ADM/541 School-Based Management

Course Description

This course is designed to provide information and direction for the formal implementation and maintenance of a school-based management model. The course will describe the roles of all stakeholders, including the district, governing board, and site councils, and analyze the importance of setting parameters on a district-wide basis to ensure quality and accountability. Students will determine how, when, and where to work with school reform as it is related to school-based management and school councils.

Topics and Objectives

Philosophy of School-Based Management

· Identify terms associated with school-based (site-based) management.

· Examine the historical perspective of school-based management.

· Analyze the advantages and disadvantages of school-based management.

School Reform

· Analyze the role of school reform in relation to school-based management.

· Compare and contrast changes in moving from centralization to decentralization.

· Analyze the implementation of legislation related to school-based management.

Administrative Processes

· Examine the role of motivation in site-based management and reform.

· Analyze governing board support and direction.

· Compare and contrast the role of district level administration and school-based management.

Changing Roles of School Personnel and Other Stakeholders

· Identify the role of the central office in decentralization.

· Examine the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders involved in school or site decision-making.

Communication Skills

· Identify the link between good communication and decision making.

· Examine the use of paraphrasing and active listening.

· Analyze barriers to communication.

Organizational Change

· Identify factors that influence change.

· Examine forces that resist change.

· Compare and contrast approaches that assist in the process of change.

School Council Makeup and Maintenance

· Examine school council makeup, selection, and focus.

· Examine team building, training, and evaluation activities.

· Demonstrate and analyze decision-making strategies.

Developing Mission, Vision and Goal Setting

· Describe the mission development process.

· Analyze the role of vision, mission, and goal statements.

· Determine the alignment of the school mission with the district mission.

Curriculum Development

· Examine approaches to curriculum development.

· Identify roles of site-based educators and district personnel in curriculum development.

· Describe potential areas of curriculum influence for site-based teams.

School Improvement

· Identify the role of school action planning.

· Analyze the role of accountability in the school plan.

· Identify the role of analyzing and improving teaching.