Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to describe the kinds of shared decisions that teachers make in six high schools in northern California that received SB1274 restructuring grants and to determine teachers' perceptions of the impact of these decisions on student learning. This study also described the practices and conditions that exist in these schools that support or limit teacher participation in site-based decision making. Methodology. A descriptive ex post facto study was conducted. Sixty-seven percent of 138 teachers returned a mailed survey and twenty teachers were interviewed. Quantitative data from surveys and qualitative data from interviews were used to create mean scores and frequency tables. A 2-test score was used to determine the range of sampling error. Findings. The decisions that teachers most frequently made were decisions about curriculum and instructional practices. These were also the decisions they wanted to make. Teachers reported that decisions about curriculum, instructional practices, and class schedule had the greatest influence on student learning. No schools had systems in place to measure the influence of their decisions on student learning. The leadership of the principal and shared responsibility for student learning were reported to be the most supportive conditions for teacher participation in shared decision making, while lack of time and lack of support from the district office were the most limiting. Conclusions. Teachers are most interested in decisions that are related to curriculum and instructional practices. Teacher commitment to process goals is a prerequisite to the implementation of student outcome goals and achievement targets. Until targets for student achievement are established, these schools will not be able to assess the relationship between shared site-based decision making and student learning. Recommendations. Future research studies should assess: (1) whether these schools established and achieved their student learning targets, (2) which specific decisions that teachers made about curriculum and instructional practices had the most impact on student learning, and (3) whether there is a difference between SB1274 and non-SB1274 high schools in the improvement of student learning.