The issue of school safety is of paramount concern but what is lacking is clarity on the best course of action aimed at bolstering safety in public schools. We sought to answer the following research questions: What topics are addressed in school board policies related to arming employees? What outlying policy topics are addressed in school board…

Political scientists have largely overlooked the democratic challenges inherent in the governance of U.S. public education--despite profound implications for educational delivery and, ultimately, social mobility and economic growth. In this study, we consider whether the interests of adult voters who elect school boards in each community are…

This article presents a critical discourse analysis of "no promo homo" policies and their effects in US schools. "No promo homo"--short for "no promotion of homosexuality" (Eskridge, 2000, p. 1329)--polices have been adopted across nine states and several local school districts in the United States. They direct…

This exploratory article relies on qualitative data generated from observations and focus group interviews to investigate what motivates citizens to vote in school board elections and how they choose among candidates. Our review of literature suggests that capture theory, dissatisfaction theory, retrospective voting, partisanship, issue voting,…

Purpose: This article examines factors that affect school board policy making about student diversity within two southern urban-suburban school districts experiencing changing demographics: Jefferson County Public Schools and the Wake County Public School System. Both districts have a history of voluntary integration efforts, and research shows…

Using hypothetical candidates and a stratified random sample of school board members, this study investigated whether school board members were inclined to favor male archetypes in the superintendent selection process. Findings are reported. (Author/MT)

This book represents the author's third effort to bring school districts and their appropriate personnel up-to-date in volume form as to legislation, rules and regulations, statutes, (both state and federal), and the applicable interpretations based on court decisions. Selected areas of concern are discussed, and the Oklahoma Statute Citation…

Reports results of a survey of Oklahoma school board members' attitudes on a number of educational matters. Reveals positive attitudes towards vocational education, extracurricular activities, strong administrative authority, staff development, academic emphasis on basics, merit pay, administrative quality and current discipline; negative…

Against the background of research indicating that women are underrepresented in educational administration, this study examines the question of gender bias in the selection of superintendents. Choosing for their sample population 15 school districts from central Oklahoma, the researchers sent simulated resumes for 3 male and 3 female candidates…

This study examines the excessive turnover rate of school superintendents in rural school districts in Oklahoma from the school board perspective. Researchers identified 41 schools that had three or more superintendents in the last 5 years, and had 600 or less students. Telephone interviews of 25 school board presidents focused on personal and…

To determine perceptions of school board members, teachers, and principals in rural schools about the quality of their educational programs, the type of preparation they had received in preservice programs, and the inservice opportunities available to them, responses to questionnaires from 2,028 teachers, 119 principals, and 113 school board…