Profiles Virginia Aguilar, a high school principal who, with her staff, has been exploring and implementing changes and improvements in response to state mandates. The paper describes improvement efforts by the school district and how Aguilar's school makes use of them. Aguilar's encouragement of participative decision making is discussed. (SM)

The article describes how Susan Derse, principal of a Seattle high school, works with her school to facilitate and encourage change, focusing on her approach to staff development. Ms. Derse uses a collaborative, participatory style of leadership that allows plenty of time for teachers to meet and work together. (SM)

Participatory decision making can meld individual teacher goals into shared organizational goals that emphasize benefits for students. The article examines site-based management, organizational prerequisites, central office responsibilities, organizational culture, appropriate use of participation, decision-making strategies, and five obstacles to…

One fiscally poor elementary school created a place for quality work by staff and maintained the standards for many years through various ongoing teacher development activities. An essential factor in developing the school culture was believing that teachers must be honored, supported, and trusted before they could honor the students. (SM)

Reports current ideas from the general organizational productivity literature to provide a broader context for restructuring schools. The article discusses work culture patterns (involving schoolwide planning, professional development, program development, and school assessment) and describes how to manage productive schools, presenting…

With decentralization and school-based management, central office personnel assume new roles as experts and brokers in staff development. The article examines the impact of decentralization and staff development, focusing on how central office personnel must relearn how to do business, preparing central office staff, and the role of staff…

A school district planned and implemented site-based management. Schools developed ad hoc committees (AHCs) and created school management teams and plans. The AHCs effectively allowed school faculties to have input and involvement in developing management plans. The more they employed team building, the greater the impact on intended outcomes. (SM)

Reviews strategies used in the Columbus (Ohio) public schools to ensure that central office staff would be effective and supportive in implementing systemic reform. The implementation of the Effective Schools Process in the schools created a shift in the decision-making locus from the central office to local school sites. (SM)

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…

This interview with a school principal, Efrain Vila, argues that staff development is crucial in school reform. Teachers cannot be asked to use new processes if they do not have opportunities to learn how to use them. His school's faculty meetings always include staff development components. Parent involvement is also essential. (SM)

Describes how the principal of a predominantly minority elementary school in Chicago (Illinois) took control of the school from local gangs and from the Local School Council, emphasizing her leadership and work to bring the faculty together through her active involvement and teachers' participative decision making. (SM)

A unique, successful staff development program in three Louisville (Kentucky) middle schools provides opportunities for teachers of disadvantaged students to build pedagogical skills. The High5 Project promotes strategies for realizing high expectations, content, support, energy, and involvement. The paper examines change strategies and discusses…