“Building a better school is a team effort. If you’re the only player on the field, don’t expect to
win.”
One of the driving forces behind the move for education reform is the concept of shared
decision making. A by-product of the national focus on educational improvement is a renewed
interest in participating in the educational process by the various constituencies of a school.
● Staff members are no longer content with the traditional top-down management structure
and are demanding the opportunity to have a voice in designing the system within which
they work.
● The business community has recognized that if it wishes to impact outcomes of
education and the quality of workers available to operate its enterprises, then it must
take an active role in the schools where those outcomes are developed.
● Parents desire input into their children’s instructional program so that it reflects their
family philosophy and values, as well as the academic ambitions they have for their
children.
To operate effectively within this new school reform/improvement environment, staff,
parents, and community members all must have the opportunity for meaningful input into the
educational process. Many of the methods schools have long used to communicate with their
publics are no longer sufficient to meet today’s needs. If these publics are to have valid input
and involvement in school and district decisions, they must be informed about the critical issues
facing their schools.