Abstract
The Problem. With passage of the Rodda Act in 1975, a gradual erosion of the policy-making authority of school boards has occurred, and the collective bargaining process has evolved not only into a struggle for power, but also into a hierarchical structure in which issues decided by a small group have profoundly affected the ability of governing boards to execute their duties. This study (1) investigated the relationship between the collective bargaining processes used by elementary school districts and the degree of strategic planning which occurred prior to formal bargaining, and (2) focused on the impact of these two factors upon negotiating a contract favorable to retention of management prerogatives. Research Methodology. Using a descriptive approach, data collected through a questionnaire were described and analyzed for an entire population. In treating the data as a hypothetical sample, nonparametric tests were applied. Findings. Major findings included the following: (1) The most critical element in both strategic planning and retention of management prerogatives, is the involvement of principals. (2) Utilization of an external negotiator, inclusion of principals as negotiating team members, and assumption of a passive role by team members at the table in deference to a chief spokesperson, facilitates better strategic planning and results in a more favorable contract relative to retention of policy areas as management prerogatives. (3) There is little correlation between the degree of strategic planning implemented prior to negotiations, and the retention of policy areas as management prerogatives. Recommendations. Eight recommendations for future studies were proposed on topics related to bargaining processes and strategic planning; e.g., the critical nature of the role of middle management in the outcome of the final contract, and the relationship of strategic planning to policy retention.