The system pioneered shared decision-making in water resources management even before the same principle was embodied in federal law.

It's one of the ironies that this man is less tempermentally prepared for shared decision-making than any chancellors we've had.

"The more information they have, the more parents and the entire school family become involved in shared decision-making," she said.

Deborah Meier has argued that a small schools allow all of the teachers to sit around a single table and to create a culture of shared decision-making.

The union says the model encourages shared decision-making among professionals.

A Corporate Stance, which engages the entire Community in a single position around an issue, also demonstrates this aspect of shared decision-making.

While this can create more shared decision-making and possible management and staff issues to resolve, there can be clear advantages.

It helps to have administrators who are not threatened by shared decision-making, said participants.

"We have schools that have developed their own governance structure with shared decision-making between the principal and the staff."

With union encouragement, the board invited faculties to come up with plans for shared decision-making at their district schools.