School-based management is rapidly becoming the centerpiece of the current school reform movement. Discusses the new roles of the school business official. (21 references) (MLF)

Under school-based management, principals are there to help staff members make the best possible decisions. The principal's job involves six discernable roles: (1) facilitator; (2) trainer; (3) expert adviser; (4) resource coordinator; (5) communicator; and (6) advocate. (MLF)

Paul Norton Elementary School in Bettendorf, Iowa, was one of 27 schools chosen to participate in the NEA's Mastery in Learning Network project to empower teachers through site-based management. This article describes the school's ongoing progress at pursuing community-school partnerships, creative fund raising, and time management. (MLH)

Reviews existing literature on school-based management (SBM) policy and research, highlighting methods to increase SBM's effectiveness. Offers new research directions, based on current knowledge and knowledge deficiencies. Future policy and research should look beyond delegation of budget, personnel, and curriculum decisions to schools and view…

Questionnaires returned from 290 headteachers, school governors, and teacher union representatives in 100 British autonomous schools found desire for independence an important motivation for choosing local autonomy and high satisfaction with this status. Teacher union representatives and teacher governors were less satisfied than others. (SK)

Presents observations, advice, and strategies for facilitating participative decision making in schools. Information is based on interviews with principals, group input from school staffs, and researcher observations in a study of 10 "participative schools." Also includes strategies for enhancing cooperative teaching. (KS)

Discusses two plans for reforming urban schools: the Comer model, begun in New Haven schools in 1968, and the Chicago school reform, begun in 1989. The former emphasizes community; the latter, accountability. Both demonstrate that, when people are not alienated, they will actively participate in improvement programs. (DM)

Organizations that downsize in a rational and orderly manner can increase productivity. School districts can initiate a cost-reduction and restructuring program with an analysis of the responsibilities of each employee followed by communicating with, and renewing the commitment of, remaining employees. (MLF)

Reviews the literature on local school management, especially the latter's potential for influencing school efficiency and effectiveness. Explores three areas: formula funding effects, resource allocation, and changing patterns of influence in school decision making. Local school management may enhance efficiency or economy without substantially…

Offers several scenarios that show a range of differences in how school-based decision making is developing in different settings. Provides definitions for terms applied to school-based decision making. (JOW)

School-based management can guarantee that the basic principles of community education will govern the K-12 educational enterprise. The school council is the keystone of responsible local decision making. (JOW)

In addition to common goals that schools have, there should be locally determined goals related to the needs of children in distinct communities. In a core-plus curriculum, the "core" represents state mandates, and the "plus" is determined by the community. (JOW)

In school-based management, effective school leaders are facilitators, trainers, advisors, resource coordinators, communicators, and advocates. School leadership should be based on an ethic of caring, which emphasizes responsibility and relationships, not rights and rules. (SK)

Analyzes significant phenomena observed while developing and implementing Hong Kong's school-based management policy. Findings from an evaluation of 12 schools revealed that major SBM program components (teacher and parent participation, systematic planning and reporting of school activities, and flexible resource use) can contribute to school…

In 1997, all elementary schools in Jerusalem were transferred to a self-managing program over a three-year period. Research undertaken in schools entering the program in 1995 reveals high satisfaction among principals and teachers, enhanced school relations with local authorities, and simplified financial-reporting mechanisms. (10 references) (MLH)