After defining morale and satisfaction and briefly examining writings on school superintendent job satisfaction and morale, the author describes the School Superintendent Morale Measure (SSMM), an objective measure of superintendent morale and satisfaction. From an initial 148 items and 14 factors included on the basis of presumed ability to…

This brief summarizes the findings of significant research studies dealing with school district governance and the political processes of local school districts. The bulk of the discussion focuses on the research of Harmon Zeigler and his colleagues, particularly on the study described in "Governing American Schools," by Zeigler, Jennings, and…

Highlighting the planning role of the junior college board of trustees, the author discusses board structure and membership, college president selection, lay advisory groups and faculty input, the setting of institutional goals, the board-president relationship, future issues the board will face, and needs for interinstitutional cooperation and…

To function effectively, a college board of trustees should act as a single body rather than as a group of individuals, should attempt to work on the basis of consensus, and should avoid the development of factional activity. Perhaps the most important method of ensuring that a board of trustees is operating effectively, both as individuals and as…

The effectiveness of boards of education depends on many factors. Significant among these are maintenance of the board's group identity, proper conduct of meetings, development of community respect through dignified and courteous behavior, establishment of good listening habits by board members, united follow-through on majority decisions, and…

Although there is general agreement on the roles and responsibilities of college presidents and boards of trustees, problems that can impede the effective development and implementation of college policy may arise if either party encroaches into areas for which it is not responsible or if personality conflicts emerge between the president and…

Recent research on the historical and political influences affecting the relationship between local school boards and superintendents is summarized and discussed in this paper. Following a brief summary of the historical development of the superintendency in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the author contrasts the opposing viewpoints of…

This bibliography lists 101 journal articles, unpublished master's and doctoral dissertations, bulletins, books, and monographs on school board personnel. The studies listed contain systematically collected data regarding the behavior, attributes, attitudes, or interactions of board members. A related document is EA 001 758. (JK)

This book presents a picture of the high-pressure area in which the school superintendent works. Its purpose is to forewarn veteran and neophyte administrators concerning a number of problems which they may not have met. Most of these challenges are new, even to experienced superintendents, since they are products of the rapidly changing national…

The basic function of any school board meeting is the transaction of the official business of the school district. Policies that direct the daily activities of the school are derived through this transaction process. If an understanding of the intricacies, actions, and interactions of each group that participates either directly or indirectly in a…

In response to a survey designed to determine the issues of concern existing between community college presidents and boards of trustees, 137 presidents identified and ranked the importance of ten major areas of need: (1) both parties need to understand where the line is drawn between their respective responsibilities; (2) trustees need to…

Considering the issue of whether or not school boards should have separate staffs, three models are presented: a "two-hat" concept of metropolitan governance; a separate staff operating on a needs basis; and, the "federal model" with legislative, judicial, and administrative branches. These models raise two political questions: In routine,…

Four articles designed to assist the individual community college trustee in meeting his or her institutional commitment and to encourage trustee communication are presented. "Women in Higher Education: A Trustee's Viewpoint," by Alberta Perry, describes the specific steps a college should consider to strengthen the effectiveness of its commitment…

This study examines some of the characteristics of decision-making on school boards, focusing on the behavior of southern school board members in comparison with their counterparts in other regions of the country. Data were collected in 1975 at the convention of the National School Boards Association (NSBA). Self-administered questionnaires were…

Upon completion of the presidential search, six major tasks remain. Three come before appointment: salary and benefits negotiation, development of evaluative procedures, and completion of a contractual agreement or letter of appointment. Three come after appointment: making the public announcement, producing a search summary report; and retention…