Governing board members can work collaboratively with the college president to walk the fine line between conserving tradition and resources and making needed innovations in curriculum or campus living. However, they must learn to offer their own individual and group judgment without being intrusive. (MSE)

This technical guide is a training tool to help members of Head Start governing bodies, policy groups, agency directors, and Head Start and Early Head Start directors understand their responsibilities in a Head Start environment that emphasizes shared decision-making. The guide offers a framework for clarifying expectations and provides concrete,…

A discussion of some methods of communication that help broaden the decision-making process and implementation efforts necessary to successful educational leadership. (Author)

One of the most persistent problems of school facility planners is the need for continuous communication between educators, architects, engineers, and construction contractors. Guidelines for effective communication are offered. (Author/MLF)

A list of trustee responsibilities, as adapted from a private college's trustee handbook, includes suggestions for active involvement in decision making, self-education about the institution and issues, and participation in meetings. (MSE)

Discusses problems encountered by new superintendents in small schools and provides insights on how to deal with them. (AH)

This booklet is a guide to the planning process for members of governing boards of institutions of higher education. Generally, it sees the role of the board in planning as ensuring that planning takes place and insisting that plans are used regularly for decision making. The publication discusses the following five specific tasks related to this…

This booklet, intended for trustees of institutions of higher education, offers some instruction on the principles of risk management. Introductory information provides a definition of risk management, which is seen as a planning and strategic function, not solely as a financial or safety assessment. Individual sections then address the following…

To ensure fairness and lack of bias in teacher dismissal cases, school boards should be cautious amd keep board members out of investigations, let the superintendent present dismissal cases, and base their decisions on evidence. (MD)

Building an effective board requires attention to trustees' roles and responsibilities, selection of new trustees, board organization, and criteria for measuring trustees' performance. Full participation is essential for effective decision-making, and six committees can be helpful: executive, nominating, finance, development, academic affairs, and…

An Indiana school board achieves success in site-based management by fair consideration of decisions made by school planning teams. Advises boards contemplating school-based management to (1) be a team player; (2) develop trust; (3) not bend to interest groups; (4) have patience; (5) set criteria for proposals; and (6) grant waivers to district…

"Lighting New Fires: American Catholic Schools for the 21st Century" is a National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) program that has called on every Catholic school to undertake educational planning. This manual was written to take a school community through the details of the entire planning process. Following the foreword, the first…

School board members can be most effective if they are fully aware of their responsibilities, their political situations, and practical methods for maximizing the impact of their actions. This handbook reviews these elements of success in eight chapters. The first chapter advises the board member on how to determine his or her role in relation to…

It takes solid information to make a sound decision. A joint trustee-administration committee at Montgomery College (Maryland) has worked out a process to convert a flood of data into an orderly, effective decision support system. Instructive presentation of data is a key element. (Author/MSE)

A principal is often judged on his ability to resolve problems at the school level without appealing to superintendents and board members. Techniques for accomplishing this task include (1) clear and specific position descriptions for employees, (2) printed handbooks for employees and students, (3) fairness and consistency, (4) positive and…