Date of Award
4-6-1991
Document Type
Dissertation - NSU Access Only
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Center for the Advancement of Education
Abstract
This report describes a model created for assisting 15 elementary school principals in making the transition from a district-centered decision-making process to a school-centered decision making process. Issues requiring attention related to culture, trust between principles and central administration, inability of the principals to work together, lack of decision making processes, control of the group by a few principals, and a lack of an agreement upon a process on how they would conduct their business. The plan included administering a survey to the principals which indicated that there were significant discrepancies between District action and what the principals thought would be ideal to assist them in making the change to school-centered decision-making. Analysis indicates discrepancies in five areas: goals, curriculum, staff development, capital improvement (sites and facilities), and budget development. To assist principals in the transition, a variety of activities including workshops, agenda preparation, meeting organization, development of facilitation skills, decisions making strategies and the creation of a vision statement were acted upon and which will serve them as a guide for future actions. As a result of the practicum intervention, the decrease in the discrepancies ranged from 37 percent to 58 percent in four areas. In one area, capital improvement, the identified discrepancies increased by five percent. The program proved to be successful in preparing the principals for the move to school-center decision making.