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…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the priority level of the roles and responsibilities of the superintendent/principal in Illinois as perceived by board of education presidents, teachers' union presidents, and practicing superintendent/principals in the 102 Illinois school districts utilizing the superintendent/principal model.…

This qualitative inquiry investigated the perceptions of the roles of school board presidents and superintendents with regard to governance and administration in select Chicago, Illinois, Suburban School Districts. The selection criteria were school board presidents and school superintendents who hold these positions in several Chicago, Illinois,…

Charter school boards enter into a critical bargain: autonomy for accountability. Compared with their traditional district counterparts, they operate with relative freedom in curriculum, hiring, budgeting, and other operational decisions. In exchange, they are held accountable for student performance in ways that traditional district schools are…

In response to public pressure, urban districts in the USA have initiated reforms that aim at redrawing the boundaries between the school system and other major local institutions. More specifically, this article focuses on two emerging reform strategies. We will examine an emerging model of governance that enables big-city mayors to establish…

Mayoral control of public schools is nothing new. Boston pioneered the practice in 1992, replacing elected school committee members with mayoral appointees. Since then, a dozen urban districts--including Cleveland, Chicago, New York City, and Washington, D.C.--have undergone a similar change in school governance that has shifted some or most of…

Replacing boards of education conceived during the Progressive Era with mayoral control has been a popular reform strategy in urban districts such as Boston, Chicago, and New York City. A thorough review of the extant research, however, shows little evidence regarding its impact on governance, management, school organization, or teaching and…

An examination of the activities of two state boards having jurisdiction over community colleges in Illinois determined that twice as much time and effort was devoted to control as compared to coordination; thus, a board with greater control powers may be necessary to handle competition among institutions within an education system. (JG)

Surveys of Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin school board members indicate significant impact of state collective bargaining legislation on perceived ability of board members to perform legislatively prescribed duties. (Author/JBM)

A panel presentation and discussion of the effect of politics on the elected governing boards of the public higher education institutions in Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Nebraska, and Nevada, especially in relation to board election procedures and the state system's complexity, is summarized. (MSE)

Recent increases in the percentage of women on United States school boards is already changing the decision-making process. A DuPage County, Illinois, survey reveals that, for example, while male board members tend to emphasize administrative efficiency, women tend to get more involved in educational policy formation. (JBM)

This directory lists the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of members of higher education organizations in the state of Illinois. Included for the Illinois Board of Higher Education is an organization chart, list of board and staff members, and a list of members of the Illinois Century Network. Board members and administrative officers are…

Plenty of state policies have been noteworthy in 2004, but one that had major impact went into effect in Illinois, where the governance of education was significantly restructured. S.B. 3000 (the Education Reform and Accountability Act of 2004) gives the governor greater influence over education through his or her control of the state board of…

The process of program review as undertaken by the higher education institutions in Illinois is described. The role of the Illinois Board of Education, the individual institutions, and the governing boards are discussed as well as program characteristics compatible with the three-tiered structure of higher education administration in the state.…

The Illinois Systems of Public Higher Education are described and analyzed. The final result of a decade of rapid expansion in Illinois was a state system of higher education that consists of four governance systems for senior universities and a community college system, involving 12 universities and five coordinating staffs. It is the…