The purpose of this study was to investigate the shift in focus of control from a centralized administration towards an Inuit board of education as a result of the decentralization efforts of the Northwest Territories Department of Education. The study additionally investigated the consequences of this shift as well as the satisfaction levels of the client group. A questionnaire was used to gather data from the board as a whole and an interview protocol was used with a group of key informants. It was found that a shift in locus of control towards the Divisional Board of Education had taken place. This had resulted in higher satisfaction levels in terms of the overall system and improved outcomes in terms of participation in decision making, consultation processes, flow of information, services to communities, and conflict resolution. It was concluded that while these outcomes had been realized the board was constrained in its actions and in the exercise of its authority by the limited decentralization that had occured, by the lack of direction, and by the lack of an informed membership.

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