“Tell them local control is important”: A case study of democratic, community-centered school boards

Democratically elected school boards in the United States play a crucial role governance because they enable community voice educational practices and programs. Research on locally controlled finds can be undemocratic unproductive. However, little research has been conducted rural or small towns, where local control persists through formal informal means. This qualitative case study examines two rural, to understand how engage community-centered democratic governance, extent that influence technical core of schooling. The process developing approving district budgets is used as illustrative examples enactment control. findings from this explain small, employ elements their influences provides counter-narrative previous control, demonstrating enacted by an effective practice shapes teaching learning public schools. article concludes with recommended non-rural communities expand participation schools, well future directions for research.