Are We on the Same Page? Determinants of School Board Member Understanding of Group Accountability Perceptions

This article connects the accountability and small group dynamics literature by testing several hypotheses related to the link between perceived dynamics on American school boards and board member agreement on accountability perceptions. The authors conclude that board members who view their boards as productive, low-conflict, and active, are more likely to be in agreement with their fellow members’ perceptions of accountability. The results are of use to scholars seeking to understand the relationships between small group dynamics, accountability, and performance on governing boards.     

A Little Representation Goes a Long Way: Minority Teacher Representation and District Performance in a Highly Homogenous Context

In this article data from Wisconsin school districts is used to test and expand upon the theory of representative bureaucracy. The author first develops a metric measuring representativeness, and then uses three years of data to test the link between representativeness and school district performance. The analysis reveals that school districts with more representative teaching staffs exhibit higher levels of student performance. The results illustrate the link between representation and performance, the need for a broader conceptualization of minority when studying representation, and the potential benefits of representation for non-minority populations.