E|E has identified ten potential areas of autonomy; a list we developed from research about school decentralization and autonomy by Fordham Foundation, William Ouchi of the Anderson School of Management at the University of California, Los Angeles, and RAND Corporation. The list is also based on the observations of field practitioners and observers at the Center for Collaborative Education, EdVisions Schools and Education|Evolving. Potential autonomies include:

• Selecting colleagues
• Transferring and/or terminating colleagues
• Evaluating colleagues
• Setting staff pattern (including size of staff; allocation of personnel among teaching and other positions)
• Selecting leaders
• Determining budget
• Determining the salaries and benefits of colleagues, including leaders
• Determining learning program and learning materials (including teaching methods, curriculum, and levels of technology)
• Setting the schedule (of classes; of school hours; length of school year)
• Setting school-level policies (including disciplinary protocol, homework, etc.)