Opinion ID: 1843606
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: principals, teachers and parents must have a major role in instructional decisions.

Text: Principals, teachers and parents shall have the authority to participate in school-based decision-making relating to curriculum and instructional practices. An opportunity shall also be provided for input from the public and private sector, including students. Principals, teachers, and parents shall have significant input into the selection of faculty and staff and budgetary decisions. Plans for involvement of school staff and the community at large in the decision-making process shall be developed at the local school level. The implementation and effectiveness of those plans will be one of the factors considered in determining school success or failure for accountability purposes as set forth in section II hereinabove. Defendants shall submit specific guidelines governing these local plans to the Court within six months of the date of the Court's remedy order. Parties shall have 45 days from the date of the submission of these guidelines to file objections with the Court. These guidelines shall require that all schools receive appropriate training in school-based decision-making and shall provide that any school shall participate in school based decision-making when 60% of voting certificated school staff vote to do so and have received appropriate training. After five years from entry of this Order, any school shall participate in school based decision-making when 51% of voting certificated school staff vote to do so, and have received appropriate training. All voting provided for herein shall be by secret ballot. No school or school board shall subject school staff to direct or indirect coercion to vote for or against school-based decision-making. The guidelines shall establish the voting procedures contemplated by this section. All schools in Alabama shall be subject to all of the provisions of the accountability system created herein or created by the defendants' implementation of this Order. The State Department of Education shall restructure itself consistent with this Plan's emphasis on decentralization of authority, regulatory relief, and a primary focus at the state level on leadership and service rather than governance. Regulatory relief shall include reduction in paperwork at all levels in the statewide system.