School Governance EDU 224 | Newberry College

Please read the minutes from Newberry County’s recent 3/16/2010 STAC meeting. What are your thoughts?

School Governance Who holds the legitimate and covert power that affects a school? What are the problems? What are Schlechty’s Images of Schools? Who is “Who Is Howard Rich?”

Sources of Legitimate Power in Schools Legal Control of Schools (pp ) 1.State government (courts, governor, legislature) 2.State board of education 3.Chief state school officer (state superintendent) and state department of education 4.Local boards of education 5.Local superintendents and district central offices 6.Schools (principals, teachers, students, and parents)

Members appointed by governor or elected Chief State School Officer (State Superintendent), who is elected or appointed, implements policies of Board State Department of Education performs all administrative tasks of implementation and answers to Chief State School Officer Local school districts often mirror this structure – they must operate within the rules and regulations specified by the State Board. DISCUSS: What are the potential problems or conflicts? State Board of Education

Elected or appointed (depending on state constitution) Does the hiring and firing – when you apply for a job, you are actually applying to the School Board Mostly white, male, and middle or upper class Trustee versus delegate representation “At-large” versus delegate representation Problems (see p. 232) DISCUSS: Should we continue to have district boards of education? Why or why not? District Board of Education

School Board’s chief executive officer (administrative employee → educational expert) High-visibility, high-stress position Tend to be white males An effective superintendent is politically savvy and can work his school board; Superintendent must be an educational expert and an effective manager DISCUSS: How does a district superintendent affect the work of teachers? What would you look for in a superintendent? District Superintendent

School Principal Bears brunt of pressure on school from the top, the bottom, and all sides. In the average elementary level position the principal supervises 30 teachers, 14 other staff members, 425 students, and works 9-10 hours per day, 54 or more hours per week. Current principals face a changing leadership landscape. (manager → instructional leader ) DISCUSS: Given the fact that principals make more money than teachers, why is there a shortage of good principals?

People and groups with covert power – who are they? School secretary (and other staff) Parents Teachers Business community Hidden Government in Schools

Traditional power structures must change if schools are to be more responsive and effective. Look at Phillip Schlechty’s Images of Schools. Where do teachers fit? 

Read Robert Dalton’s State article, “Who Is Howard Rich?”

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