Collaborating Through Shared

Decision-Making
BY MIDDLEWEB · PUBLISHED 11/12/2018

By Ronald Williamson and Barbara Blackburn

The days of the solitary school leader disappeared decades ago. But leaders
still struggle with how to involve others in decision-making and how to build a
viable and successful shared decision-making model.

Professional collaboration is critical to the success of any school. The

evidence indicates that decisions are better, have greater support, and are
more likely to be implemented if they are the result of intentional collaboration
with teachers, staff and parents.

In every school you can find examples of involvement in decision-making.

Sometimes it is systematic, intentional and deals with vital curricular and
instructional issues. Other times it’s simply a way for the principal to ask about
managerial concerns.

There is no formula or perfect method for shared decision-making; however, it

is most successful when the involvement is authentic, timely and a routine
part of the school’s operations.

Examples of Teacher Involvement in Decision-making

Professional Learning Committee: Teachers on the committee review
applications from teachers to attend conferences and make recommendations
and decisions about approved conference travel. They provide substantive
advice and feedback about school-based PD opportunities, as well.
School Improvement Committee: Teachers and parents work with the principal
to set school priorities, determine improvement projects, and allocate
resources.
Principal’s Advisory Committee: This group provides the principal with advice
about important decisions. They serve as a sounding board for both day-to-
day routines and important policy changes. 
Scheduling Work Group: Many principals ask teachers, or department chairs
in high schools, to work with them to determine the school’s schedule and
teaching assignments.
Budget Review Committee: Some principals share information about the
school’s budget with teachers and work with a small group to make decisions
about spending priorities.

Benefits and Challenges

There are many benefits of shared decision-making:

►Higher-quality decisions because more perspectives are considered

► Increased job satisfaction and morale

►Heightened sense of empowerment

► Greater ownership of school goals and priorities when participants have a

stake in the decision

► Improved student achievement because of greater coordination of work

among teachers

Shared decision-making can also present challenges, including the following:

► Expanded participation may require more time to make decisions

► Group dynamics may stifle ideas, leading to “groupthink”

► Polarization can occur around specific points of view

► People feeling left out or that some have greater access and opportunity to
influence decisions

It’s possible to overcome each of these potential obstacles. When it comes to

time, leaders have to weigh the slower decision process against the benefits
that come from setting aside time for discussion and analysis of alternatives.
Promising discussion and then failing to allow adequate time to address an
issue is never a good idea.

The dynamics of groups can be an issue but one that can also be addressed.
The most successful collaborative groups develop their own norms for how
the group will function and how they will make a decision. In addition to a
decision-making model, norms often include things like how to involve
everyone in the discussion, how to avoid distractions, and how to record and
share decisions that were made.

Garmston and Wellman’s Norms of Collaboration (2013) can serve as a model,

but most groups tailor it to their own needs or develop their own. Be sure to
adopt a decision-making model before you need to make a decision. Once a
group in a Chicago area middle school established their meeting norms, they
posted them in the room where they met, and reviewed them at the beginning
of every meeting.
A related issue is polarization that can occur around specific points of view.
Successful groups welcome diverse perspectives but recognize the
importance of establishing norms around discussion, use of data or expertise,
and personal opinion. One middle school in suburban Phoenix established a
norm that when speaking to an issue you could not cite your own
“experience.” Individuals needed to cite research or guidance from a
professional organization. That limited the use of phrases like “in my 30 years
I’ve found. . .”

Finally, people who feel left out or believe that others have greater access and
opportunity to influence decisions can create tension. An inclusive group that
represents all factions of a school community is critical, as is a design that
allows for rotating representatives

Overall, the long-term benefits of shared decision-making outweigh the short-

term obstacles. When teachers, staff and families are active partners in
decisions about their school, they have more ownership of the school’s
direction and a greater commitment to its success. 
Planning for Shared Decision-making
The first step is to decide whom to involve. Ask yourself two questions.
 1. Who is most directly affected?
2. How much can people contribute? What is their level of expertise?
You might also consider other factors in order to facilitate your decision. Hoy
and Tarter (2008) have suggested that if people have a stake in the outcome
and have some level of expertise, they should be involved. If people are
indifferent to the outcome and have no expertise, no involvement is needed.
Finally, if people are concerned with the outcome but lack expertise or have
expertise but are indifferent, then they should have limited participation. 
Things to Consider
► What is the task?

► Who has a stake in the decision?

► Who should appropriately be involved because of their expertise or their

role?

► How will the group be organized?

► What are the group norms?

► How will the decision be made?

► What is the timeline for completion of the task?

Leadership Teams
One of the most common structures for shared decision-making is a School
Leadership Team, sometimes called a School Site Council or a School
Improvement Team. It is generally composed of some combination of
administrators, teachers, families, staff, and community members. Depending
on your state or district, there may be laws or guidelines that determine the
composition of your team. Some middle school teams also include a role for
student representatives.
As with any team, different points of view are important and add value to the
decision-making process. However, in order to be most effective, principals
should provide three structures to the group:

Structures for Effective Leadership Teams

 Establish norms of operation (how the group will function) and
norms for decision-making.
 Be absolutely clear about the link to the school’s mission and the
importance of advancing institutional goals.
 Develop and model thoughtful decision-making processes.
Depending on the specific needs of your school, you may have a variety of
teams, such as instructional leadership teams or Principal’s Advisory Council.
Decide which teams you need and how they will function within the overall
decision-making structure. 
Checklist for Formation of Shared Decision-making
Teams
_______          Is the purpose clear? Is the role well defined?

_______          Is membership representative? Is membership appropriate to

the task?

_______          Are there agreed upon norms for operation? For decision-
making?

_______          Is there a mechanism to communicate with the larger school

community? With other decision-making groups?

_______          What is the process for concluding the team’s work?

The bottom line is to be sure the purpose of each team is clear and the roles
are plainly stated and well-defined.

Conclusion
Expectations for involvement in decision-making are the norm in almost every
school and community. It’s evident that involving teachers, families and others
can result in better decisions, decisions that are much more likely to be
successfully implemented. But it’s critical to thoughtfully plan groups and
provide time for them to get organized and establish norms that will guide their
work.

References
Garmston, R. & Wellman, B. (2013). The adaptive school: A sourcebook for
developing collaborative groups. Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon.
Hoy, W. & Tarter, C. (2008). Administrators solving the problems of practice:
Decision-making concepts, cases and consequences (3rd ed.). Boston, MA:
Pearson Education.