At a time when, nationally, community colleges are increasing their reliance on contingent faculty, and nonacademics are increasingly attacking the tenure system, some community colleges--like Bronx Community College, City University of New York--continue to follow the traditions of shared governance. The collective bargaining unit at CUNY that…

Purpose: The study investigates how various accountability contexts--including states, local boards, districts, school site councils, parent associations, and teachers--affect the ability of principals to influence instructional and supervisory decisions in their schools. Data: Data for the analysis come from 1999-2000 Schools and Staffing Survey…

Background: Because of school districts' interest in best serving the health needs of students, many choose to administer surveys addressing controversial topics. Administering such surveys in a voluntary and anonymous manner may help reduce conflict. Methods: This is a review of 2 recent federal court of appeals decisions regarding surveying…

To succeed in college, career and life in the 21st century, students must be supported in mastering both content and skills. This Implementation Guide presents state leaders, policymakers and/or district and school leaders with assessment tactics and examples to assist in statewide 21st century skills initiatives. The Partnership for 21st Century…

In this provocative work, Mary Burgan surveys the deterioration of faculty influence in higher education. From campus planning, curriculum, and instructional technology to governance, pedagogy, and academic freedom, she urges far greater consideration for the perspective of the faculty. Burgan evokes the pervasive atmosphere of charge and…

Transition from secondary education to adulthood represents a period during which adolescents with disabilities face multiple responsibilities and changing roles that include establishing independence, attending postsecondary education or training, developing social networks, choosing a career, participating in their communities, and managing…

This handbook contains legislation, regulations, and general information for helping Alberta schools establish school councils or make the transition from parent advisory groups to school councils. The school council is a collective association of parents, teachers, principals, staff, students, and community representatives. The handbook describes…

Site-based management (SBM) is an increasingly popular approach to school restructuring. SBM aims to transfer authority from state agencies and school districts to committees based at schools. To garner a consensus supporting reform, these committees are to be representative of educational and community members. SBM plans are characterized by: (1)…

Site-based management (SBM) could change schools by altering the scope of authority, involvement, and influence to lessen dominance relationships in education and inequities regarding struggling students. These dominance relationships exist between administrators and staff and between staff and students. SBM seems to signal a paradigm shift from a…

School restructuring, or school-based management, is one of the most widely discussed educational reform movements. School restructuring improves education by giving teachers and principals more independence and responsibility in the educational process. The accelerated-schools process provides a means for school restructuring, emphasizing unity…

This paper presents findings of a study that described and analyzed the first 5 years (1985-90) of the Spanish experience in school-based management (SBM). The Spanish experience is instructive because the country, formerly comprised of independent territories, made a swift and peaceful transition to democracy. As a means of reinforcing the…

This guidebook was designed to help educational practitioners and community members in Oregon understand the issues regarding school-council formation and development. In 1991 the Oregon State Legislature passed the Oregon Educational Act for the 21st Century, mandating a fundamental change in public education. The Act assigns school councils the…

A recent study conducted by a midwestern university research center surveyed 47 school districts who were members of a university-school district collaborative. Respondents indicated that the changing roles of teachers and principals were an important issue. This paper presents findings of a subsequent study based on indepth interviews with the…

The West Virginia education reform legislation of 1988 and 1990 mandated greater involvement of school personnel, parents, and community in site-based decision making. This paper examines the operations and activities of faculty senates, which are composed of all full-time educators in each school, for the years 1990-91, 1991-92, and 1992-93. A…

The current literature on school restructuring emphasizes cooperative learning, collaborative planning, teacher empowerment, and participative policy making. This literature tends to set aside client and technical perspectives and to exhibit a professional view, which deems accountability to be a politically incorrect issue. The literature on…