Textbooks have come under a barrage of criticism ranging from overall textbook quality to changing costs. Litigation in the federal courts has challenged textbook content. New York State school boards need to examine the issues in the textbook problem. This paper explains New York State's textbook selection process, which is based on local…

Selecting a superintendent is a complex and varied process. This is a comprehensive how-to guide intended to represent an overview of questions, problems, and actions a school board will have to consider and plan for in the search for a new superintendent. Early decisions include setting a schedule for the selection procedure, choosing a search…

School board members with concerns for success benefit the entire school district. An ambiguity between administration and policy-making necessitates a clarification of the role of the school board. The board should care about the quality of education and the district, recognize the increasing complexity of education, and represent the goals of…

Recommendations concerning college role and mission that were made by the National Governors' Association (NGA) in 1986 are addressed, along with the concept of system effectiveness in higher education. In its report, "Time for Results," the National Governors' Association Task Force on College Quality asked states to clearly define the role and…

To help leaders or "facilitators" of a series of simulation exercises on controversial issues for school board members, this guide describes how the simulations work and provides some of the materials required for the simulation exercise on censorship and book banning. After defining simulation or gaming exercises, the author notes the…

Board members in school districts can stabilize or enhance their positions of power by acquiring types of information that can move policy and related matters along at a more efficient pace. To do this they must consider maintaining staffs that work solely for the boards, not for the superintendent. (Author/WM)

This document presents a checklist of activities to be performed by local New Jersey boards of education in the six-step process of complying with recent directives from the state board of education. These directives were issued in response to legislation clarifying the intent of the state constitution's requirement for provision of "thorough…

Attitudes of four groups of professional educators are compared respecting the role of the superintendent in collective negotiations. The AFT sees him as head of the opposition's negotiating team. The NEA sees him as a member of the professional staff and as a neutral catalyst providing resource information while teacher representatives negotiate…

The Seattle, Washington school board members attended a retreat during the summer. At the retreat, which included the superintendent and a consultant-facilitator, the board examined the superintendent's self-evaluation and worked on long-range goals, short-term priorities, and professional effectiveness. (IRT)

Describes one school board member's experiences, including being sued by a group (to which her son belonged) desiring to hold a peace fair on school property. Recounts massive reading assignments, disciplinary and due process hearings, countless meetings, and other official and unofficial responsibilities. Advocates smooth proceedings and…

The demographics and educational needs of individual states are far too varied to identify any single preferred structure of educational governance. What matters is quality of leadership. Ideally state board of education members should possess integrity combined with decision-making and teamwork skills. The board should engage important…

State leaders have been raising their state's academic standards and creating high-stakes tests that involve incentives and penalties for students and schools in their efforts to raise student achievement. The ability of local school boards to lead student-achievement policy in their communities depends upon how well they can use their state's…

Because school boards across the country consist of a majority of males, they enact policies which discriminate against female teachers and female students. (HMD)