The Educational Research Service's 1996-97 National Survey of Wages and Salaries in Public Schools reports average salaries of $80,176 paid to assistant superintendents, $65,797 paid to directors of business and finance, and $39,580 paid to classroom teachers. Salaries for chief business officials have kept pace with those of classroom teachers.…

This 1997-98 survey reports $82,339 as the mean of the average salaries paid to assistant superintendents and $67,724 as the mean of the average salaries paid to directors of finance and business in (responding) U.S. school systems. Generally, the annual salaries for chief business officials have kept pace with those of classroom teachers and…

Accountability is the key in a site-based program. Argues that all schools must have equal access to all programs and all students must have equal access to specialized programs. (MLF)

Since site-based management supports the separate-schools concept, promotes interschool competition, and allows community pressures to influence decision-making, great disparities in resource allocations can occur. To ensure equity, central management must define and limit principals' roles, provide training for principals, build consensus,…

School-district central-office administration is responsible for creating the structure and framework for school staffs to work in the interest of their students. The district needs to establish strategic priorities for the use of funds. Schools should be held accountable for deploying the resources and controlling expenditures. (MLF)

Explores where in the school-budgeting process decentralized decision making could be used. People at the building site should be evaluating the programs and making decisions about their effectiveness and continued funding. (MLF)

In "Board of Education of Boone County v. Bushee," the Kentucky Supreme Court upheld school site councils' power and autonomy in a dispute involving a school improvement plan. Implications of "Bushee" are enormous. School-based decision making presents school business administrators with brave new challenges and increased…

School business officials' technical knowledge and expertise can make the process of school-based management more successful. The art of site-based management is relationship building through effective interpersonal and communication skills. (MLF)