#6 What are the advantages and disadvantages of local, site-based management of schools?
Site-based management of schools involves some sort of representative decision-making council at a
school, which may share authority with the principal or be advisory alone. In addition to teachers, parents,
and the principal, site councils may include staff, community members, students, and business
representatives (David, 1995/96). Those who are the closest to the primary business of a school will make
the best-informed decisions regarding it. An advantage of site-based management is increased student
achievement. “Another premise of site-based management is that the way to enhance student learning is to
let education professionals make the important professional decisions” (David, 1995/96). Community
members’ engagement in their local school offers the most promise for building support. Without this
culture, student achievement is likely to deteriorate. Site-based management involves teachers in decisions
about their work and involves community members and parents as well. Local, site-based management of
schools allows everyone to have a voice. The entire community has a chance to collaborate and participate
in decisions for students, benefitting the entire society. Site-based management provides principals,
teachers, students, and parents greater control over the education process by giving them more
responsibility for decisions regarding budget, personnel, and the curriculum (Office of Research, 1993).
This can lead to more effective learning environments for students. According to several sources, site-based
management can allow competent individuals within a school to make decisions that will ultimately
improve learning; give the community a voice in decisions; focus accountability for decisions; lead to more
creativity; redirect resources to support goals; lead to realistic budgeting; and improve morale of teachers.
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A disadvantage of site-based management of schools is that the public will judge it prematurely on the
ultimate goals or not judge any of its goals but allow the process to take up time and energy for no purpose
at all (David, 1995/96). Many decision-makers involving themselves do not put in the hard work resulting
in no progress to improve a school. Sometimes this decision-making can create frustration between those
participating in site-based management so the members must be able to work together on matters regarding
the school and students. When teachers and staff participate in site-based management, they have less time
to devote to their jobs, and some teachers may not be versed in specific topics, such as a budget. Another
disadvantage of site-based management is that according to researchers, principals and faculty are not
prepared to engage in shared decision making (Holloway, 2000). Many site-based management teams are
not receiving training on how to develop and implement school improvement plans. Researchers also found
that schools are so involved in federal, state, and district mandates that the creation of site-based
management could not ensure new levels of decision-making power. This results in the school feeling
constrained by outside pressures and not understanding how site-based management works.
Overall, site-based management in schools is believed to produce excellent results in the teaching system.
It allows a school to have more responsibility and allow it to approach and solve problems on its own. Sitebased management gives more individuals in a community and school system a chance to voice their ideas
and concerns, and to have some responsibility in being a part of the improvement of an education system.
Resources
David, J. “The Who, What, and Why of Site-Based Management.” Educational Leadership, December
1995/January 1996,
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/dec95/vol53/num04/The_Who,_What,_and_Wh
y_of_Site-Based_Management.aspx
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“School-Based Management.” Office of Research, Jan 1993,
https://www2.ed.gov/pubs/OR/ConsumerGuides/baseman.html
Holloway, J. “The Promise and Pitfalls of Site-Based Management.” Educational Leadership, April 2000,
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/apr00/vol57/num07/_The_Promise_and_Pitfalls
_of_Site-Based_Management.aspx
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