In 1992, Heartland Community College (HCC), in Illinois, was granted candidacy status for accreditation by the North Central Association (NCA). In 1994, the college decided to seek full accreditation to ensure its place in the local community, ensure federal funding, and to show that it had grown since candidacy and was ready to fulfill…

This paper presents the initial findings of a comprehensive 28-school multi-site case study, which sought to identify patterns in schools that are changing bureaucratic work patterns to those found in quality-management systems. The schools are located in Florida, Virginia, Minnesota, and Louisiana; all are led by principals who are trainers in…

A formal governance system was adopted by the Board of Trustees in April 1991 at Burlington County College in New Jersey after the Commission on Higher Education and the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools observed that it was lacking. The policy defines the path for maintaining a governance structure which fosters clear and timely…

A classroom presents the perfect opportunity for teachers and teacher educators to perpetuate the all-encompassing idea of democracy. A democratic classroom requires of all its participants that they welcome joint decision-making, be committed to a dynamic common good, have the necessary skills, be open to other points of view, be committed to…

Problem-based learning (PBL) has gained credibility and some use in institutions of higher education. This paper provides a brief conceptual discussion of PBL and the idea of "problem," and describes one learning model that incorporates PBL as a method for moving students to high levels of learning. The second portion of the paper describes one…

Recognizing the critical role of parent involvement for the success of their children in school, this report presents statistics which focus on various areas in which parents and schools can work together to develop partnerships. The report presents data collected from a survey of 810 public elementary schools serving kindergarten through grade 8.…

Site-based management is designed to bring decision making to the school level and involve all stakeholders in a process that will result ultimately in improved student outcomes. Enacted into law in June 1989, Hawaii's School/Community-Based Management Initiative (SCBM) is part of a national trend toward decentralizing decision making and…

This document describes the methodology used to carry out the Assessment of School-Based Management Study, which identified the conditions in schools that promote high performance through school-based management (SBM). The 3-year project, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI), began…

This paper describes how the Northridge campus of California State University incorporated academic program assessment into its regular practices using opinion leaders, diffusion methods, and collaboration between faculty and administration. Elements of the assessment program included: (1) appointment of an assessment coordinator; (2) high…

The National Institute for Educational Research (NIER), Tokyo (Japan) and the Asia-Pacific Centre of Educational Innovation for Development (APEID) of the United Nations Scientific, Cultural, and Educational Organization (UNESCO) organized a regional seminar to explore issues related to secondary education in Asia and the Pacific and to formulate…

In utilizing the theory of management by objectives (MBO), common goals are set by both managers and subordinates, individual members' areas of responsibilities are defined, and resource allocations are made according to the planning and achievement of objectives. At academic institutions, common benefits of MBO include measurable objectives…

This paper presents findings of a study that examined leadership among staff members in a suburban Cincinnati (Ohio) junior/senior high school that was undergoing school restructuring. The research examined principal-staff communication, with a focus on the staff decision-making role. The school was participating in both the Goodlad Institute of…

This handbook is intended for communities that wish to undertake their own community impact assessment (CIA). The goal is to enable communities to plan for changes before they occur, so they can cope with changes when they do occur. CIA involves forecasting and evaluating the full range of unintended consequences for the community of development…

A restructured school setting necessitates a major change in the principal's role. For example, the principal must not only espouse certain values, but practice them at the "in-use" level as well. This paper compares and contrasts the leadership styles of two principals who participated in the implementation of a restructuring effort, the…

Shared governance within the community college fosters a sense of empowerment and equal partnership in the members of the organization. Accountability is multi-directional, not hierarchical, as in the case of the traditional pyramidal organization. In California, community college governance underwent a tremendous change in 1988 with the passage…