Decision-making in general and policy decisions in particular are the prime responsibility of school boards because policies are control mechanisms by which trustees assert local control. Policy decisions differ from others in their concern with values and purposes and the legitimization of the organization to society at large. Additionally, they…

A participant-observer case study of a school controversy, written by the superintendent involved, describes the shifting of students among several elementary schools in St. Boniface School Division, a French- and English-speaking district in Manitoba (Canada). The story begins with the closing of two schools in 1974 because of declining…

Power, or influence, in educational governance is increasingly becoming diffused. Everyone in education now feels relatively powerless. A political model of decision-making, emphasizing consultation with representatives of interest groups is now appropriate. In this model, the school board functions as "meta-mediator." This modifies the…