Governance Structure of Public Education

The governance of public education is a really interesting topic and something that I have never really thought about before. I did not know that the school board was in charge of creating the budget for the division. I always thought that the budget for the school division was only created at the provincial government level and I was not aware that the school board had input.  Since money is an important component to any business, the school board really can set the direction of the division and therefore the schools within that division. 
I also did not know that the school board sets the policies and priorities but then the principal decides on the goals within the school depending on these priorities. I think that this setup can really work as long as the connection is still made with the layers below the school board.The teachers are the ones that are directly involved in what is happening in each school and the quality of education that is occurring so, they should for sure have a say in what happens at the board level.  However, I do think that the board could really go against what the principals are saying and make bad decisions, but such is life. Therefore, I think that there needs to be strong people in all positions including the principal position and superintendent position. If the principal relays the messages and what is happening in his/her school and what his/her teachers are saying, then it is more likely that that school's input will be heard. Also, the superintendent plays a major leadership role in the school division and he/she needs to be sure that they are actively involved in the initiatives that each school is taking and be able to support them.
This is sort of a confusing topic to discuss but I think it is important for us as pre-service teachers to know. I feel like some decisions can be made at the board level that teachers, principals etc are not in favor of however, if the person in the principal position is vocal then I do think that  more will be accomplished in the favor of the schools and the people who work there.