Description
Shared governance is the process through which people democratically
decide how to bring the covenant to life in the school. The shared
governance process includes agreements as to how decisions are made
and which roles will be assumed by administrators, teachers, staff,
students, parents, and community members. Defining the structure and
composition of decision-making bodies and the process by which decisions
are made are crucial components. Time and energy must be taken to
ensure that everyone understands the rules so that all can benefit
from them. In busy schools this is not as obvious or simple as it
sounds. Rules of governance must be democratically established before
decisions are made, not as decisions are being made.
A shared
governance model documents that the decision-making process is democratic
and accessible to all. A clearly written shared governance model that
lays out how decisions are to be made ensures that all in the school
know the rules, and that processes and procedures will not change
on the whims of a few or for expediency. Schools trying to implement
a new decision-making process sometimes find themselves with two
decision-making processes functioning at once: the old process and
the new process. Creating a specific shared governance model can help
a school pick its way through this difficult transition.
Q
& A
1.
Is there a difference between "shared governance" and "site-based
management?
Yes.
Shared governance implies that decisions will be made in a democratic
way, and that many if not all people will be able to participate in
making decisions. Site-based management only means that decisions
will be made at the school rather than at the central office; it doesn't
say who will make the decisions. Site-based management decisions can
be made in a traditional top down way by the principal.
2.
What kinds of decisions does a shared governance council make and
how do these decisions affect students?
The
roles and responsibilities of the shared governance council are determined
by the covenant of teaching and learning. The council should focus
on bringing the covenant to life, which means that the decisions they
make will directly affect the teaching and learning process. Thus,
if the covenant is focused on teaching and learning and the council
defines their role as bringing the covenant to life, then they will
make high-impact decisions regarding curriculum, instruction, and
the learning climate. Such decisions should result in the improved
academic performance and personal development of students.
3.
Who should be included in the shared governance process? What decisions
should the principal make, and what decisions should the faculty make?
The
goal of shared governance is to get everyone involved in decisions
concerning the teaching and learning process. Leadership teams or
councils should have a majority of teachers. Nobody has the luxury
of sitting back and complaining; everyone should be a part of the
discussions, reading, reflecting, and sharing that go into the decision-making
process.
Those
on leadership teams are not so much decision makers as they are caretakers
of the process. Their job is to make sure that everyone has opportunities
to participate. There is a difference between the way shared governance
works at schools and the way that our city, state, and federal governments
work. In schools, the point is not to elect leaders that think for
you'. Everyone is thinking, and the leaders see to it that this process
is followed.
Each
school needs to decide for itself what decisions are to be made through
the shared governance process and what decisions are made by the administration.
Again, the League advocates that the principal actively participate
in the shared governance process aimed at teaching and learning. The
principal also takes a much bigger role in all other decisions, either
by making them alone or through delegating,. At times, the central
office
must delegate some decisions to the principal. The key point is that
only the teaching and learning decisions go through the time-consuming
shared governance process, while all other decisions are made through
more efficient channels.
4.
What if we all don't agree? Do we vote? Does the district office or
the principal have veto power?
Perhaps
one of the best solutions to the question is this: Leadership teams
first try to reach consensus, and if they are not able to do that,
they then vote. The question then becomes: What percentage does it
take to pass-a simple majority, two-thirds? The most balanced answer
would probably be a 60 to 70% vote. Such a percentage range is more
than a simple majority, but not so high as to give a few people veto
power.
Veto
power does exist at the level of the district office. Likewise, the
principal also possesses veto power, and the extent and use of such
power should be made very clear within each school and system. Apart
from decisions that are ultimately made by the district office or
the principal, decisions that go through the formal shared governance
process should not be subject to veto power by anyone.
It's
important to remember that the way shared governance is supposed to
work is that once decisions are made the school monitors the effects
of these decisions through action research. The process includes voting,
acting, and rethinking. That is, we vote on things, try them, and
if they don't work out the way we hoped, we rethink our decisions.
This process may help prevent people from getting too polarized in
regard to their stance on
a particular decision.