This article discusses how different schools can make changes within their system that enables the school faculty, teachers and principals, to become empowered; to provide opportunities for choice and autonomy while demonstrating personal competence and the ability in a working environment.  The three year project, involving nine different schools of varying grade levels, in urban, suburban, and rural settings, focused on determining exactly what empowerment meant to each school, to develop and implement various changes within the school to foster empowerment and review the changes in the school culture as a result of this project.  The researchers provided all the schools with the information and data that they would need in order to complete this project.
     I choose this article because I felt that perhaps I might bring these ideas to the attention of the people that I work with, simply based on the title.  I was pleasantly surprised to find out that this is not necessary for my school because we are already empowered.  We have many of the ideas and reap the rewards that these schools began to experience, such as, trust among fellow professional workers, open lines of communication with administrators and an excellent atmosphere that enables us to provide the best opportunity for our students to excel in their lives.
     The article breaks down its results into three categories; opportunity schools, shifter schools, and no-go schools.  It was interesting to see the comparison among the schools and the reasons why the programs worked for some schools and not for others.
     I completely agree with everything the article discusses concerning opportunity schools.  It seems apparent to me though, that these schools already had some points in their favor before beginning this project.  Perhaps there was an existing amount of communication and trust among the faculty members.  I am curious about whether the times it took to involve the community in the school program as well as the various meetings that had to take place, were conducted within school hours or on the faculty’s off time.  If is during the off time, then I have to respect them because that is an example of the kind of teacher that I want to be, on who is looking to improve the quality of education for their students and will go out of their way to make things happen.
     The shifter schools are an interesting subject.  Certainly there is room for improvement in these schools and I would believe that sometime in the near future they will become empowered schools.  I question whether the same progress would have been made if the project had been of a shorter period of time.  I am also curious about why the faculty initially felt the need to not involve the principal but, I was pleased to see that they later were able to get past these problems.  I also believe that in the case of these schools, perhaps it was best that they started with the issues that they could put their finger on, their working environment.  Ultimately, a good working environment is essential if our goals, particularly with what we hope to accomplish with our students, are ever going to be achieved.  Therefore, while the article did not necessarily view their progress as substantial as the opportunity school, I feel they made the first vital step in becoming an empowered school.
     I am curious about one aspect of the no-go schools that the article did not stress.  It seemed clear to me that a major problem with these schools was in the lack of participation on the part of the principal due to lack of trust and communication between the administration and the faculty.  What were the existing problems?  Were the control issues based on the principal's own personal agenda or personality?  Did the refusal to let go of some control have to do with the principal's position with the district?  These questions are important.  I would have liked to see these questions answered because, perhaps some resolution could have been made to try the project again or at least be aware of the problem that, in my opinion, are holding back these schools.
     In my mind, I feel that any educational program should be willing to explore any new idea that, in the long run, can only be advantageous to our students.