Investigates school board receptivity, defined as an attitude set that favors greater communication and participation by the public, using data derived from interviews with 492 board members from 82 school boards distributed across the continental United States. (JM)

Describes a participatory research project among the Sikuani Indians of Colombia that uncovered solutions to a failing government-imposed health program. Discusses promoting community involvement in and control of its own health care, integrating traditional and modern medical practices, and adapting national health dictums to local circumstances.…

Community, in the policy context, is defined on the basis of fixed in place socio-political unit having residential proximity to the resource or according to state recognized political units. With the boundaries drawn at the village level and the custodial rights of the common lands vested with various departments of the state, it is difficult on…

This book focuses on the question of how citizen participation affects the making of the school budget, the crucial controlling instrument of modern bureaucratic organizations. The four communities studied differed in size, social and economic characteristics, and form of government. Chapter 1 introduces the topic and begins the discussion of the…

This paper examines whether suburban communities can provide any useful conceptual tools for the examination of the prospects for community control in cities. Several propositions are advanced: First it is argued that the relevance of suburban community control to the poor in the cities is not diminished by the finding that those of high social…

This document reports on an evaluative study of New York City's community education centers. Initiated in 1968, the Community Education Centers (CEC) Program is designed to coordinate and concentrate educational services for disadvantaged persons with low educational achievement and restricted social mobility. By involving citizens in…

Describes a structured-experiences workshop in which members of the Upper Nicola Band (Okanagan) defined Indian control of Indian education for their own community, and formulated their educational philosophy, goals, and action plans. Provides background on Canadian federal educational policies and the history of education for the Upper Nicola.…

This discussion is organized into four sections. In an introductory section, it is pointed out that the word "decentralization" appears to have many meanings. There is a need to clarify definitions, and to examine decentralization in a practical, working context. In Part 1, "Background and Issues", some of the major issues…

A survey is presented of the existing Taholah School, which is one of the few Indian schools administrated by an Indian board of directors. Numerous specific recommendations and proposals for the future are made. Areas discussed are the conflict and confluence of the Indian culture in the educational system, current curricular and classroom…

Many parents and community members throughout the nation, dissatisfied with the education their children are receiving, are demanding a voice in the educational process. This demand is expressed in the movements for community involvement in the schools, community schools, and community control of schools. Twelve documents investigate the concept,…

When local school board members in New York City assumed office on 31 local school boards in 1969, this should have resulted in more responsive local boards with sufficient power to control local policy; but this was not the actual result. Specific examination of the decentralization bill, the politics of the election, and the election procedures…

This chapter provides insights into the solution of financial and governance problems that face big city education. The report identifies recent developments affecting big city education such as metropolitanism, regionalism, full State financing, revenue sharing, and reform of property taxation. The authors discuss (1) recent court cases affecting…

Discusses changes in education of Indian children in Alberta and Canada resulting from mobilization of Indian parents against integration of Indian children into public school systems. Changes include Indian control of local schools and parent involvement in school policies. Points out benefits of parent participation to schools, parents, and…

As the traditional water carriers and water managers, third world women are crucial to the success of rural water supply projects whose short term goal is increased water quality and quantity and whose long term goal is improved family health. Change depends on the utilization of local learning systems of the society and women are most often the…

The relationship between research and educational policy in the areas of school system decentralization and community control is analyzed in this dissertation. The literature on decentraliztion and community control is reviewed. It is contended that existing empirical research on these subjects has not systematically tested the assumptions…