Citizens' advisory committees in education

This qualitative study examined the role expectations of participants on School Advisory Councils (SACs). Selected teachers, principals, parents, and community members were interviewed, SAC meetings observed, and SAC documents analyzed in an investigation into the roles of the SAC and SACs' impact on school reform. Data was transcribed, coded, triangulated, and analyzed to understand the views of SAC members. The study resulted in nine major findings: (a) State and local policies are unclear about the actual role of SAC, (b) past histories and current contexts shaped participation in SAC, (c) involvement in SAC was a result of personal motivation, (d) availability of information was an important reason for participation in SAC, (e) SAC participation brought the opportunity to have a voice and vote, (f) reform of curriculum, instruction, and assessment was not addressed by SAC, (g) SAC serves mainly as support, (h) the accomplishments of SAC are elusive, and (i) principals and chairs of SAC have the clearest view of the role of the SAC. The study concludes that SAC makes no significant impact on school reform, that connections between SAC and school reform are difficult to identify and recommends further research, a lessening of emphasis on high-risk, state-mandated assessments; and a change in state law to clarify the role of SAC.

The purpose of this study was to determine if there are perceived differences in salient dimensions of the role of the urban advisory council chairperson among principals, advisory council chairpersons, and advisory council members, as well as between Community Schools and non-Community Schools. To measure the perceived role of the urban advisory council chairperson along five salient dimensions, an initial survey instrument was developed and administered to forty-one Assistant Principals for Community Education. The results were factor analyzed, and the final survey instrument was expanded to the following eight salient dimensions: (1) Degree of Participation; (2) Linkage Between School and Community; (3) Shared Authority with Principal; (4) Parameters of Concern; (5) Responsibility for Council Operation; (6) Training; (7) Operational Involvement; (8) Leadership Experience. The three populations in this Dade County, Florida, study (principals, advisory council chairpersons, and advisory council members) were stratified into Community Schools and non-Community Schools. A cluster sampling method was used. Schools were randomly selected, and at each school the principal, the advisory council chairperson, and an advisory council member became part of the respective sample groups. The final survey instrument was sent to twenty-five persons in each of the six cells of the experimental design. The overall return rate was 82.7 percent with no cell less than 76 percent. Using the data from the final survey instrument, the hypotheses were tested with the Multivariate Analysis of Variance program at the Florida Atlantic University Computer Center. Of the three null hypotheses in this study, one was rejected and two were not rejected. The salient dimension, Responsibility for Council Operation, shows a significant difference in the perceived role of the advisory council chairperson between the principals and the representatives of the advisory council (chairpersons and members). No significant difference was found in any of the salient dimensions of the perceived role of the advisory council chairperson between Community Schools and non-Community Schools. Finally, it was found there is no significant interaction between the positions and the school types. Based on this study, it can be concluded that principals, advisory council chairpersons, and advisory council members do not hold similar perceptions of the role of the urban advisory council chairperson based on the salient dimension, Responsibility for Council Operation.

This study examines the roles of community school coordinators
and community school advisory council members, the satisfactions
they derive from their council participation, and
their interactions. This study examines the relationships
between the level of satisfaction both derive from their
roles and perceptions of their participation in leadership
and council operations. The results of this analysis appear to
support both hypotheses. The highest canonical variate sets
for coordinators are: (1) Achievement, Personal-Interpersonal;
(2) Decision-Making, Goal Setting; (3) Responsibility,
Work Itself. Those highest for council members are:
(1) Achievement, Recognition, Monetary; (2) Leadership,
Decision-Making; (3) Personal-Interpersonal; (4) Work Itself,
Recognition; (5) Communication, Control; (6) Monetary,
Supervision, Achievement; (7) Goal Setting, Leadership. The
results, while not dramatically conclusive, imply that the
instruments employed are operable in community schools.

This study examined the effectiveness of citizen participation
strategies occurring most frequently in the administration of educational
programs.
Determining the most frequently occurring citizen participation
strategies required an exhaustive search of case studies noting the frequency
of occurrence of the various strategies. A second search of the
case studies yielded twenty critical criteria or issues which were frequently
mentioned in the selection of a particular citizen participation
strategy. Strategies found to occur most frequently were the public
hearing, advisory committees, organizations and workshops.
A panel of experts was randomly selected from a list of educational
leaders with experience in citizen participation. A questionnaire
was drafted, field tested and then mailed to each expert.
It was found that educational leaders rank the advisory committee
strategy as the most effective strategy followed by the workshop, organizations
and public hearings. Another conclusion reached was that when specific criteria are suggested, the preferred strategy is subject to
change based on the criteria and circunstance of the situation.
The study further revealed that when a specific criteria or issue
is weighted most heavily, the educational leaders identify different
strategies as being most effective for the various circumstances. Differences
in the frequencies of first choice responses within the demographic
categories were also interpreted to be significant by the chi-square
test.