Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to identify the elements of a successful school district unification effort, to study the steps taken by cabinet-level administrative personnel to assure the success of unification in their school district, and to gather the perceptions of teachers at the site level relative to the success of the unification transition effort. Methodology. This study examined the school district unification processes in five Southern California school districts which unified in 1987 through 1989. Fourteen cabinet-level administrators from those districts were interviewed by the researcher. Elementary and secondary teachers from four of the five districts studied responded to questionnaires designed by the researcher. The data were analyzed to provide insight into those areas perceived, by teachers and cabinet-level administrators, to be critical elements of a successful transition to unified status. Findings and conclusions. This study found that it is important to have sufficient time to plan for unification. These districts which had only a brief planning period had fragmentary, not comprehensive plans for unification. It also found that communication, a major aspect of all successful processes used to facilitate transition into unification, could be built through the involvement of employee organizations. As school district leaders prepare for the additional responsibilities of unification, the organizational structure may be modified to suit the political needs and/or tasks to be dealt with. Widespread employee and community involvement during the transition to unification is a good strategy for building ownership of the unification concept. Teachers involved in unification do not exhibit concerns about job security, but do report concern about role definition and potential changes in their reporting relationships.