New legislation or modifications to existing federal and state education legislation often mandate more training for district staff and more documentation to prove compliance. These regulations come with heavy penalties for noncompliance; yet these initiatives are usually unfunded, thus making it difficult to ensure that staff members receive the…

Since transportation expenses constitute 7% to 10% of a typical school budget, it is not surprising that transportation departments have been under a microscope lately. Everyone on the district's decision-making team, from the school board and school superintendent to the managers who oversee each component of the transportation department, is…

Presents an inbasket exercise with 10 problems designed to increase awareness and understanding by school district employees and officials of the various tasks and responsibilities of the school district business manager. (JG)

There are no quick fixes to any problems that school systems face. The best solution lies in building a common approach to solving problems utilizing an established procedure; an interactive process; and a trained team of administrators, teachers, and nonteaching staff members. (MLF)

An inservice training program for school maintenance employees in a suburban Chicago elementary school district has motivated the staff to feel an ownership of their jobs and to suggest ideas of their own. Both factors have helped the district save thousands of dollars. (MLF)

Argues persuasively for providing preservice and inservice training programs to bus drivers and attendants transporting exceptional children. Such programs can upgrade the quality of services, including first aid, emergency evacuation procedures, and coordination with teachers, families, and school nurses. (MLH)

A "boilerplate" sexual harassment policy embedded in the district policy manual is insufficient. Schools need a comprehensive sexual harassment prevention program addressing authority, accountability, responsibility, and training. Since the vast majority of sexual harassment in schools is student-to-student, training efforts should not be limited…

Staff development programs for civil service personnel are important for improving performance. Good programs contain the following components: needs assessment, program development, program implementation, course evaluation, and program evaluation. (MD)

In this interview, John Forte, Fairfax County (Virginia) Public Schools' assistant superintendent for general services, explains how he uses his training and professional experience to oversee a smoothly running operation in one of the nation's largest school districts. His real challenge is providing extra support to students in low-income areas.…

An analysis of school district student injury reports revealed that 62 to 80 percent of all elementary school injuries were occurring on the playground, and that students were the major cause of injury. After a series of student-orientation rules and staff-orientation programs, injuries as a pilot site decreased by 78 percent for the year. (MLF)

The role of administrative assistant to a manager has changed radically in the past two decades. The skills needed for an administrative assistant today are time management and the abilities to juggle multiple tasks and to prioritize effectively. School business managers should support professional development training for administrative…

Provides a brief description of the U.S. Constitutional provisions and public laws affecting transportation of students with disabilities. Lists suggested inservice training program elements to ensure the provision of adequate training necessary to safely transport students with disabilities. (MLF)

From a sample of 943 school business managers, 370 (40 percent) respondents prioritized 15 different training categories for the position of school manager; described training they had received; identified those categories that currently apply to their work; and supplied basic demographic information. (MLF)

A staff development program for the business-office staff is a model for small-to-medium-size districts. A group meets weekly for 60 to 90 minutes to discuss each department's successes, goals, and new business items. Meeting minutes also let other school personnel understand the complexities of running a district. (MLF)