Research (Goodman, Fulbright, & Zimmerman, 1997; IEL, 2001) supports that the most critical decision a school board has to make is its selection and appointment of a superintendent to lead the district toward its mission of effective schooling for all students. Given that board members hold influential power in this regard, what competencies…

Information about enrollment, graduation, and other characteristics of Colorado schools was collected from the state's public school districts. In fall 1994, there were 640,521 students in the state's public schools, an increase of 15,459 (2.5%) over the previous year. Enrollment in Colorado schools has risen steadily since 1983 in both elementary…

In 1991, Nebraska school superintendents and building administrators were surveyed about the physical condition of school facilities, their adequacy for instruction, and each district's fiscal capacity to maintain and construct school facilities. Responses were analyzed by five categories: class (size) of school district, quartile of valuation per…

The rural work ethic, a strong sense of community togetherness, and the absence of class distinction help rural schools avoid the politics that often stand in the way of education in larger urban and suburban schools. Factors contributing to successful schools include clear goals, good principals who know how to motivate faculty, faculty who know…

The purpose of this paper is to review the relative contribution of selected school-related variables to the output of the Arkansas public schools, as measured by Science Reading Associates (SRA) achievement test scores. Multiple step-wise regression and Pearson correlation were used to analyze the data. The most important finding was that very…

This report examines school district size and organization in South Carolina and their impact on student achievement and fiscal efficiency. A brief overview discusses the history of school district organization since the Civil War, the current distribution of districts across size categories in South Carolina and the nation, variations in school…

This study examined issues affecting teacher shortages in Texas, noting how school districts were dealing with it. The research focused on whether district size, ethnic student makeup, or district property wealth would make a difference in a school district's ability to recruit and retain quality teachers. A two-part questionnaire was mailed to…

A small school system can plan and install an effective computer system by developing a comprehensive plan; involving the personnel who will use the system; relying on vendors with proven records; and recognizing that training is an ongoing process. (MLF)

Argues against the notion that all school districts should be the same size. Research on fiscal efficiency and school effectiveness does not express a consensus regarding the long-term effects or organizational implications of district size, and the country still has a range of district types. There should be more research on community identity.…

Findings are presented from a study of teachers' participation in decision making. Data from 637 teachers in a large and restructuring metropolitan district indicate that participation did not improve outcomes for teachers or students and that teachers did not feel sufficiently involved. (SLD)

Grade-retention policies of 100 California school districts were rated according to the amount of effort required to implement retention policies and the extent to which objective criteria govern retention decisions. Results support use of this framework for comparing retention policies and rates when district size is taken into account. (SLD)

Data for third, sixth, eighth, and twelfth graders from the 1983-84 California Assessment Program are presented to support a new theory on the relationship between the size and performance of school systems. Size appears to be related to the socioeconomic status and performance of schools and school districts. (TJH)

A study of 1993 proficiency test results in Ohio found that school district scores were related to various district characteristics: school district wealth, percentage of minorities, attendance, school district size, and percentage of single-parent families. A current study in rural southeastern Ohio focuses on student and parent attitudes toward…

This background paper is a result of a literature review conducted under Project FORUM that identifies research-based inputs and processes related to student outcomes. It was intended to provide background information for the participants attending the Wingspread Conference on Inputs and Processes in October, 1998. In addition, the report is…

Trends in university management in Denmark, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom were studied as part of a larger study of European universities. The survey instrument collected information on basic facts on the institution, the organizational system, the decision-making system, the administrative structure, management techniques and…