Abstract
Purpose and methodology. This study was to determine the differences in the perceptions of site administrators and teachers regarding the ways teachers should participate in School Based Management (SBM); the extent of teacher preparedness for SBM; the kind of training needed to prepare teachers for SBM; and to determine if years of experience in education, years of experience in administration, and gender make a significant difference in their perceptions. The data were collected using a questionnaire employing the scaled response method and open-ended questions. The method of analysis employed the independent t-test of differences of means for the administrators and the z-test of differences of means for the teachers. Findings. This study found that administrators and teachers perceive that teachers should not participate in evaluating teacher performance and setting grade level or course assignments. Teachers also expressed the view that hiring new staff members should not be part of the SBM process. Teachers and administrators view teachers as prepared for all issues of SBM except hiring new staff, evaluating teachers, developing staff accountability systems, and determining budgets. Both groups indicated that training in all areas of SBM was important for teacher participation. Experienced teachers disagree more than new teachers that teachers should hire staff and evaluate teachers. Experienced administrators disagree more than new administrators that items of personnel and budget should be included in SBM. The findings show little difference in perceptions of teachers based on their gender. Male administrators disagree more than female administrators that issues of personnel and budget should be included in SBM. Both gender groups would not include teacher evaluation as a component of SBM. Conclusions and recommendations. Teachers have not had the proper training or adequate exposure to facilitate their comfort with all issues of SBM or bolster the perceptions of administrators that the teachers can successfully participate in all of these issues. Training in all areas of SBM is crucial to facilitate full teacher participation in SBM. School districts need to be sensitive to potential differences in perceptions of administrators and teachers as well as years of experience, and gender of SBM participants with regard to their preparedness to participate in SBM.