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    To take all reasonable steps : what does this mean for school boards of trustees? : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2004) Niven-Simpson, Patricia Margaret
    This thesis explores the meaning of the legal phrase contained in s63 of the Education Act 1989, 'to take all reasonable steps'. It questions how Boards of Trustees in New Zealand schools view it and if and how it influences the ways they control their schools. The restructuring of education resulted from the adoption of neo-liberal economic theory by the Labour government in 1984. These reforms had the effect of devolving power to Boards of Trustees through a charter that acted as an undertaking by boards to implement community derived goals and objectives within a legislative and regulatory framework. The 1989 Act introduced the legal requirement 'to take all reasonable steps' that legislatively describes the wide discretion Boards have to control their schools within the parameters of that framework. No prior research into this specific legal requirement exists, and therefore this study extends into the domains of reasonableness in law, education and law, aspects of neo-liberal theory, concepts of power and empowerment, decision-making, and compliance. These domains informed the research approach, which explored the narratives of the members of school boards. The research demonstrates tensions between the intent of the NPM model of self-governing schools and the reality of self-governance for New Zealand schools. The study reveals a generally poor understanding of the legal requirement 'to take all reasonable steps' and the consequently minimal direct impact the requirement had on the ways the participating Boards governed and managed their schools. Further investigations revealed widely differing opinions over the meaning of this legal requirement and, in particular, the strong influence of government agencies on the ways these Boards attained assurance that their governance and management practices were reasonable. The research demonstrates that alternative influences, such as common sense and altruism were informing Boards' decision-making practices. The research concludes that the complexity of the legal concept of reasonableness and the seeming reluctance of the law to define its meaning in special circumstances limits its effectiveness as a tool for devolving power and discretion to Boards of Trustees.
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    Principal selection by Boards of Trustees : perception and process : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Educational Administration, Department of Education, Massey University
    (Massey University, 1995) Notman, G. Ross
    This research study examines three regional primary school Boards of Trustees in New Zealand leading up to the appointment of their new teaching principal. It focusses on trustee perceptions of educational leadership and on each Board's principal selection procedures. The conceptual and research framework identifies three areas for investigation: trustees' new employer role as a result of devolved educational control and their future training needs; the principal's dichotomous role as leader and manager of the school; and the efficacy of the principal selection process taking into account trustees' knowledge of the job, core principal qualities necessary for the position, identification of selection criteria, subjective factors and gender considerations. A qualitative case study approach was used to illuminate the selection process which involved a total of 17 trustees. The research design was based around four information sources: documentary analysis, questionnaire, observational recording of meeting discussions, and a focussed interview with each trustee. Results of the study showed that trustees' predominant perceptions of principal qualities lay in the area of personal relationships and practical teaching experiences, with a preference for leadership rather than managerial skills. Trustees were not yet comfortable in their employer role, and selection processes displayed weaknesses in assessment methodologies and their consistent application. Results also revealed the impact on trustees' decision-making of subjective factors such as selector impressionism, and of the concept of 'best fit' involving dual processes of job and person perceptions. As a consequence, the study recommends that future trustee selection training should be directed towards an understanding of employment legislation and of school leadership and management issues, and a greater proficiency in the use of valid assessment methods. These research findings have implications not only for trustee personnel training but for the expectations of a principal's role in today's schools, and for a broader definition of the principle of merit selection.