Many educational decisions are made on issues over which conflict occurs because of value differences among the groups involved. The decision-making model proposed here is a political or conflict model. It defines an organization as stable patterns of interactions between coalitions of groups having a collective identity and pursuing interests and…

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…