Questions the rationale for and possible consequences of political decentralization of New York City. Suggests that the disadvantages--reduced level of professionalism, increased expense in multiple government operation, "stabilization" of residential segregation, necessity for budget negotiations because of public disclosure of tax…

The number of decision-makers in higher education has increased, and resolution of issues has gravitated toward the state level. Since World War II the trend has been toward centralizing authority in state higher education coordinating and governing boards. Issues such as access and aid to higher education or statewide collective bargaining…

This paper focuses on an analysis of the two general approaches to educational planning--the centralized, top-down, approach and the localized, bottom-up, approach. After an introductory section, the second section of the paper centers on a brief discussion of the historical development of educational planning and the assumptions on which it is…

This report proposes a program for establishing a single acquisitions--cataloging center and a network of physical preparation facilities for New York's public libraries. Part A describes a proposed pilot project to be implemented before the establishment of the total program. Part B is a discussion of various aspects of the centralized processing…

Corporate management is a reorganization of local government promulgated in Great Britain by the Bains Report and reinforced by the 1974 reorganization act. It emphasizes that the departmental orientation of much of local government must give way to a broader, unifying, corporate perspective. The example of how corporate management has not worked…

The proposed merger of the Rye City and Rye Neck school districts in Westchester County, New York, is described. An overview of the two school systems is presented, with a discussion of the principles and issues involved in the proposed merger. Based on hypothetical data for future years, an examination is made of enrollment expectations, facility…

A detailed description of the operating practices of a computerized book-ordering and processing center for the State University of New York (SUNY) and a plan for implementing such a center are presented. The center is designed to receive orders for purchasing books that are prepared by the member libraries, transmitted to the center over…

There has been a trend in state government toward tighter and tighter centralization that, though done in the name of greater economy and efficiency, is in large part a reach for political power. Not all services of the state can be performed well if integrated into a single monolithic administrative pyramid with all other state services and…

This report outlines the history of the centralization-decentralization dilemma in the goverance of organizations, discusses two types of centralization-decentralization continua, and suggests further research. The first type of continuum discussed -- the traditional American -- refers to decisionmaking in the areas of public debate and partisan…

The author looks at past relations between government and education in England examining some of the mistakes to see how they might have been avoided. A discussion of the following is included: the Clarendon Code; the Devonshire Commission; the effects of World War II; the Robbins Report; the role of Parliament; and an Educational Policy Council.…

Available from: Comparative Administration Research Institute, Kent State University Press, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242. (IRT)

As important educational practices are being determined more by the legislatures and courts and less by local school boards, the United States is moving toward an unplanned, centralized, national system of educational policymaking. The author, a former Associate Director of the National Institute of Education, explores the negative implications of…

Investigates the nature of administrative control in 12 instructionally effective school districts in California. Nine control functions are assumed to affect student outcomes by influencing curriculum and instruction. Findings from interviews with superintendents revealed more district-level control of principal behavior and site activity than…

Governor Schaefer of Maryland declared that higher education would be the top priority this year. His major proposal was to bring the 13 four-year colleges and universities under the governance of a single board, while limiting the power of the statewide coordinating board and eliminating single campus boards. (MLW)

An Ontario school board found the factors necessary for the establishment of an effective decentralized energy management program to be training, a program of reinforcement, and the development of an overall attitude that encourages involvement. (MLF)