The case for school-based management

The time has come for the PSS to consider site-based management, also known as school-based management. School-based management restructures relationships between the central office and school sites in a manner that places more power, authority, and accountability in the schools. When adapted properly, it offers a promise for schools and the central office to improve its educational system and help students reach higher levels of achievement.

School-based management aims to give schools – administrators, teachers, parents, and other community members – more control over what happens in schools. Basically the schools would have greater freedom in budget controls, hiring and retention of teachers, selection of books, and curriculum controls.

It is a well documented fact that public school systems which are bureaucratically structured to emphasize productivity and efficiency are failing to meet the educational needs of our youth. They have failed to adequately prepare large numbers of students to become productive, gainfully employed members of society.

Today’s students are living in a vastly different world from the factory model school system of the 1900’s which was adequate for the day. A one-size school system does not fit all. New approaches must be initiated if we are to improve the education of our youth.

Many competitors are knocking on the doors of the public school system ready to take away its students. Charter schools are beginning to flourish. The voucher system is slowly taking hold in many communities. Private schools are planning new strategy on how to grow at the expense of the public school system. Some school districts are experimenting with contracting out to private firms actual teaching of students. All these innovative ideas are a challenge to the public school system.

If it is to maintain its lead, the PSS will have to improve its performance in educating children. Like corporations, public schools are being asked to consider not only the needs and demands of their customers, but also the threat of their competitors.

For years the small private schools have been totally school-based management and have earned an excellent reputation for educating students. Let’s name them: Mount Carmel School, Grace Christian Academy, Marianas Baptist Academy, Whispering Palms, Calvary Christian Academy, Saipan Community School, Saipan International School, and Seventh Day Adventist School.

The question is how do these schools without any central office control and government funding and mountains of regulations turn out students not only outstanding in academics but in character development as well.

Is it perhaps that their success can be attributed to high and serious parental involvement? Or that discipline is tightly maintained, yet students are not inhibited in their expression? Is it because character development training is equally important with academics? Is it that the private schools understand that their only reason for being is to produce educated students? Should they fail to do so, they will have no students to teach and as a result their doors will be shut permanently.

Properly organized and with full cooperation of all parties involved, school-based management should result in the following:

1. Administrators, school board, teachers, parents, and communities working together to improve teaching and learning;

2. An improved teaching and learning environment throughout the school and improved student achievement as measured in a variety of ways;

3. Realistic budgeting and alignment of financial and instructional resources;

4. Renewed sense of school ownership and accountability among staff, teachers, students, parents, and the community.

School-based management is not the panacea that will solve all of education’s problems, but coupled with other innovative approaches, perhaps the public school system will improve and students will become better educated. Let’s look into school-based management as other communities are doing. It’s an idea whose time has come.

Strictly a personal view. Anthony Pellegrino writes every Monday and Tuesday. Mr. Pellegrino can be reached at tonypell@saipan.com