Who governs our schools? : changing roles and responsibilities / David T. Conley.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Conley, David T., 1948-

Series:

Critical issues in educational leadership series

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

School management and organization--United States.

School management and organization.

United States.

Education and state--United States.

Education and state.

Educational change--United States.

Educational change.

Physical Description:

viii, 239 pages ; 23 cm.

Place of Publication:

New York : Teachers College Press, [2003]

Summary:

This book provides valuable insights into a dynamic structural change that is being experienced but not completely understood by educators and policymakers alike -- the transfer of power from the local to the state and national levels. What will become of our public schools in this new era of leadership? The author traces the origins of this process, examines the implications, and considers where these changes might lead.

Contents:

1 Sizing Up the Changing Landscape of Educational Governance 1

The Rapidly Increasing Federal Influence 2

States Take More Control over Education Policy 3

Other Factors That Shape the State's New Role in Education Policy 6

Implications for State-District Relationships 11

How Will Educators and Local Boards of Education Be Affected? 13

Understanding Who Is in Control of American Education 14

2 The Evolution of Educational Governance and the Federal Role 16

Education as a System to Achieve Social Goals: Federal Involvement in Education 20

Where Is the Federal Role Heading? 26

Why Has This Increased Federal Role Been Sustainable? 33

The New Federal-State Relationship 34

Will Federal Influence Decrease at Some Future Point? 36

3 Power to the States: Why and How States Are More Actively Shaping Education Policy 38

Increased State Responsibility for Funding and Its Relationship with Education Reform 38

Education Reform in the 1980s 42

The State Role in Education Reform in the 1990s 45

Statewide Systemic Reform 53

Beyond the Coleman Report: School Effects on Student Learning 55

New State Expectations for Educational Leaders 58

Linking Funding and Performance: The Next Step 59

4 The Competing Forces Shaping Governance and Policy 64

Five Forces Behind State Reforms 65

Nongovernmental Influences on Education Policy, Practice, and Governance 75

Education Under Siege? 83

5 Why Is It So Difficult to Implement State Policy at the School Level? 84

The Interplay Between State and Local Levels in Policy Implementation 84

How Schools Process Reforms 88

Compliance-Oriented Implementation vs. Goal-Oriented Implementation 91

Organizational Challenges to Reform Implementation 92

Rethinking Governance as a First Step Toward State-Local Partnerships 98

6 Aligning Policy Levers 103

Pluses, Minuses, and Limitations of Alignment 104

What Are the Levers for System Alignment? 111

K-16 Alignment: What Is It and What Does It Look Like? 117

Alignment: More Energy, Better Results? 125

7 Changes in Roles at the State Level 126

The Changing Role and Structure of State Policy Mechanisms 126

The New Role of State Boards of Education 130

The Contradictory Goals of State Education Agencies 132

Transforming Departments of Education 134

The Role of Commissions and Extra-Governmental Agencies 138

What's Next for the State Level of Governance? 143

8 Changes in Roles at the District Level 144

Local Boards of Education 144

Superintendents and Central Offices 153

9 Changes in Roles at the School Level 159

Principals 159

Teachers 163

The Reluctant Partners 177

10 What Challenges and Possibilities Lie Ahead? 178

Taking Stock: Where Are We? Where Are We Heading? 178

What Are the Longer-Term Implications of Current Trends? 183

Aligning Governance with Key Values, Goals, and Purposes 188

Outlines of a New Governance System 192

The Pressing Need to Create New Governance Models 198.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 201-225) and index.

ISBN:

0807743321

080774333X

OCLC:

50982237