A 3-year examination of school-based decision-making (SBDM) councils in four rural Kentucky school districts revealed that, similar to findings in urban and suburban settings, SBDM councils in rural schools experienced difficulties in achieving true shared decision making. Decisions regarding hiring and budget management were most likely to lead…

Drawing from general experience and specific examples from the New Beginnings program in San Diego (California), outlines roles and responsibilities for school superintendents, board members, principals, and teachers involved in implementing school-linked services. Calls for increased accountability to measure progress toward defined goals. (SLD)

Indiana school district saw need to improve elementary students' achievement test scores and made commitment to change culture to ensure that all students learn well. Staff, parents, community, and students were introduced to school improvement effort based on effective schools research. Efforts show significant academic improvements in Indiana…

Explores the role of the urban school superintendent with regard to each of the six National Education Goals of 1990. Superintendents must mobilize their forces to fulfill the reforms outlined in the goals and must focus on specific needs of urban children. (SLD)

Portland State University (Oregon) has substantially changed its administrative organization through multiple, interrelated strategies: consolidation of units; streamlining of middle management; staff training and professional development; a quality initiative; campus technological conversion; and joint ventures with a sister institution. A clear…

The National Science Foundation practice of using scientifically qualified program directors, some from university laboratories, to make grant-giving recommendations independent of external peer reviewers is compared with the practice of other agencies. A recent policy of allowing program directors to make some small grants without external peer…

Issues college fundraisers must address before beginning a campaign include organizational readiness, administrator and trustee readiness, administrator willingness to lead, availability of volunteers, development staff readiness, information systems capacities, firmness of policy and procedures, use of consultants, funding sources, and…

Describes a 1989 study of 22,931 course offerings at 29 comprehensive community colleges in Michigan, undertaken to assess status of general education. Reports low availability and breadth of general education courses, contrary to the perceptions of campus administrators surveyed. Suggests steps to evaluate and enhance general education offerings.…

This study assesses perceptions of 36 principals and 72 assistant principals regarding each other's professional roles and thinking. Analysis of responses indicates that both groups agreed on perceptions of actual and ideal time distribution. Differences appear in perceptions of each other's ideal assistant principal role. (JB)

Oregon State University has created a permanent administrative position responsible for providing universitywide administrative and technical support for implementation of Total Quality Management. Introductory, strategic, team, and special-topic training are provided. Communication with the university community is a primary responsibility. The…

An environment that values evaluation as a means of effectively using resources is a prerequisite for development of administrative computing systems. Collaborative development of student information systems by a variety of campus offices increases the likelihood that useful information will be available to administrators for evaluating…

Needs identified by special education teachers and school administrators (n=76) in nine school districts concerning implementation of life-centered career education (LCCE) included increasing administrative commitment to LCCE, involving teachers in developing and delivering LCCE instruction, and increasing intraschool and interagency coordination…

Current reform movement is stuck in a worsening negative cycle that bruises human spirit. Teacher-centered reform movement is needed. Challenging dominant assumptions about professional educators and students is necessary to generate a new sense of purpose. Metaphor for tomorrow's schools should be the successful home guided by mature, caring…

A university president emeritus offers lessons on effective leadership, focusing on five areas presidents often neglect: personal exhaustion; muddled or lack of priorities; relationships with family members and friends; personal isolation; and intellectual starvation. Suggested antidotes include serious reading, continued teaching, participation…

This study investigated four beginning special educators' problems of practice and the influence of the school context on teachers' abilities to solve their problems. Participants were troubled by issues related to instruction and curriculum, understanding the system, inclusion, and exhaustion. Teachers received little support from general…