This book focuses on the question of how citizen participation affects the making of the school budget, the crucial controlling instrument of modern bureaucratic organizations. The four communities studied differed in size, social and economic characteristics, and form of government. Chapter 1 introduces the topic and begins the discussion of the…

This condensed report first discusses the problems facing educators in Newfoundland and Labrador and proposes a reorganization of the provincial education system. It then outlines the role of the new divisions and the branches of divisions recommended in the plan for the reorganization of the Department of Education. The report concludes with a…

Provides a state-by-state summary of the progress made in implementing national standards for arts curricula and assessment. Forty-four states either have adopted standards or are vigorously working on their implementation. This is an enormous improvement over last year's participation of only six states. (MJP)

Argues that school boards must focus on improving academic achievement within the context of budget cuts, the No Child Left Behind Act, and the U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision that educational vouchers are constitutional. Recommends affirmative school-board action such as developing school-community partnerships. (PKP)

A survey of 1,066 teachers, administrators and school board members suggests these "stakeholders" prefer the teacher education programs already in place; feel teachers should be selected from the top 75 percent of college graduates, paid more, supervised (at school district expense) their first year, and teach only their major field.…

The governance of Canadian schools is undergoing change. Provincial ministries of education are pursuing contradictory policy initiatives: local school boards are being consolidated to become more "efficient," and individual schools are developing school councils to become more "democratic." This paper applies Jurgen Habermas's…

Purpose: This study investigated the conceptions of governance that informed the practices of school trustees, and considered the extent to which those conceptions matched the policy imperatives that shaped New Zealand's school governance framework. Design/methodology/approach: Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 32 participants in the…

The Chicago (Illinois) School Reform Act was signed into law in 1988 and the Reform School Board of Trustees was appointed in July 1995. There have been several reports of teachers' opinions about the Reform Act, but the opinions of teachers about the Reform School Board have not been studied. Almost half of teachers have reported at least some…

The 1992 Washington State Legislature gave the State Board of Education (SBE), in conjunction with the Governor's Council on Education Reform and Funding (GCERF), responsibility for completing a review of certification policies to develop an outcome-based certification system for teachers. To accomplish this task, the SBE/GCERF Professional…

Changing the conditions under which teachers are prepared is a necessary condition for changing schools. This policy guide emphasizes the role of the state in providing an environment for change. The guide particularly discusses the state's use of incentives and sanctions to raise the visibility and urgency of teacher education reform to the…

Elders and young members of the Dogrib Indian Tribe of Canada met in November 1990 to redefine the mission of their schools. In April 1989 the Dogrib Divisional Board of Education was established, giving local control of the schools back to the Dogrib people. Previously the schools were run by the government and staffed by teachers from the south,…

This booklet summarizes a longer report on implementing the Mississippi Education Reform Act of 1982, a comprehensive strategy for the improvement of public education in the State. The document explains significant laws and programs established to address problems in four areas: (1) student achievement; (2) preparation and professional growth of…

AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION HAS BEEN INEFFICIENT AND UNEQUAL AND HAS EFFECTIVELY BLOCKED ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL MOBILITY FOR NEGROES. CHANGE AND IMPROVEMENT HAVE BEEN IMPEDED BY DOGMAS ABOUT THE INVIOLABILITY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL, BY ADMINISTRATIVE BARRIERS, AND BY DEEP-SEATED PSYCHOLOGICAL PREJUDICES. COMPENSATORY EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN…

Although this booklet focuses on methods of accumulating and analyzing management and the financial and statistical data helpful to members of school boards, equal emphasis is placed on meeting the needs of the pupil--making him more self confident, developing his skills, instilling knowledge, and inspiring creativity. It considers changes in the…

When local school board members in New York City assumed office on 31 local school boards in 1969, this should have resulted in more responsive local boards with sufficient power to control local policy; but this was not the actual result. Specific examination of the decentralization bill, the politics of the election, and the election procedures…