Effective school boards pursue five key decision points or states of policy development: (1) identify issues; (2) set priorities; (3) analyze and study; (4) take action; and (5) follow through. Boards should think of these stages as both dynamic and interactive. (MLF)

Thirty school administrators attended board meetings throughout eastern Pennsylvania and found an astounding variety in the quality of the meetings. Common-sense recommendations include paying attention to the stage, following a script, keeping the cast in mind, and handling the press properly. (MLF)

Examines how control and administrative responsibility is divided, in practice, between the headteacher and the governors, and whether such responsibilities are agreed upon or disputed. Discusses a study of 21 British schools that examines this issue. When there is agreement about roles, a stable situation exists. Where there is no agreement,…

Presents findings from a survey of 106 former California community college presidents regarding their preparation for postpresidential life, feelings toward their former college and its trustees, lifestyle differences, professional status, and activities. Offers recommendations for retired, current, and aspiring presidents. (DMM)

School boards should require districts take the following actions: (1) make programs for at-risk students an ongoing priority; (2) assign the same quality of staff for at-risk programs as for other programs; (3) hold staff members, students, and administrators strictly accountable; and (4) insist that all district departments give equal services…

The Clarksville/Montgomery County (Tennessee) Board of Education has created a school-board contract that defines how the members will work together. (MLF)

A college governing board chairman discusses the procedures and surprises in the search for a new president, including preparing for the search, establishing a committee, hiring a consultant, selecting finalists, candidate visits to campus, making the final selection, and informing all candidates of the outcome. (MSE)

Although most principals and superintendents must be awarded annual or multiyear employment contracts by their school districts, such contracts offer little protection from reassignment to a lesser position or even from dismissal. Inadequate remedies for breach of employment contracts subject school administrators to working solely at their…

In November 1992, Vista (California) residents elected two conservative Christians to four-year terms on the school board. Controversial topics at board meetings divided the community. In a November 1994 recall election two conservatives were replaced by two moderates. An interview with the board president and superintendent describes how school…

Learning the ropes of school board service requires focus, patience, and good humor. A veteran board member offers suggestions for avoiding first-meeting disasters, building a strong relationship with the superintendent, and dealing with the news media. Includes tips from a superintendent about referring calls to appropriate school administrators.…

Conversing about board-administrator foibles, a board member and the superintendent of the Portland (Oregon) School District reach agreement concerning essentials for working well together. They acknowledge the need for smaller, informal meetings; absolute and trust and communication; long-term commitment; and ideological understandings. (MLH)

This article examines external support for school leaders, and focuses on the relationship between head teachers and other professionals who play the role of their 'critical friends'. Most existing research in this area concentrates upon the activity of the critical friend without reference to the role partner, thereby losing the dynamic in the…

Malick makes recommendations for local boards based on a recent VCCS survey which sought to determine how the State Governing Board could assist and support the members of the local boards in their role as advisors to their presidents and institutions.

This study sought to identify important antecedents of principals' self-efficacy (PSE) beliefs among 558 principals in Virginia. Analysis of variance demonstrated that the school context variables of school level, school setting, and the proportion of low-income students had no significant relationship to PSE. Multiple regression revealed that, by…

Selecting a superintendent is one of the most critical decisions that a school board can make. Choosing an appropriate superintendent is fundamental for achieving the board's mission of the school corporation. This paper argues that boards need to address the question, Do we want a leader or an implementor? The paper describes various leadership…