The results of a statistical analysis of 498 school districts are analyzed in terms of the fiscal responsibility of school boards. Since a method of budget approval is being examined, the criterion adopted (composite fiscal performance) is one that measures the performance of the school board in obtaining funds to operate the schools. Composite…

The effects of school size, fiscal independence, fiscal dependence, public vote, and tax limitation on 11 measures of educational quality are investigated. Data obtained from 1,222 city school districts are analyzed statistically. The data substantiate the conclusions of previous observers that excessive school district size reduces the…

Points up the need to run school district accounting along the lines of a multimillion dollar business. Criticizes lack of encouragement for managers to economize on budgets, lack of employee incentive programs, and regulations which make it difficult to dismiss nonproductive employees. A questionnaire assists administrators to detect flaws in…

The ways in which the following three factors influence a large-city school district's "fiscal performance" are investigated: (1) The educational and occupational status of school board members, (2) the effect of public vote on the budget, and (3) the effect of the size of the school district. A regression of certain budget approval variables,…

This review surveys recent literature that reflects a wide variety of research techniques and methods. These writings, previously announced in RIE, should provide administrators with some insights into variables that affect the outcome of school financial elections. Divided into four major parts, the review includes literature that (1) deals with…

Observations concerning citizen attitudes toward public education which caused the defeat of two school tax levies in Canton, Ohio. (MF)

A successful bond campaign must be highly organized with tasks specifically delegated. A guide for school board members and administrators describes the steps to be taken. (Author/MLF)

Counselors must be aware of the political forces that affect their work and develop a sense of political acumen in dealing with these forces. Effective approaches for counselors to employ in dealing with school boards are personal contact, having needs assessment information available, and presenting options. (Author)

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF NEW YORK STATE SCHOOL BOARDS AND THEIR MEMBERS ARE INVESTIGATED, AND A DIFFERENTIATION IS MADE BETWEEN EFFECTIVE AND INEFFECTIVE BOARDS. TWENTY-SEVEN SCHOOL DISTRICTS, STRATIFIED BY REGION AND EFFECTIVENESS, WERE INCLUDED IN THE SAMPLE. INTERVIEWS AND QUESTIONNAIRES WERE USED TO OBTAIN DATA FROM ALL CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS,…

This paper, the third based on a 4-year sociological field study of school-community relations in a factional suburb, analyzes conflict generated by the discrepancy between the perceived and actual norms governing the school board-community relationship. A 3-year effort to develop board responsiveness followed a 7-year period of professional…

In a study of the critical factors affecting local decision making on school fiscal policy, socioeconomic factors, educational leadership, and community power structure were related to one another and to local financial effort in relation to ability. The study included 122 school districts of 20,000 population and above located in the states of…

The 1985 legislation (PA 84-126) creating Local School Improvement Councils (LSIC) and annual local school budget hearings laid the foundation for meaningful citizen involvement in the Chicago Public Schools. This legislation had two components: (1) annual school site budget hearings required in each school in which citizens, parents, and teachers…

FROM A 1964 NATIONAL QUOTA-PROBABILITY SAMPLE OF INTERVIEWS WITH 1,500 CITIZENS 21 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER, MAJOR VARIABLES WERE DEFINED RELATING TO COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THEIR COMMUNITIES. PRIMARY CONTENT OF THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS STUDIED WAS FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR SCHOOLS. FOR PURPOSES OF CORRELATIONAL ANALYSIS, RESPONDENTS…

This chapter of "The Best of the Best of ERIC," Volume 2, contains 14 summaries of documents and journal articles on school public relations programs, all of which are indexed in either "Resources in Education" or "Current Index to Journals in Education." The materials included deal with various aspects of this topic such as how to plan and…