Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Summer Semester 2026

Organization of American Schools (Online)

EDUC 6540-72I

Course: EDUC 6540-72I
Credits: 3
Term: Summer Semester 2026
Department: TED
CRN: 21648

Course Description

This course provides an in-depth analysis of the function and organization of public schools in America, historical, philosophical, and reform issues are reviewed and how they impact the management, design and accreditation of K-12 education. (As Needed) [Graded (Standard Letter)]
This course is designed to provide learners with a framework for school governance and the roles schools play within communities. Through this course, learners will explore the relationships between school boards, school district offices, and community schools, the processes of school governance, effective school/community relations, and the role that mission and vision play within a school’s organizational structure and everyday practices.

Required Texts

Grant, K.B. & Ray, J.A. (2023). Home, School, and Community Collaboration (4th ed.). Sage.

ISBN: TBA

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

  • 1. Identify the relationships between school boards, school district offices, and community schools.
  • 2. Formulate a rationale for healthy board functions and healthy district/school/board functions.
  • 3. Differentiate between philosophies of examining the nature and significance of effective school/community relations, focusing on students, parents, school personnel, and business and community organizations.
  • 4. Compare/contrast the role(s) that local, state, national, and international stakeholders play in influencing the development of educational policy.
  • 5. Evaluate the role that mission and vision play within a school’s organizational structure and everyday practices.
  • 6. Discriminate between the different lenses through which a school is viewed and how these lenses can align through internal practice.

This course aligns with Utah Educational Leadership Standards, as follows:

  • 1.4: develop a shared understanding of and commitment to mission, vision, and values within the school and community to promote continuous and sustainable improvement

This course aligns with Utah leadership competencies as follows:

  • Collaborating with stakeholder groups to create a shared vision, mission, and goals for a school.
  • Establishing and maintaining a school culture that supports inquiry, risk-taking, innovation, and learning of both students and teachers.
  • Implementing the shared vision, mission, and goals for a school.

Course Requirements

Assessment: Schedule of Assignments and Activities:

It is important that each student note the matrix below-regarding assignments and their due dates. These items comprise the “course deliverables.” This is what each student is expected to “deliver” for this course.

Course Participation
This grade is comprised of Discussion posts participation, Canvas activity, and Zoom session participation.
20%Weekly
Applied Administrative Assignments
Each Week you will have a short paper or other deliverable designed to engage the learner in practical applications of the course material.
55%Weekly
Final Paper
Students will write a final paper for the course, designed to demonstrate synthesis of the course materials in the form of a budget/finance journal
25%June 30, 2024

Grade Calculation:

The scale below indicates the point breakdown used to determine grades in this course. A grade below “B-” is not accepted in the MEd program and will require the student to retake the class.

A 95-100 B+ 85-89 B- 80-82 C 70-75

A- 90-94 B 83-84 C+ 76-79 F 0-69

Course Outline

  1. Week 1 | Introduction to Course. School Governance I: schools and boards Discussion AAA
  2. Week 2 | School Governance II: Board Function
  3. Week 3 | Districts and Schools, Organizational Structures Discussion AAA
  4. Week 4 | Your School and Community I: Family Engagement and the Responsible Leader Discussion AAA
  5. Week 5 | Your School and Community II: Family Engagement and Your School Discussion AAA
  6. Week 6 | Community School Mission, Vision, and Values Discussion AAA
  7. Week 7 | Community Schools: Perceptions and Roles, the Lenses through which the Community Understands the School Discussion Final Paper

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Students are deemed professionals in their field. This course is designed to encourage these professionals to look within to determine the perspectives they bring to their individual classrooms/schools. Work should be submitted by the due dates. The nature of a 7-week term means that we move quickly and we cannot afford to allow late work to accumulate. Discussion posts only receive credit if they are posted by the due date. Assignments that are late receive a 10-point penalty per day for the first two days late; after three days, the assignment is recorded as a zero. If you are unable to submit work on time, please reach out to me prior to the due date.

Academic Integrity and AI-generated work

This course is designed for a learning experience that is cultivated through the interaction of real-world learner experiences and course material, as well as other researched sources. It is only at this intersection of experiences and grounded ideas that learners fully investigate, problem solve, and develop thinking as administrators. As such, learners can only fully respond to course assignments by fully preparing their own work. Use of any AI tools, such as ChatGTP to complete any aspect of assignments for this course is not permitted and will be viewed as plagiarism (passing off someone else's - or something else's - work as your own). If you find it valuable to use AI in your research for an assignment, please discuss this with me prior to completing the assignment.

Attendance Policy

  • Summer 2026 Session I OR Session II | Canvas online instruction asynchronous
  • THREE ZOOM Sessions Posted on Canvas | “Face to Face” via Zoom Interactive Video Conferencing (ZOOM)

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.