Discusses two plans for reforming urban schools: the Comer model, begun in New Haven schools in 1968, and the Chicago school reform, begun in 1989. The former emphasizes community; the latter, accountability. Both demonstrate that, when people are not alienated, they will actively participate in improvement programs. (DM)

Organizations that downsize in a rational and orderly manner can increase productivity. School districts can initiate a cost-reduction and restructuring program with an analysis of the responsibilities of each employee followed by communicating with, and renewing the commitment of, remaining employees. (MLF)

Reviews the literature on local school management, especially the latter's potential for influencing school efficiency and effectiveness. Explores three areas: formula funding effects, resource allocation, and changing patterns of influence in school decision making. Local school management may enhance efficiency or economy without substantially…

Offers several scenarios that show a range of differences in how school-based decision making is developing in different settings. Provides definitions for terms applied to school-based decision making. (JOW)

School-based management can guarantee that the basic principles of community education will govern the K-12 educational enterprise. The school council is the keystone of responsible local decision making. (JOW)

In addition to common goals that schools have, there should be locally determined goals related to the needs of children in distinct communities. In a core-plus curriculum, the "core" represents state mandates, and the "plus" is determined by the community. (JOW)

In school-based management, effective school leaders are facilitators, trainers, advisors, resource coordinators, communicators, and advocates. School leadership should be based on an ethic of caring, which emphasizes responsibility and relationships, not rights and rules. (SK)

Analyzes significant phenomena observed while developing and implementing Hong Kong's school-based management policy. Findings from an evaluation of 12 schools revealed that major SBM program components (teacher and parent participation, systematic planning and reporting of school activities, and flexible resource use) can contribute to school…

In 1997, all elementary schools in Jerusalem were transferred to a self-managing program over a three-year period. Research undertaken in schools entering the program in 1995 reveals high satisfaction among principals and teachers, enhanced school relations with local authorities, and simplified financial-reporting mechanisms. (10 references) (MLH)

Studied two schools that adopted the Authentic Teaching, Learning, and Assessment for All Students (ATLAS) school-reform design, focusing on the link between school management and instructional change. These case studies support the usefulness of the ATLAS model and show that instruction and management must work together for successful reform.…

Develops a profile of preferred conflict-management behaviors and strategies of a sample of principals in a large urban school district with site-based managed schools. Results reflect principals' preference for solution-oriented conflict strategies, where differences are resolved through collaborative and integrative problem solving. (Contains 85…

Examines the school-development-planning process at Southlands Community College in London, England. The process has proved useful but needs to be reevaluated. Advocates use of "strategic intent" and "futures thinking" to enhance the capacity of self-managing schools to survive in an increasingly turbulent environment. Southlands is meeting this…

Reviews 77 empirical and case studies of school-based management (SBM) implementations reported between 1985 and 1995 to determine typical obstacles and promising ameliorative strategies. There is no firm evidence of SBM's effects on students. Administrative-control SBM would probably produce the least amount of school change. Community-control…

Explores legislative conditions that promote charter-school autonomy, applying a conceptual framework of autonomy to assess variations among state charter-school policies. Results suggest that state policies offer different self-governance levels and thereby influence charter schools' innovative ability and performance potential. Variations are…

With the advent of high speed and sophisticated computer programs, all budgetary systems can be combined in one fiscal management information system. Defines and provides examples for the four budgeting systems: (1) function/object; (2) planning, programming, budgeting system; (3) zero-based budgeting; and (4) site-based budgeting. (MLF)