This study, which grew out of increasing concern over vocational educators' tendency to seldom look at the "gestalt" of State vocational education organizational structure, shows some potential ways of looking at the vocational education system which have here-to-for not been attempted. This study also provides, for those who have not addressed…

The optimum situation for a school system is one in which bureaucratic influences and practices support classroom learning. The study reported in this policy brief examines a transformation toward this state of affairs in the country's eighth largest school district, the 140,000-student San Diego City Schools. An unusual leadership arrangement…

In recent years it has become clear that one of the most valuable and direct services which the Bureau of Education can render to the several States is to respond to invitations to conduct educational surveys. Through the medium of these surveys, the State authorities are able to secure unprejudiced and sympathetic study of educational conditions,…

Study examined roles assumed by state departments of education in bloodborne pathogen exposure control to protect physical educators and athletic coaches from contracting HIV and hepatitis B. Surveys indicated that 75% of states required written exposure control plans, but many failed to require full compliance with mandated federal guidelines.…

Paper considers the strategy of using aligned policies to encourage more ambitious instruction for all students from the perspective of elementary classroom teachers charged with implementing such instruction. Nine elementary teachers' responses to their local school district's efforts to press more ambitious ideas about literacy instruction are…

The second of two articles reporting on a study conducted at the J.A. Turner Professional Library, a professional education library in Canada, presents questionnaire and interview data on library services and resources for three groups of library users: school board senior administration, school board program coordinators, and university faculty.…

Superintendents (n=89) and school board presidents (n=88) from 89 of the 100 largest school districts in the country are surveyed to identify the major problems confronting large districts. Financial issues and related concerns are the most often identified problems. Critical characteristics of superintendents and districts are discussed. (SLD)

Chief state finance officers of 24 states were surveyed to discover state legislatures' response to school-finance litigation affecting small and rural school districts. In 17 of 21 states with final constitutionality rulings, funding formulas for rural districts did not change as a result. (Contains 25 references.) (MLH)

This paper presents findings of a study that examined 60 school board members' perceptions of school desegregation and other policies aimed at enhancing the educational attainment of minority groups. Interviews were conducted with school board members in 12 American cities--Atlanta, Georgia; Austin, Texas; Baltimore, Maryland; Green Bay,…

A study was done of recent district-initiated reform movements by analyzing different belief systems regarding schools and reform and by applying the analysis to a study of a district widely known for its leading role in implementing reforms. Belief System I is consistent with traditional organizational theory and top-down management. Belief…

Part of a series of reports on undergraduate education in Illinois, this report focuses on transfer and articulation. The first section examines trends in transfer and after-transfer retention to baccalaureate degree completion of students who transferred from public community colleges to public universities. The second section traces the…

Developed under mandate by the Master Plan Commission, this report reviews the organization and governance of the California community colleges and offers recommendations regarding structures and processes. Part I provides an introduction to the need for the study of governance and organizational problems and offers a summary of findings drawn…

This paper, which highlights the findings of a recently completed doctoral dissertation, attempts to: (1) identify the desirable professional competencies of superintendents as perceived by South Dakota school board members and superintendents, themselves; and (2) determine which competencies, when performed unsatisfactorily, are the most common…

With the objectives of assisting state educators in designing school leadership programs, school administrators in Tennessee were surveyed to determine levels of training and perceived training needs. Questionnaires were administered in 1986 to school board members, principals, and superintendents. Part 1 of the questionnaire dealt with…

The relationship between Board of Education policy designed to promote cultural, ethnic, and racial understanding, and the instructional materials most widely available and used in the Chicago (Illinois) Public Schools was studied. Teachers, district administrators, and principals were surveyed to understand the process of selecting and evaluating…