The purpose of this study was to examine the nature of distributed leadership at the University of ABC's SCPS, as the School worked to transform itself through reorganization. The study examined the perceptions of key leaders and members of the implementation team as they sought to understand the implementation of a more participative approach to…

Project LIRO (Leadership for Improved Restructuring Outcomes) was an attempt to influence student outcomes and school change through a year-long work experience and training of department chairs and administrators. The project used Teacher Collegial Groups (TCGs) to encourage collaboration between personnel from Institutions of Higher Education…

This paper focuses on how teachers in a rural elementary school, involved in the fourth year of a restructuring process (the Accelerated Schools Project), used inquiry to transform teaching and learning. In the past, teachers generally worked within their own classrooms and had little input in school wide operations. However, after four years of…

Shared decision making (SDM) as an element of educational reform promises enhanced quality outcomes and appeals to educators who see virtue in the idea of people coming together to plan what is best for themselves and their students. Analyses have shown, however, that school councils implementing SDM rarely tackle operational classroom decisions…

Partnerships between universities and public schools that recognize the interdependence and mutual benefits derived from an alliance have become a cornerstone of educational restructuring (C. Dean, P. Lauer, & V. Urquhart, 2005; J. L. Goodlad, 1991; Holmes Group, 1990). Although interrelated, these partners exist in distinctive milieus in which…

The is a restructuring of Syracuse University (New York) in the 1990s case study for the process of institutional restructuring. Sucess was achieved by promoting the process as positive change and making it an opportunity to involve the community in decision making and to renew institutional values and mission, drawing national attention from…

Higher education institutions and systems must change to respond to the demands of a more complex era. Increased demand for education, continuing decreases in available funds to support institutions, rising costs, and questions about the quality of higher education suggest that the current system is inadequate. Much of the shape of higher…

Asserts that teachers are already significant decision makers regarding curriculum and instruction. Argues that teachers and students cannot be empowered by others. Suggests four conditions to enhance teacher growth and informed engagement: systematic study of self; subject matter, pedagogy, and learners; society; and utilization of contingency…

This report presents an examination of the use of a participative model in the strategic planning process at a publicly-supported, comprehensive institution in the middle Atlantic region of the United States. Specific attention is given to the process of developing the vision statement, an undertaking of approximately 15 months preceding Board of…

Participants in the League of Professional Schools based at the University of Georgia discuss the effects of shared governance, a schoolwide instructional focus, and action research on 22 participating schools from various districts. The article explains factors that facilitated internal change and adjustments the league made in its operating…

Urges that teachers be allowed to play a more active role in school restructuring. Argues that democratic ideals cannot be taught by a school system that is not run democratically. Insists that proponents of restructuring and educational renewal must see as central the teachers' control over professional affairs. (DK)

The E.J. Brown School is a collaborative educational undertaking between Wright State University's College of Education and Human Services and the Dayton public schools. The project's purpose is the development of a living learning laboratory based upon shared decision making and collaborative planning for urban children. Students and teachers are…

This is a critique of the current system of governance in public education. Chapters include: (1) "Statement of the Problem," which introduces the issues related to educational reform and provides some examples of previous successes and failures; (2) "The Non-Learning, Non-Self-Correcting System," in which the current system is…

Within the arena of public school reform, teacher empowerment and participation in the decision making process at the building level are of paramount importance. A collaborative team of teacher educators and public school staff was assembled to assess various perceptions of site-based decision making throughout Georgia. A random sample of 400…

Discusses the benefits and effects of music teacher empowerment. Concludes that additional skills, knowledge, and professionalism will be necessary to successfully teach music in an empowered setting without losing sight of the students' larger interests. Urges that music education programs for training teachers be expanded to include critical…