Discusses pros and cons of various methods of compensating an attorney or law firm for legal services: Hourly fee; retainer and hourly fee; long-term or annual contract; retainer, fees, and benefits; capped fees; and expenses and reimbursements. Includes brief questionnaire to determine legal services needed and wanted by a school district. (PKP)

Proposes several key questions that school district business officials should answer to prepare for an annual financial audit involving auditor information and resource needs, district and auditor monitoring and reporting on the audit progress, and reporting the results of the audit to the board of education. (PKP)

As public officials become increasingly pressured to do more with less, the search for efficiency will expand. Efficiency studies are being undertaken to gauge organizational effectiveness in administration; personnel productivity; privatization options; materials management; mangagement information and control; and vehicle, equipment, and…

Describes school board policy issues related to the content, credit, and cost of online learning. (PKP)

Tells efforts by Pearland Independent School District (Texas) school board and superintendent to adopt a standardized dress code, an effort that led to student and community opposition and controversy. Describes lessons learned. (PKP)

Discusses issues surrounding superintendents' efforts to establish effective working relationships with their school boards. Includes topics such as role confusion, dealing with conflict, and responding to micromanaging board members. Other topics include elected versus appointed boards, good board members, and new board members. (Contains 14…

Most frequently made collective-bargaining errors include mistaking rhetoric for reality, negotiating every teacher demand, settling too soon, failing to resolve board conflict, allowing unions to define the comparison base, accepting ambiguous solutions, circumventing the bargaining team, not seeking counsel, waving "red flags," and trusting the…

Argues for the elimination of the control that some municipal fiscal boards have over education. (IRT)

Identifies the advantages of employing a professional negotiator to represent boards of education in negotiations with teachers. (MLF)

Outlines lobbying techniques for use by school business officials in successful acquisition of needed computer equipment and software packages by school districts. (MD)

Describes the energy management program developed by the Carleton Board of Education in Ottawa, Ontario, and presents suggested energy conservation guidelines for school administrators. (JG)

Advocates public involvement in the whole collective negotiations process, and the formation of a citizens advisory committee on collective negotiation to advise the school board on the issues being proposed or discussed at the bargaining table. (Author/MLF)

Reviews six Supreme Court decisions on sexual harassment since 1992, three of which were education cases. Suggests content of school board policy to comply with Court's sexual-harassment decisions and thus limit liability under Title IX for offenses involving students and Title VII for acts involving school personnel. (PKP)

School boards' concerns about user injury and property loss can be reconciled with an open school policy by adopting clear, unambiguous, understandable, and enforceable rules concerning use of school facilities. Lists rules and elements of certificate of insurance to be considered. (MLF)

Numerous business issues arise when organizing a school recycling program. Important questions include the appropriate program organization, deciding what materials to recycle, the selection of appropriate business partners, and various financial issues. Offers suggestions for achieving a successful recycling program. (MLF)