ERIC ED370157: A+chieving Excellence. A Parent's Guide to Site-Based Decision Making. Noteworthy = A+lcanzar la Excelencia. Un manual para padres sobre como hacer decisiones. Notable.

140 Pages·1992·4.3 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
EA 025 076
ED 370 157
AUTHOR
Hutchins, C. L.
A+chieving Excellence. A Parent's Guide to Site-Based
TITLE
Decision Making. Noteworthy = A+lcanzar la
Excelencia. Un manual para padres sobre como hacer
decisiones. Notable.
Mid-Continent Regional Educational Lab., Aurora,
INSTIiUTION
CO.
Offize of Educational Research and Improvement (ED),
SPONS AGENCY
Washington, DC.
PUB DATE
92
CONTRACT
RI-91-002-005
NOTE
142p.; The manual "A+chieving Excellence," is not
available from ERIC.
PUB TYPE
Non-Classroom Use (055)
Guides
Multilingual/Bilingual Matevials (171)
LANGUAGE
English; Spanish
EDRS PRICE
MF01/PC06 Plus Postage.
Academic Achievelnent; Change Strategies; Educational
DESCRIPTORS
Change; *Educational Improvement; Educational
Quality; Elementary Secondary Education; *Excellence
in Education; Management Systems; *Organizational
Development; Parent Participation; Participative
Decision Making; *School Based Management; *School
Effectiveness
ABSTRACT
The parents' guide in English and Spanish versions,
offers a synthesis of the Mid-Continent Regional Educational
Laboratory's (McRel) "A+chieving Excellence," a 480-page manual on
educational decision-making and management. Four sections examine
four broad areas in which policies must be established for improving
student achievement--efficiency, effectiveaess, excellence, and
leadership and organizational development. Each policy area presents
three possible strategies that can direct change. Accompanying each
strategy are short descriptions of research-based methods for
achieving some aspect of school improvement. The first section
provides strategies for building an organization that will support
change, monitor implementation, and establish a site-based
decision-making process. A school's use of instructional time to
maximize the amount of student learning time is examined in the
second section. Section 3 looks at the extent to which students are
successful in class, regardless of socioeconomic, gender, and racial
differences. The last section explores how schools can be redesigned
to make learning relevant to the needs of students who will be living
in the 21st century. (Contains 71 references.) (LMI)
***********************************************************************
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
***********************************************************************
NOTEWORTHY
A parents guide to site-based decision making
fr
U.E. DEPARTMENT OP EDUCATION
Olec ol EtkirAbOnlla Research and Imprommumt
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
CENTER (ERIC)
1:14
document Me been reproduced as
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IIEST COPY AVAILABLE
One of the primary strengths of A4 is the framework displayed inside the cover page
foldout. It lays out four broad areas in which policies must be established if student
green for
achievement is to be realized. The policies are shown in four different colors
policies related to efficiency in the use of time; blue for the effectiveness of curriculum
and instruction; red for the relevance of the school's goals and vision, and; purple for
the organizational structure that supports improvement.
Each policy area is divided into three possible strategies that can direct change.
Accompanying each strategy are short descriptions of research-based, generally proven
methods for achieving some aspect of school improvement.
To implement A+, McREL staff recommends a seven step process.
Seven steps to using A+
1. Develop a decision-making process.
2. Collect information about the school's current Efficiency, Effectiveness and
Excellence.
3. Analyze the collected data and select a starting point for implementing A4.
4. Select appropriate tactics.
5. Set long range goals and develop a plan for A+chieving Excellence.
6. Implement the pl%n at the organizational and instructioi,
vel.
7. Adapt and insti' utionalize the most productive tactics.
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I
A PARENT'S GUIDE TO
A+ chieving Excellence
As more and more schools and districts work to make educating children a collabora-
tive effort, they are turning to site-based approaches to managemmt. What does that
mean? It means people have recognized that many decisions about local schools are best
made by educators, parents and community members at the school site and not by those at
the central office or the administration building.
are providing
and even some state departments of education
Administration offices
fewer mandates to schools, offering greater service and support than in the past.
What does this mean to parents who have longed to provide a greater service to their
child's education than their annual contribution to the bake sale? It's good news! From the
entire state of Kentucky, to large cities like Denver and Chicago, legislation and contracts
have been enacted to establish "site-based management" or "collaborative decision-mak-
ing" councils at individual school buildings. Parents are represented on each of these
and in Chicago, even constitute the majority vote on the council.
councils
While such councils open up exciting opportunities for school change and improve-
ment, they are by no means a magic pill or quick fix for all that may ail a school. Such
councils take the efforts of dedicated members to be effective.
If you have been a parent on the sideline and are ready to enter the game (or you may
have already been selected to such a site-based council), this journal is for you. It provides
brief definitions of terms educators use, background information on various educational
improvement efforts, a vision of what excellent schools look like, and the personal commu-
nication and team-building skills that can make change happen.
This copy of Noteworthy provides a synthesis of the Mid-continent Regional Educational
Laboratory's (McREL) A+chieving Excellence, a 480-page manual (with support materials) on
educational decision making and management. For information on ordering copies of the
complete manual, see the back page.
Even if you don't get the full manual or your school isn't using A+, we think you will
find this information useful. Information about obtaining additional copies of this Notewor-
thy can be obtained by contacting McREL, 303-337-0990.
C.L. Hutchins
Executive Director
McREL is a non-profit organization, funded, in part, by the U.S. Depart:nent of Education, Office of Educa-
tional Research and Inprvvement, under Contract Number 91-002-005. The content of this publication
does not necessarily reflect the views of OERI, the Department or any other agency of the U. S. Govern-
I
ment. McREL, founded in 1966, serves a seven state region: Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska,
North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.
Spring 1992
there are an
A+chieving Excellence focuses on student achievement. While
decision-making
endless number of areas for a site-based or collaborative
they fail to
committee to consider few will create meaningful change if
improve student achievement.
CONTENTS
Leadership and Organizational Development
3
3 Management and Participation
10 Human Development
16 Needs Assessment Tools
17 Efficiency
19 School Management
23 Classroom Management
27 Student Management
?MEL
Effectiveness
33
35 Curriculum and Assessment
Mid-continent
40 Motivation and Expectations
Regional
Educational
45 Instruction
Laboratory
2550 S. Parker Rd.,
51 Excellence
Suite 500, Aurora,
52 Strategic Analysis
CO 80014 (303-
55 Restructuring
337-0990); and
3100 Broadway,
57 Design
Suite 209, Kansas
City, MO 64111
62 Closing
(816-756-2401)
Senior Author,
Editor:
C.L. Hutchins
Executive
Director
Editors:
Fran Mayeski
copyrighted work from the
This material is drawn from A+chieving Excellence, a
Mark W. Salley
This material is
McREL Institute. Copyright 1990, 1991. All rights reserved.
with permission
printed by the Mid-continent Regional Educational Laboratory
Design:
from McREL Institute, 1992.
De Paul Designs
4.
NOTEWORTHY 1992
AfREL
2
LEADERSHIP
and ORGANIZATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
site-based
This section provides strategies for building an organization that will
management
support change, ways to monitor implementation, and how to set up
making manage-
a site-based decision-making process.
ment decisions at
the school site or
building. ...Site-
Strategyl.
based manage-
Management and Participation
ment is based on
the belief that
better decisions
will be made on
students? How should schools treat stu-
Leadership
issues that
dents and teachers?
Motivating - Getting people to work
impact students
together requires getting them to agree
Leadership is the process of persuasion or example
when they are
on goals and see how their personal ef-
by which an individual (or leadership team) induces
made as close to
fort contributes to the achievement of
a group to pursue objectives held by the leader or
the classroom as
the organization's goals.
shared by the leader and his or her followers.
possible.
Managing - Leaders must:
- John Gardner,
-Plan and set priorities
While there is often one person who is the
-Organize activities
"leader" by position or power, leadership is a
-Keep things going
shared proce3s. Most people are leaders and
-Make decisions
-Exercise political judgment
followers at the same time. They may be a leader
Leaders may delegate these tasks to
in one instance and a follower in other areas of
others.
their lives.
Achieving workable unity-Leadership
Leadership tasks may be performed by one
is difficult in an increasingly diverse so-
or more persons. The quality of an organization
Leadership
ciety. The process starts with recogniz-
depends on having leaders who perform all of
It also in-
ing and valuing differences.
the following tasks (Gardner):
Management &
volves pursuing goals which benefit all
Participation
groups. When there is a respect for dif-
Froviding a vision - Providing a vision of
ferent points of view, it is possible to
the future and setting goals. People must
Leadership
better serve the needs of everyone.
be able to see that things can be better and
CDM
Norms
changes are worth the effort.
Trust- A key to modern management is
Leaders
Roles
that managers must be trusted. As some
must see the "big picture" and think long-
CRAM
people say, "You have to walk the talk."
term. They must be able to communicate
Change beliefs
Leaders should not use the organization
that vision to others.
Problem sensing
ccountability
for their own gain. They should put the
Affirming values - Leaders must identify
school - and the people in it - ahead of
the values that parents and teachers have
for schools. What's most important for
themselves. This builds trust.
NOTEWORTHY 1992 MEL
3
responsible for supervision of an employee
Explaining-Explaining may be as simple
under labor laws, a consultative approach is
as telling people about the organization
necessary or something like a performance
or as difficult as helping people make
evaluation).
tough decisions. Leaders teach others by
Shared decisions- When the decision is allo-
giving them the information they need
cated to the full group and widespread par-
to make decisions and move ahead.
ticipation is needed (i.e., if teachers are ex-
Serving as a symbol - Leaders represent
pected to implement a complex program,
the organization to thecommunity. Their
their agreement with the decision enhances
behavior has to signal the values of the
the probability they will implement it).
organization and its visbn. Many will
judge an orGanization by its leader.
Which decision-making method to use for
Renewing and change - Leaders help
which issue is influenced by five major forces:
people change. They must reassure
1. The extent to which people are affected
people who are frightened by change
by the decision - and the extent to which
and show them how they can benefit
these individuals' behavior can influence
from change. They must build confi-
the success of the decision
dence and remove obstacles, while find-
If, after theclassroomdoor is shut,a teacher
ing the resources the followers need.
collaborative
can decide to ignore a decision, then it is
They also have to resolve conflicts and
decision mak-
very important to invest the time to make
organize group effort.
ing
making
a decision through consensus or unani-
mous consent.
Leadership becomes a reality when leaders
decisions
2. The importance of the decision to the
commit their energies to deveioping the most
through working
organization's mission and its survival
important resource, people.
...This
together.
.
The more the decision could affect sur-
term is often
vival, the greater the necessity for the top
used inter-
level decision maker to use command or
For ex-
consultative decision making.
changeably with
Collaborative
ample, if the state requires that safety regu-
site-based deci-
decision making
lations be observed, or that certain pro-
sion making.
grams be implemented or the school will
Generally speak-
be censured in some way consultation is
Site-based management or collaborative de-
ing, many site-
great, but ultimately a command decision
cision making (CDM) is based on the belief that
must be made.
based decisions
better decisions will be made on issues that
3. The degree to which there is only one
impact students when decisions are made as
(but not all) are
right answer
close to the classroom as possible.
made through
If there is clearly only one right answer, as
It is important that everyone is clear about
some type of
might be the case in complying with a Jaw
how much authority a group has to make deci-
or board policy, a command decision is
collaborative
sions. How much power has been delegated to
If there is no right or best
appropriate.
process.
the group?
answer, as might be the case in selecting a
Types of decisions
textbook or designing a reading program,
Command decisions When the decision is
then a shared or consensus decision is best.
assigned to a single person or group and
4. The speed with which the decision must
the decision cannot be overturned by any-
be made
one at the same or lower level in the organi-
When speed is of the essence, then col-
zation (i.e., a teacher could not overturn a
laboration may not be possible because
principal's decision about bus routes or a
effective collaboration takes time. For ex-
teacher overturn another teacher's decision
ample, emergencies that involve signifi-
about classroom rules).
cant risks to health often require an au-
Consultative decisions-When the decision
thority rule decision.
is assigned to a single person or group but
5. The degree of accountability
the decision is made only after gathering
Effective empowerment is a combination
the opinions of others. Like the command
of involvement, influence and account-
decision, it cannot be overturned by any-
If a group has power to make a
ability.
one at the same or lower level in the organi-
decision, it also must be held accountable
zation (i.e., if a principal will be held legally
for that decision. A consensus or shared
MEL NOTEWORTHY 1992
4
9
decision would be appropriate in these
everyone affected by a school should partici-
pate in the most important decisions. Thus, it
circumstances.
is recommended that the CDM should serve
If an individual, such as the building ad-
as a steering committee, facilitating decisions
ministrator, is to be held accountable for
that everyone participates in making.
the group's decision and he or she does not
fully agree with the group's position, the
individual must have input on how the
Five decision-making tactics
decision is to be made. A consensus form
Here are five tactics for making shared
of decision making could be risky for the
decisions. With each you must first use the
individual. It is imperative that this deci-
nominal group process or brainstorming
sion-about how the decision is to be made
process (described on page 9) to identify issues
- is determined before the group makes the
or problems.
decision.
The consensus grid - have each member of
1.
the group rank order the problems or issues.
In the full A+ manual there is a list of possible
Tally the rankings of each member, using the
decision areas a CDM committee might make.
points totals to define which issues to address
Not all these decisions should be made by con-
first.
sensus. The committee should decide which
Top and bottom - each member looks at
2.
types of decision making methods will be used
their list of issues and silently lists his or her
for different decision making situations.
(See
top three and bottom three choices. Scores are
below)
tallied and reported. No item on anyone's
bottom choices can be a consensus choice for
Committee composition
further action.
Who should be involved in a Collaborative
ABC - Rather than numbering, each
3.
Decision-Making (CDM) committee? Most
member grades each issue either A., B or C.
CDM models start with teacher involvement
Grades are tallied to determine which issues
and others go on to include parents, classified
are graded most important.
staff, administrators, business people and
10 votes - Each member has 10 votes with
4.
students. Keep in mind that in creating a CDM
which to rate the importance of identified
committee, you want to avoid having it just
issues. An individual may use all 10 votes on
become another level of a bureaucracy. Philo-
one issue or spread the votes around.
sophically, A+ is Fredicated on the belief that
Three Shared Decision-Making Methods
Majority Rule
Possible solutions or actions are presented and the group votes on them. After the vote
everyone is expected to accept and work with the majority decision. Sometimes the advan-
tages and disadvantages of the various options receive only cursory attention, if any.
Consensus
Everyone has had the opportunity to influence the decision and is willing to go along with it. A
consensus decision blends elements of majority rule with unanimous consent. "They are like
majority rule in that, if people were asked to vote, they might still have their preferences for how
to solve the problem. But at this point they are also willing to commit to a particular solution and
do their best to make it work, which is like unanimous decisions." (Randolph)
Although consensus takes time, it tends to generate good decision quality and acceptance by
group members. The use of consensus also can build a climate that increases the likelihood of
acceptance of authority rule decisions when they are necessary.
Unanimous Consent
Everyone in the group feels a particular course of action is the best one. Since there is unani-
mous acceptance of the decision, the implementation of the decision is facilitated. These
lire a great deal of time.
decisions usually
rc
NOTEWORTHY 1992 /Iran
5
4
0
Organizational norms
Guidelines
for Consensus Building
Organizations have their own culture, their own
way of doing things The way to change an
Some guidelines for individuals trying to
organization's culture is to change its "norms."
achieve consensus include the following:
If you can look at an organizational behavior and
Avoid arguing for your own position.
say, "we have always done it that way," chances
Present your position clearly and
are you have identified a norm. What we know
logically, but listen to other members'
about successful organizations is they are inno-
reactions and carefully consider their
comments before pressing your point.
vative and adaptive, as opposed to bureaucratic
Do not assume someone must win and
and rigid. They are not bound by rigid norms.
someone lose when discussion reaches
"Culture" includes .all the habits, values,
a stalemate. Instead, look for the next
beliefs and behaviors of the people within an
most acceptable alternative for all
If individuals are to learn and
organization.
parties.
change, then the culture must reward those traits
Differences of opinion are natural and
and habits which encourage learning.
expected. Seek them out and try to
The full A* manual provides a list of areas by
involve everyone in the decision.
which culture is defined.
Disagreements can help the group's
decision because, with a wide range of
culture
in-
information and opinions, there is a
cludes all the
greater chance that the group will find a
better solution.
habits, values,
Roles
If there is a minority that remains
beliefs and
resistant to the course of action, a true
behaviors of the
consensus decision cannot be reached.
Everyone has a role in the education process,
The decision, in effect, becomes one of
people within a
from the taxpayer to the teacher and the princi-
majority rule. McREL suggests that
county, an
In the past those roles have been pretty
pal.
when this occurs, the group agrees to
organization or a
narrowly defined. Taxpayers footed the bill,
revisit the decision at a later time to
teachers taught and the principals "took care of
examine how well the decision is
school building
working and to modify it if necessary.
business."
Today those roles are changing
or are at
least being looked at more critically. Taxpayers
are calling for more accountability for how their
bureaucracy
monies are spent. Teachers, principals and oth-
Fist to five - This can be a visual means of
5.
ers are collaborating to make better decisions.
the concentration
determining approval or resistance. As issues
The changes brought about by collaborative
of authority in a
or directions are stated by the group facilitator,
decision making require administrators, teach-
complex struc-
the group is asked for a "fist to five" representa-
ers, parents and community members to forge
tion of their feelings. A fist means: that's a
ture of adminis-
new roles and responsibilities.
dumb idea, I'm going to block it.
finger
One
trative units
Often there is resistance to the changing of
indicates:
I don't agree, but I won't block it.
roles and responsibilities. For many, maintain-
Two
fingers means: it's not my first choice, but
ing the status quo
no matter how bleak - is
I'll try. Three fingers means: I'm neutral. Four
better and more comfortable than undergoing
fingers means: it's a good idea and I'll work for
change. Until resistance to change is recognized
it. Five fingers means: it's a great idea and I'll
and confronted, it wili continue to hinder school
be a leader in implementing it.
improvement.
conflict and ambiguity
Role
When the rights, duties, responsibilities and
limits of a role are not clearly defined, role ambi-
guity occurs. Teachers and parents serving on
leadership teams often find their roles are not
clearly defined. When roles are ambiguous, the
workers are more likely to feel a lack of involve-
ment than when roles are clearly defined.
(Schwab and Iwanicki)
MEL NOTEWORTHY 1992
6
t