An Evaluation of Citizen Participation in an Urban School.

The operations of a citizen committee associated with two neighborhood public schools in the Boston area were studied to evaluate empirically the effectiveness of the committee in achieving certain policy goals. A case study approach to citizen committee power to influence educational decisionmaking was made in the areas of finance, curriculum, and personnel. Survey data reveal a positive relationship between perception of and/or participation in the committee and feelings of direct and representational influence over and identification with school decisionmaking. However, while participation in the citizen committee seems to increase citizen feelings of control over school decisionmaking, the case studies demonstrate that, in fact, these committees have no influence. (Author/MLF)