)

Local governance of education is based on recognizing and protecting the rights of minorities while attempting to meet the needs of all. Legally, various courts across the country have upheld the rights of school officials to make choices regarding curriculum textbooks, library books, and general subject matter. Board policy should include the…

This book was designed to help school board members work together to create an effective school board. Guidelines are based on the premise that organizational effectiveness depends on individuals having the ability to recognize others' frames of reference and to utilize multiple frames. The four frames commonly used by leaders include the…