An administrator in a State agency for the development and implementation of services for the mentally retarded relates her experiences and training as a paraprofessional and later as a professional in this field. She recommends the use of transdiciplinary teams including paraprofessionals, and increased cooperation between professionals and…

When making budget cuts, the recommendations of a citizen advisory committee can help cut spending, provide the programs communities agree are the most valuable, and give the community an opportunity to better understand the budget process. (DCS)

Society is changing, and a new consensus must be reached about the purposes of civic education. All those with an interest--not just educational theorists--should participate in shaping this consensus. Teacher educators must teach student teachers to share in this process and link their ideas to moral issues. (PP)

One principal's solution to low staff morale illustrates guidelines for improving teacher committee productivity through teamwork and shared leadership. (MJL)

A head teacher describes the activity of parents in a parent-staff group that considered such issues as a school sports day and the grouping of students into classes. The school policy group is credited with providing an opportunity for the development of parents' decision-making skills. (MJL)

Recently, the Center for Higher Education Policy Analysis at the University of Southern California conducted a national study of public higher education governing board performance. 130 board members, presidents, coordinating board officials, governors, legislators, and education department staff were interviewed about ways to improve performance…

This document outlines in a very broad sense one institution's interpretation of collaborative relationships within the IT department. Franklin College has a small support organization that handles most IT support issues. Because of the size of the organization, size of the school, and ultimately the size of the IT budget, Franklin College has…

A study examined the influence of professional etiquette, procedural factors, demographic factors, and child eligibility code factors on parent satisfaction with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). Surveys and interviews were conducted with 207 parents in the Southwest border region whose children had been evaluated for special education…

This case study describes the recent development of two housing co-ops "Courtyard" and "CHORD," in Toronto (Ontario, Canada) that are inclusive of people with disabilities, that is, the co-ops were developed by people with disabilities, their families, and friends. Focus is on components utilized in the planning and development…

This book identifies two competing traditions of American democracy and citizenship: a dominant, privately-oriented citizenship tradition and an alternative tradition of public democratic citizenship. Based on the second tradition, the book outlines a set of qualities an effective democratic citizen must possess, as well as a number of ideal…

Parent participation in educational decision making is not a neural concept. When successful it can bring more effective decisions, a satisfied supportive public, and a stronger democracy. When it fails, it can leave in its wake a dissatisfied public. This research project involved observations of committee meetings and interviews with six parent…

This handbook leads the reader through planning and conducting the collaborative evaluation of a workplace development initiative. A glossary is followed by an introduction that addresses the rationale for collaborative evaluation, values and characteristics, using the handbook in one's own situation, and optimum conditions for collaborative…

A study examined the extent to which faculty senate involvement in strategic planning for inclusion influenced the implementation of inclusive practices in schools. Case studies in four West Virginia middle schools included examination of school strategic plans, observation, and teacher surveys and interviews. Analysis of findings across cases…

This paper reports the results of a survey study of the perceptions of a small sample of teachers about the benefits of providing students with instructional choice. Instructional choice was defined as a conscious decision of the teacher to grant the student some degree of control over either the content or the activity of learning. Teachers in…

Since the 1980s, shared decision making (SDM) has become a significant part of school-reform efforts. Advocates say that SDM will improve student learning, create teacher satisfaction, and develop new forms of leadership. This digest in Spanish presents an overview of research that investigated whether SDM delivers on these promises. Studies…