A Study of the Public School Problem: “Where Does Policy Making End and Administration Begin?”

Abstract

Local school board members and administrators are the people who have the greatest impact on their local school programs, yet few citizens understand the responsibilities and boundaries of these positions. In this paper, the author asserts that a school’s future is not determined by state/federal educational policy as much as it is by the attitudes its board members have toward one another, as well as toward their administrators. The author attempts to understand the divide between Brockport Central School board members and school administrators during the formulation and execution of existing school policy. The researcher obtained initial data by creating and distributing surveys to eight past/present Monroe County school administrators and seven past/present Brockport school board members. Six administrators and five board members replied, however their individual replies were kept separate from their identifying information, rendering their replies anonymous. Results showed that administrators felt that policy making was the responsibility of the board, not the administrators, and that policies should be in a constant state of review. Board members, however, perceived that while the board is the primary policy-making group, administrative input is essential. Respondents reported encountering restrictive thinking, biases about “pet” ideas, and a general lack of understanding about the difference between policy making and administration among board members and administrators. The author concludes the paper by reaffirming that education success relies on the strength of the relationship between a schools’ board and administrators, and asserts that a strong public relation program is likely to solve almost any school issue.