Site-Based Dissonance

School Administrator, March, 1995

A 28-document produced by the state PTA last fall gave "considerable license" to parents serving on site councils, according to John Fotheringham, executive director of the Washington Association of School Administrators. "It is suggested that parents define their own involvement, determine how many parents should be on the council, determine the full range of decisions to be made by the council and be paid at the same rate as professional educators serving on the council."

Conspicuous by its absence, says Fotheringham, was any reference to the role of central-office leadership.

Jim Carpenter, the PTA's director, noting he was surprised by the administrators' reaction, says the document represents the views of 1,800 parents who were involved in focus groups or statewide surveys. "Parents are saying to us, 'That's how I feel. Our involvement has been menial and tokenism.'