Integrating Site-Based Management and Effective Schools Research for Policy Development

Shared decision making is a central tenet of site-based management. Effective educational policy should be an outgrowth of this shared decision making and provide direction for educational practice. To this end, this article provides a sequentially integrated approach to policy development. By incorporating analyses of foundations of educational decision making, accepted practices of site-based management, sound educational research, assessment of policy values, and a disciplined decision-making process, campus management teams can provide the effective, proactive leadership that society and the educational community demand and deserve. The model outlined is designed to provide educational leaders with an enhanced context within which one can effectively integrate site-based management principles and effective schools research that will result in policies and practices for more effective schools.