Opportunities and challenges of school collaboration

Collaborative work organizations and related themes (such as community, cooperation, etc.) have become the focus of both research and practice in education during the past few years. Some may view emphasis on collaboration (or community) in schools as the second stage of the initial "site-based management" movement initiated in the late 1980's. School organizations have begun expanding their democratic governance emphasis with teacher, parent, and community advisory councils, engaging in partnerships with other human service agencies or businesses, or redesigning educators' work to add a group or team emphasis.