s one approach that offers several promises, given that it does not propose to "fix" the problems of the education system from the top down, but rather proposes a bottom-up remedy.
The utilization of restructuring (i.e., school-based management) represents a constructive means by which school administrators, teachers, students, parents, the community, and other interested actors can concertedly act in the formation of a collaborative effort towards the provision of education.
Arguments/Findings in Favor of Restructuring
There are several arguments that are in favor of the use of restructuring, or school-site management (Chubb, 1987). Lane and Walberg (1989, p. 29) note that school-site management affords the local school decentralized planning, budgeting, in addition to an enhanced form of accountability. Given the control over their own planning and budgeting functions, local schools thus engender a balance being struck between school autonomy and the control had by the central office. Further, there are other advantages to this approach, including: the opportunity to focus on a manageable scope of operations; the use of vested decision-making; increased parent-school participation; and, more responsive curriculum development. In addition, decentralized communication, one of the results of school-site management, would make for fewer and less serious communication breakdowns, resulting in ill-informed policies, and the prevalence of autocratic management extended only to a few elites.
Barnes and Leslie (1988) indicate subsequent to the conduct of the Excellence in Education training program in Oakland, for which 80 of 240 school administrators and six school cluster directors managing 15 schools each received training on effective team-building practices, that the use of school-site management would result in increased focus on the administrative function, with particular emphasis being placed on the leadership sty...