Outlines 11 essential qualities needed in a good school board president. (MD)

Civil libertarians and members of more conservative special interest groups have equally legitimate concerns for the educational needs of students attending public schools. The goals and desires of concerned citizens from both sides can be met if neither makes unreasonable demands upon each other. (MD)

Describes a project which, with the help of parents, students, faculty, and the school board, raised $55,000 to renovate the poor stage facilities of a high school auditorium. (RM)

Following examples of strike management in Tacoma and West Valley, Washington, advice is offered to school boards for minimizing damage during teachers' strikes. Topics discussed are substitute teachers, teacher contact, public relations, telephone strategies, consultants, picket lines, and maintaining patience and communication with school and…

The New Jersey State Board of Education definition of classroom instructional aides, regulations on their activities, and reported misuse shown in a survey are discussed. The New Jersey Education Association recommends that instructional aides provide support for certified personnel and not perform teaching duties. (CM)

The Nampa (Idaho) school board has strong written policies on administrative accountability; teacher recruitment, supervision, and evaluation; the district instructional model; and inservice training for administrators and teachers. (Author/MLF)

Discusses seven general guidelines for deciding whether to adopt a new program: get the facts, hire a consultant, investigate the philosophy and theory, analyze costs, decide if the program has staying power, visit a similar program, and involve teachers. (Author/JM)

To oversee superintendent performance, school boards can take three key steps: (1) assign accountability for managing the board-superintendent relationship to a standing committee; (2) the committee and the superintendent can agree each year on the specific leadership challenges; and (3) annually conduct an indepth assessment of the…

School systems need to have a uniform reporting system of security incident data. Analysis of the data can help the district decide whether to (1) do nothing; (2) employ local police; (3) contract with a guard service; (4) hire security professionals; or (5) combine above options. (MLF)

School board members can increase their knowledge of the budget process by the following actions: (1) meet with the school business official; (2) assemble school statistics; (3) evaluate each potential cut in its own right; (4) investigate new funding sources; (5) establish a budget adoption calendar; and (6) expect periodic reports from…

The public expects school boards to review school budgets with diligence and a determination to put the needs of students above all else. Provides a 10-step primer for better budgets, a checklist for evaluating the budget-making process, and 20 questions often raised by the public. (MLF)

Schools should study the scope and pervasiveness of the diversity in their community and look for collaborative possibilities with other public agencies and organizations. Suggests ideas to help students reach out to cultures, religions, races, and generations other than their own. (MLF)

To win voter support for school taxes, school boards should (1) study the economic and political climate; (2) use the media; (3) explain the budget; (4) recruit supporters; (5) remind people of school services and benefits; and (6) get out the vote. (MLF)

Clothing is a primary form of gang-member identification. School boards that seek to revise dress-code policy on gang attire need to make certain they can justify their steps so that students' right to freedom of expression and the need for a safe school environment can coexist. Reviews five court cases and offers guidelines. (MLF)

This book provides school board members with hands-on guidelines for collaborative bargaining with teacher unions. The book combines the practical with the conceptual and policy dimensions of teacher bargaining. Part 1 provides a view of immediate problems in their context--broad policy issues that affect across-the-table bargaining. Eight…