When federal regulations governing human subjects research were modified, the State University of New York at Albany chose the consensual approach to revise its institutional policy. The process is described and its advantages and disadvantages are identified. (Author/MLW)

Surveyed 100 high school students to examine the relationship between perceived form of parental power and students' acceptance or rejection of the control. Results indicated students raised in a democratic environment reacted positively to parenting power except in areas of peer choice. (JAC)

Quality of Work Life (QWL) is involvement. It brings employees, unions, and management closer together for their mutual benefit. QWL implies a philosophical change in some basic and long-standing rules of behavior for unions as well as management. (SSH)

The main purpose of this article is to introduce a critical curriculum design approach for bringing curriculum change for Blended Learning in higher education. Furthermore, the strategies, principles and challenges of this approach are also presented. This paper provides a perspective on such serious concerns as whether curriculum change should…

This report describes the best practices identified by eight projects in upstate New York funded to work towards increasing the number of individuals with developmental disabilities who serve in leadership roles on policy boards and planning committees of community agencies and organizations. Programs were based on the model developed by…

One of the most visible and widespread of the current educational reforms is the attempt to decentralize authority to schools and to involve teachers and others in shared decision making. Often occurring together as site-based shared decision making (SBDM), this reform is turning out to be more difficult to implement than once thought. Few noted…

This practical guidebook is designed for managers and leaders who have responsibility for the creation and success of teams. First, a team is described as a workgroup whose members are dependent upon one another for the completion of a given task, and whose members possess different but complementary skill sets. A team manages its own work within…

In 1990, the Leon County Public Schools (FL) implemented a voluntary school-based, decision-making (SBDM) council. This paper presents findings of an evaluation of the SBDM system in the school district conducted after 5 years of activity. Data were obtained from interviews with 61 principals and 34 site-council chairs and from a survey of 206 out…

This document discusses Los Angeles City College's (LACC) (California) Shared Governance Model. In response to California Assembly Bill 1725, LACC set forth a plan to implement the statutory requirements of shared governance. Shared governance is a concept grounded in the idea that decision-making is a process that affects the entire campus…

Despite its growing prominence as a political reform strategy, it is still unclear whether deliberation, with its emphasis on an inclusive process where citizens and politicians listen to each other and are open to persuasion, is a feasible strategy for engaging citizens in public education. This paper explores the feasibility of practical…

The concept of the principal as the sole instructional leader of a school is quickly changing. Substantial evidence from schools with successful instructional programs indicate this responsibility has been spread among many staff members. Teachers who have been trained in the functions of leadership, instruction, and student learning are becoming…

This fastback document examines the strategic-planning process. Intended for school administrators, the booklet offers practical advice on strategic planning, and the importance of such planning in those districts that experience high turnover. When conceptualizing a strategic plan, administrators should begin with an end in mind and then develop…

The school counselor as a team member has a leading role to play in inservice education of the teaching faculty. The counselor has considerable contact with students and has valuable information on developing a quality inservice education program. Inservice education has the goal of improving the curriculum for students. This paper presents a…

The advent of advisory councils presents a promising opportunity for schools to maximize a largely untapped resource for increased educational effectiveness. This modular training guide, which supplements "Developing Quality Schools: A Handbook," shows practitioners how to set the context for and apply the consensus decision-making…

This report describes how schools can draw on multiple voices to create a comprehensive portrait of important events in a school's history. In this "mapping" process, participants create a map that portrays the collective history of the school, facilitating an increased awareness of past actions and their connection to current conditions.…