A study of conflict related to the development of the Comprehensive Education Reform Act of 1984

In this study, the researcher explored the development of conflict related to the Comprehensive Education Reform Act of 1984 in the state of Tennessee. The conflict was studied through the critical incident technique which utilized printed data from Tennessee newspapers. State Department of Education materials, Tennessee Education Association publications, and other related materials during the period of January 28, 1983 through February 24, 1984. In addition, 24 persons were identified from the printed data and interviewed by the researcher. The data from those interviews identified seven additional critical incidents to be studied and eight other persons to be interviewed.

Findings included the following: the governor's leadership, commitment, and effective use of strategies were primarily responsible for passage of the act. The Tennessee Education Association's futile effort to resist education reform and maintain control of educational change was due to a lack of unified leadership and use of effective strategies. The legislature was influenced by the emergence of new leaders, new power alliances, and behavior which relied heavily on compromise. Finally, the characteristics of leaders and their organizations were a potent influence on the way in which goals were pursued. The primary conflicts of interest related to the control of Tennessee education and the distribution of scarce resources including money and status.

The use of strategy was a dominant factor in management of the conflict. It was determined that the governor's forces relied on careful planning and directed strategies while the teachers' association relied on power alliances formed in the past and on lobbying to influence the legislators.

Although the outcome of the conflict was a win/win situation for all participants, the governor demonstrated the desirability of using strategy and non-coercive power to accomplish planned change. Compromises and integrative problem solving produced benefits for all participants and established major education reform in Tennessee. These reforms included performance based evaluation, incentive pay, a career ladder for teachers and administrators and $358 million in additional finances for education in the state of Tennessee.