Parent Involvement in Shared Decision Making: Barriers to Democratic Participation in Urban Elementary Schools

John Diamond

IPR working papers from Institute for Policy Resarch at Northwestern University

Abstract: Parent involvement in shared decision making (SDM) is currently a popular concept in school restructuring literature and practice. In many SDM reforms, it is assumed that all adult stakeholders will participate democratically in decision making. This paper questions that assumption. It explores the process of participation on management teams in four urban elementary schools, identifying important barriers to democratic involvement on the part of parents. Findings suggest that tokenism and negative teacher and principal attitudes combine to inhibit democratic participation. Failure to recognize and overcome these barriers can lead to the symbolic empowerment of parents while leaving control over decision making in the hands of principals and certain school staff.

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:wop:nwuipr:96-8

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