The Progress of Education Reform: School-based Management MS Word PDF - Looks at findings from various research and evaluation studies over the past 10 years, profiles a Chicago urban school district and the state of Kentucky, which have nearly a decade of experience with this decentralized decisionmaking process. (Suzanne Weiss, The Progress of Education Reform, vol. 2, no. 5, ECS, April-May 2001)...

Decentralized Decisionmaking for Schools - This paper argues that interest in site-based decision making – referred to as decentralized decisionmaking for schools (DDS) in this report – is on the rise, fueled by state and federal accountability systems placing pressure on school-level leaders to improve student performance. The paper summarizes the history of DDS, in addition to discussing: (1) why to revive DDS, (2) how today's conditions are more conducive to DDS and (3) how to create conditions for successful implementation of DDS. (Janet S. Hansen and Marguerite Roza, RAND, 2005)...

Evaluation of the Performance Driven Budgeting Initiative of the New York City Board of Education (1997-2000) - According to this report, the New York City Board of Education's performance driven budgeting initiative produced a new budgeting system in which school-level decisonmaking is driving change upward through New York City's community school districts and central administrative structure. The study also found indications that academic outcomes in schools participating in the initiative have improved relative to schools not participating in it. (Dorothy Siegel and Norm Fruchter, New York University, 2002)...

10-City Comparison of School-Based Budgeting and Management - This chart contrasts various forms of school-based budgeting and site-based management in 10 U.S. and Canadian cities (Chicago, Denver, Edmonton, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, New York, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Seattle and Baltimore). Over 40 different fields allow viewers to quickly compare the decentralization progress occurring in these cities. Information contained in this chart includes: the number of schools that are decentralized; the type of employee benefits; and whether or not decentralization is mandated by the board of education. (Cross City Campaign for Urban School Reform, November 1999)...

Charting Reform: LSCs - Local Leadership at Work - This analysis by the Consortium on Chicago School Research is based on survey data from parents and community members serving on local school councils (LSCs) in the Chicago Public Schools. The survey focused particularly on activities, contributions and training of LSC members in relation to their mandated responsibilities, which include selecting and evaluating the principal and developing and approving the budget and the school improvement plan. The study’s results are intended to inform educators, policymakers, citizens and LSC members about local school councils, how they are performing and their role in contributing to school improvement from the vantage point of the members themselves. This report can be ordered for $10. (Consortium on Chicago School Research, 1997)...

Key Elements of a Successful School-Based Management Strategy - This paper moves the reader through a review of the aims and known effects of SBM and a discussion of eight key elements of successful SBM schools. Factors identified as promoting successful SBM in schools include: a broad dispersion of power through decisionmaking teams; an active, living vision focused on learning and teaching that is coordinated with state standards; and multiple mechanisms for collecting information on school priorities and disseminating it to multiple stakeholders. A brief conclusion focuses on the next steps that can be taken to allow SBM to promote improved student achievement. (Kerri Briggs and Priscilla Wohlstetter, University of Southern California's Center on Educational Governance, February 2001)...