school- based Management

A.    Definition of school- based Management

School- based management (SBM) is the decentralization of levels of authority to the school level. Responsibility and decision-making over school operations is tranferred to principals,teachers,parents,sometimes students, and other school community members. The school-level actors, however have to conform to, or operate, within a set of centrally determined policies.

In other respects, the world bank also defines the phrase slightly different.

School-based management (SBM) is a strategy to improve education by transferring significant decision-making authority from state and district offices to individual schools. SBM provides principals, teachers, students, and parents greater control over the education process by giving them responsibility for decisions about the budget, personnel, and the curriculum. Through the involvement of teachers, parents, and other community members in these key decisions, SBM can create more effective learning environments for children.

School-based management owes at least part of its roots to the business concept of total quality management, which asserts that decisions made closer to the actual product will produce a better product. Translated into school district language, the quality of the educational experience provided for students will improve if a partnership comprised of teachers, parents, business leaders and school leaders is the entity that creates the decisions affecting students and schools. (Barely discussed in the early literature are the concepts of accountability and performance measurement.)

Some school districts have preferred to jump in with both feet, adopting a sink or swim attitude toward the process; others began with something as small as an advisory council; but "most begin restructuring by developing a project or projects. Examples include new governance models, block scheduling, integrated curriculum, or technology labs" (Conley, 1992, p. 1). If they are to have any hope of succeeding, they must understand that "restructuring requires a systems perspective restructuring is rarely accomplished through a series of disconnected projects, no matter how innovative" (Conley, 1992, p. 1).

B.    Important of school- based management

According to the American Association of School Administrators (AASA), the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), and other sources, school- based management can:

• Allow competent individuals in the schools to make decisions that will improve learning;
• Give the entire school community a voice in key decisions;
• Focus accountability for decisions;
• Lead to greater creativity in the design of programs;
• Redirect resources to support the goals developed in each school;
• Lead to realistic budgeting as parents and teachers become more aware of the school's financial status, spending limitations, and the cost of its programs; and,
• Improve morale of teachers and nurture new leadership at all levels.

in Indonesia, there are two important reasons to explain why .... important to implement management systems and education.

               First, can improve the accountability of school principals and teachers to students, parents, and community. accountability mechanisms which originally still have to wait for a written report (if any) of the principal or the teacher, then the application of school-based management  since the beginning of what should be in the report could have been known earlier. 

               second, school-based management  give transparency to all stakeholders in providing advice and input to the determination of important policies needed by the school .. thus, the aspirations of all stakeholders is respected for being an important part and the determination of policies to be taken by the institution of school.

C.   SBM Affect to The Roles of The School Board and The Superintendent and District Office

The school board continues to establish a clear and unifying vision and to set broad policies for the district and the schools. SBM does not change the legal governance system of schools, and school boards do not give up authority by sharing authority (AASA/NAESP/NASSP, 1988). The board's role changes little in a conversion to SBM.

The superintendent and his or her district office staff facilitate the decisions made at the school level, and provide technical assistance when a school has difficulty translating the district's vision into high-quality programs. Developing student and staff performance standards and evaluating the schools are also the responsibility of the district staff.

The district office will generally continue to recruit potential employees, screen job applicants, and maintain information on qualified applicants from which the schools fill their vacancies. The district office may also specify curricular goals, objectives, and expected outcomes while leaving it up to the schools to determine the methods for producing the desired results. Some districts leave the choice of instructional materials to the schools, whereas others may require schools to use common texts.

D.   HOW ARE DECISIONS MADE AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL? 

Most districts create school management councils at each school that include the principal, representatives of parents and teachers, and, in some cases, other citizens, support staff, and--at the secondary level--students. The council conducts a needs assessment and develops a plan of action that includes statements of goals and measurable objectives, consistent with school board policies.

In some districts, the management council makes most school-level decisions. In other districts, the council advises the principal, who then makes the decisions. In both cases, the principal has a large role in the decision-making process, either as part of a team or as the final decisionmaker.

E.    WHAT IS NECESSARY WHEN IMPLEMENTING SBM? 

From the beginning, the school board and superintendent must be supportive of school-based management. They must trust the principals and councils to determine how to implement the district's goals at the individual schools.

It is important to have a written agreement that specifies the roles and responsibilities of the school board, superintendent and district office, principal, and SBM council. The agreement should explicitly state the standards against which each school will be held accountable. James Guthrie (1986) states that each school should produce an annual performance and planning report covering "how well the school is meeting its goals, how it deploys its resources, and what plans it has for the future."

Training in such areas as decision-making, problem solving, and group dynamics is necessary for all participating staff and community members, especially in the early years of implementation. To meet the new challenges of the job, principals may need additional training in leadership skills.

In summary:

• SBM must have the strong support of school staff.
• SBM is more successful if it is implemented gradually. It may take 5 years or more to implement SBM.
• School and district staff must be given administrative training, but also must learn how to adjust to new roles and channels of communication.
• Financial support must be provided to make training and time for regular staff meetings available.
• Central office administrators must transfer authority to principals, and principals in turn must share this authority with teachers and parents.

F.    WHAT ARE THE LIABILITIES OF SBM? 

Participitory decision-making sometimes creates frustration and is often slower than more autocratic methods. The council members must be able to work together on planning and budget matters. This leaves principals and teachers less time to devote to other aspects of their jobs. Teachers and community members who participate in the councils may need training in budget matters; some teachers may not be interested in the budget process or want to devote time to it.

Members of the school community must also beware of expectations that are too high. According to the AASA/NAESP/NASSP task force, districts that have had the most success with SBM have focused their expectations on two benefits--greater involvement in making decisions and making "better" decisions.

G.   The Advantages of SBM

The Advantages of SBM are :

1. Involving the staff in the decision making process, increases their commitment to and accountability for the decisions.
2. There is support for the allocation of funds within the school because of the participation in the decision and the understanding gained by being part of the discussion.
3. The school staff and administration experience professional growth. They learn to work as members of a team. Teachers are expected to collaborate. As well they are involved in budget decisions and conflict resolution.
4. Involvement in decision making leads to improved moral, because the staff feel they have more control over their work environment.
5. There is a school budget instead of a program budget. This allows the school more control over the allocation of funds.
6. Under SBM there is more effective spending. The decisions are prudent because the budget is known and the money belongs to the school. Also, it is easier to see the effects of the spending decisions at the school level.
7. Funding is more equitable under SBM. Per pupil allocations are visible and understandable. Differences in allocations must be justified.
8. Because of the per pupil allocation, SBM is adaptable to voucher funding and tuition credit schemes.
9. SBM allows the staff and administration to become behaviour models for the students. Staff is expected to become independent and self-reliant, which is consistent with the expectations for students.
10. SBM provides leadership opportunities for principals. They have expanded responsibilities and accountability.
11. The school becomes more responsive to the community. Local direction combined with the ability of schools to be different, allows schools to meet local needs.
12. Teachers are empowered to affect the quality of education.
13. Educational concerns are the highest priority. The money and power is based in the school. Combining this with the parent and community involvement results in an educational focus.
14. The educational constituency is enlarged. Involved parents become part of the system and advocates for the system.
15. SBM promotes the correlates of effective schools. These are:
• strong instructional leadership;
• high expectations;
• instructional focus;
• positive school climate;

and

• measurement of effectiveness

H.   The disadvantages of SBM

The disadvantages of SBM are:

• increased planning time needed to implement SBM;
• financial assistance may be need to implement SBM;
• there is an ongoing time commitment due to participation in committees and other planning groups;
• the transition is controversial;
• there may be labour relation problems due to conflicts with collective agreements;
• participatory management is not as efficient as autocratic management;

and

• there is no guarantee that SBM will lead to school improvement.