ABSTRACT
Arthur Razzell has suggested that 'it is the concentration of decision-making in the hands of headteachers' which prevents the emergence and development of professionalism in too many schools. Hanson developed a model of school decision-making applicable to the United States. This chapter examines the model and its implications under three broad headings. It considers the range of characteristics of, and the justification for the existence of, the three spheres of influence. The chapter also considers the limits to autonomy of decision-making within the three spheres. It examines the interaction system; that is, the attempts to manage behaviour across spheres, and the counter-strategies to defend spheres from influence by others. In the case of a local educational system and school the limits of decision-making autonomy are shaped by several forces, some rigid, others allowing for considerable interpretation to suit circumstances. The decision-making process in schools is more complex than is suggested by the existence of three clear spheres.
