Who's calling the shots? Decision-makers and the adoption of effective school-based substance use prevention curricula.
This study investigates the relative roles of school district and school-level decision-makers in the implementation of effective substance use prevention curricula. Drawing on a "Site-Based Management" approach to effective decision-making, we hypothesized that schools whose personnel played active decision-making roles would be more likely to implement effective curricula than those in which decision-making was the prerogative of school district personnel. Study data comprised 1369 questionnaires completed by a representative national sample of both district-level prevention coordinators and middle school-based lead prevention teachers. From the perspective of the lead prevention teachers, the school district-level prevention coordinator was more influential than school staff in selecting effective prevention curricula. However, we did find some support for our hypothesis from our district-level informants, who indicated that community groups and advisory committees also play a modest role in the selection of such curricula.
Ringwalt
Chris
C
Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Chapel Hill, NC 27514-2812, USA. ringwalt@pire.org
Ennett
Susan T
ST
Vincus
Amy A
AA
Rohrbach
Louise Ann
LA
Simons-Rudolph
Ashley
A
D000293:Adolescent; D016497:Adolescent Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000328:Adult; D003479:Curriculum; D003659:Decision Making, Organizational; D004219:District of Columbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005178:Faculty; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires