The schools would benefit more from the perspective and idealism of students, if they become leaders in an educational community. The two crucial skills that enable students to develop the attitudes necessary for becoming leaders in a school community are, encouraging the development of listening and consensus building skills.

Although school-based management takes many forms, its essence is school level autonomy plus participatory decision-making. This article discusses implications for budget, staffing, curriculum, and beyond. The key is substituting participation for authority. A sidebar presents research highlights. Includes 26 references. (MLH)