The objectives of the study underlying these excerpts were to assist the Kansas City School District (ICSD) in the formulation of policy on the consolidation and closing of schools, the development of objective criteria to aid decision-making on these issues, and the specification of procedures for the implementing of such policy and policy…

This paper provides a brief judicial history of education in the District of Columbia. Court cases discussed include: school desegregation, curriculum, busing, teacher assignments, resource allocation, special education, and student rights. (Author/AM)

Provides 10 principles to use in the development of board policies that can stand the test in the courtroom. Includes a "sample policy compliance checklist." (MD)

An Illinois high school principal presents a strong argument for retaining board-administrator autonomy in matters of school management policy. (Author)

Written policies and administrative procedures in the school business office are necessary so transition and change will go smoothly. Provides a sample from the policy department of the Illinois Association of School Boards. (MLF)

This historical case study of the Scottsdale School District (Arizona) examined the degree to which school governance was democratic, based on the dissatisfaction theory of democracy. Turning point election indicators were traced for 1896 to 1986, highlighting the 1956-86 period. Suggestions are given for using the dissatisfaction theory more…

Constituents, seen as only average information sources, are the primary influence on both state and federal legislators. If principals worked with superintendents (as community leaders) and school board members (as highly regarded local officials), educator teams could significantly shape state and national educational policy. (MLH)

As state legislatures have become increasingly involved in establishing educational policy, state boards' authority has diminished. Presently, there are no clear demarcations between rule making and implementation. Most state boards handle administrative and regulatory tasks rather than policymaking. Cumbersome and expensive to operate, state…

Local school board, epitome of representative U.S. governance, is undergoing profound changes as to vision, focus, service approach, and structure. Local school boards can spark development of educational programs to prepare youngsters for increasingly competitive, technological, and dangerous world. To achieve needed reforms requires federal and…

Finding helpful education research often seems an onerous task. However, the federal government and many research organizations are taking steps to give policymakers and practitioners access to useful, readable research. Sidebars list addresses for the research sources cited. (MLF)

This manual provides guidelines on the roles and responsibilities of boards of education and administrators in creating effective schools for American Indian students. Mission statements from both the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Indian Education Programs and the Association of Community Tribal Schools reflect a shared goal of ensuring…

This combination report/guide summarizes practical "how-to" information on the development and operation of national training boards that was gathered in a series of case studies of the effectiveness of national training boards in Canada, Singapore, Sweden, and the United Kingdom and in studies of training boards in Australia, Brazil,…

Statewide planning for higher education and the approaches that states take to budgeting and accountability are reviewed in this monograph. Statewide planning involves identifying problems and collecting relevant data, analyzing interrelationships among variables, and choosing the most desirable alternatives to reach objectives. State-level higher…