A STUDY OF CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN THE EDUCATIONAL DECISION-MAKING PROCESS AS PERCEIVED BY PARENTS FROM A LOWER SOCIO'ECONOMIC NEIGHBORHOOD Thesis for the Degree of Ph. D. MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY GEORGE DEWEY HARRIS IR. 1970 III! II IIIIIIIIIII IIIIIII IIIIIIIIII _# ,2ngde 3 01096 9743 ' ' é a State University [Hr-*US 321 This is to certify that the thesis entitled A STUDY OF CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN THE EDUCATIONAL DECISION-MAKING PROCESS AS PERCEIVED BY PARENTS FROM A LOWER SOCIO-ECONOMIC NEIGHBORHOOD presented by GEORGE DEWEY HARRIS JR. has been accepted towards fulfillment of the requirements for ‘ Ph.D. degree in Educational Administration I Date April 21, 1970 J 0-169 . ROI” alumna IY ‘ ' ROAR & ERNS' RY ENC. I ' " RS BIN"? ABSTRACT A STUDY OF CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN THE EDUCATIONAL DECISION-MAKING PROCESS AS PERCEIVED BY PARENTS FROM A LOWER SOCIO-ECONOMIC NEIGHBORHOOD BY George Dewey Harris Jr. frhe primary purpose of this study was to examine the degree of communication that exists between the residents of a lower socio-economic community and the neighborhood elementary school which theirchildren attend. A structured interview was conducted with a representative sample of the population in order to determine the extent and quality of communication between the lay citizens of the community and the. school, and the efficacy of the various systems through which lay citizens presently influence educational policy. Another purpose of the interview was to identify areas of lay citizen interest and , subsequently, to develop a structure designed to broaden the existing channels of communication between the professional educators and lay citizens of the community being examined 0 George Dewey Harris Jr. Methodology. The source of data reported in this study consists of a measurement of the degree of participa- tory and communicatory interaction that existed between a neighborhood school, which is located in. a lower socio- economic community, and the parents of children attending that school. Information relating to this relationship was gathered by interviewing a randomly selected sample of parents of children attending Katherine A. Brennan Elementary School in New Haven, Connecticut. During the course of the interview, each respondent was asked to answer questions which were designed to measure his attitude towards the school, the extent of his participa- tion in school activities, the degree of factual knowledge the respondent possessed concerning the operation of the school , ‘ and the efficacy of the media through which he learned about the school's programs. The interviews and questionnaires were administered to the participants by two experienced interviewers during the period November 6, 1959 and January 18, 1970. Egajor Findings. This investigation reveals an increasing need for better school-community communication techniques and suggests some implications of change for the traditional public school system. One of the most direct implications inherent in the changing educational scene is that of the relationship betweenprofessional George Dewey Harris Jr. educators at the school unit level and the lay citizens of that community. The data indicated that, generally there is very little agreement between professional educators and lay citizens about the assumption of complete responsibility by either group for selected educational tasks. Profes- sional educators and lay citizens alike indicated that they favored a sharing of responsibility for most educa- tional tasks. Teachers and parents both agreed that the technical aspects of teaching should be left to the discretion of the professional educators. Lay citizens indicated conclusively that they were more concerned about the establishment and shaping of educational policy than with the specifics of classroom activity. They also indicated a desire to be involved in varying degrees in all dimensions of the educational process. The study revealed a significant positive relation- ship existing between the degree of participation exhibited by the respondents in the sample population and their socio-economic status. That is to say, those individuals who were most likely to participate in the school's programs were usually from a higher socio-economic strata, exhibited a general interest in education, had had more positive contacts with the school, and generally communi- cated through a wider range of media. Also, those George Dewey Harris Jr. individuals expressed a greater desire to participate in formulating educational policy and were more likely to be the ones in the community who strongly disapproved of the educational decision-making process employed by the public school system. The data gathered from this study also revealed the existance of a significant positive correlation between the extent of respondent contact with the school and the degree of information he possessed concerning the school's programs. Correspondingly, the more information the individual possessed concerning the school program, the more interest he manifested toward the educational program. These findings generally suggested that a better informed community is usually more interested in its schools and is more likely to become involved in its educational programs. A variety of media was employed by professional educators in their attempt to communicate with the lay citizens of the community. The data gathered in carrying out the research for this study strongly suggest that face-to-face or direct verbal contacts were the most effective means of communication. A STUDY OF CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN THE EDUCATIONAL DECISION-MAKING PROCESS AS PERCEIVED BY PARENTS FROM A LOWER SOCIO-ECONOMIC NEIGHBORHOOD BY George Dewey Harris Jr. A THESIS Submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department of Administration and Higher Education 1970 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Many persons have helped to make this dissertation possible. Dr. Howard Hickey, my committee chairman and friend, has provided wise counsel and skillful guidance throughout my doctoral studies. Dr. Clyde M. Campbell, Dr. Richard Featherstone, Dr. William Sweetland and Dr. James McKee have each contributed in a specific and tangible way to assist the writer realize this goal. Acknowledgments are also due to the Mott Founda— tion and the New Haven Board of Education for providing the opportunity, time, and financial assistance necessary for the author to develop the singleness of purpose needed to complete the project. Finally, the author expresses his sincere.gratitude to his wife Gloria, and to his sons Dewey and Glenn, with- out whose love, understanding and indefatigable patience, this study would not have been completed. To all these persons, it is sincerely hoped that this investigation has proved worthy of their interest, encouragement and contribution. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES O O O O I O O O O O O O O O I O I O I Vii LIST OF FIGURES O O O O O O O O I O I O O I I O I O X CHAPTER I. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM . . . . . . . . . . 1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Significance of the Problem . . . . . . . 2 Background and Research . . . . . . . . . 4 Research Hypothesis. . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Operational Definitions . . . . . . . . . 10 Assumptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Population and Sample to be Used . . . . . ‘ 13 Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Summary and Overview . . . . . . . . . . . 14 II. SELECTED REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE . . . . . 16 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . 16 The Establishment and Control of Public Educational Systems in America . . . . . 17 The Colonial.Period. . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Social Conditions... . . . . . . . . . . 18 Thomas JeffersonIS'Influence . . . . . . 21 The Establishment of State Systems . . . 25 mm 3oz on“ Bonn pocflmuno cowusauouca co ommmms «a emcee seamfluumm ea emcee seamsuumm we emcee madam «a cause means as _cmose mmflaesmm om emcee mmsaesmm mad mmeaflsmm munm>om oe mmflHAsmm auum>om mowumwumuomumno oafiosoom mowumwumvomumao oasocoom m umeuo .2\o .am .mm o umnuo .2\o .rm .mm hm sawmmosmo hm sawmmosmo one. oummz emu cummz mOHumfluouomumzu cannum can Hmwomm unflumwnmuomnmno owcnvm can Hmwomm oma mmedflsmm Huuoa 4am moeaesum Hmuoa Hm amidesmm mflumuam a mmeaasmm sauoeam ham cmueaego .02 man pcmueaflao .02 mm Ame unmumm mamshm Azmemm Ame acouum mamaem mowumflumuosumno awasmm mowuuaumuomumso Maaemm 30H>x00m GU.“ mXOOHm «maumbomm GZHmDOE UHAmDm 3mH>M00mImQHmM00mm ho mBzmQHmmm.mO mUHBmHmm804m¢mU QMBUHAMm H.m Manda 73 during the last 15 years. Table 3.2 lists the experience and educational profile characteristics of its principals during their tenure. As can be noted in Table 3.2, each of the princi- pals had at least 17 years experience in education at the time when he was assigned to Katherine A. Brennan. The average length of educational experience for principals at Katherine A. Brennan was 19.3 years. The average number of years of administrative experience upon.each's assignment to Katherine Brennan was 12.3 years. All of the principals held at least a masters degree. While these data in and of itself are not significant, it does indicate that the administrators of Katherine A. Brennan were experienced and professionally trained. Each principal reported on an informal question- naire that he felt the problems encountered in adminis- tering Katherine A. Brennan's-educational program were similar to other inner-city schools in which they had been administrators.1 Appendix A includes the questionnaire that was administered to past and present principals of Katherine A. Brennan Elementary School. Katherine A. Brennan employs a K-6 organization with approximately 460 pupils enrolled. Its minority 1Personal correspondence between the writer and past principals of Katherine A. Brennan Elementary School, December, 1969. 74 Emummm Hoonom Deanne aw>mm 3oz on» Eonm cwcflmuno coaumEMOMsH co rename .mmma you noncomm .452 n ma Immmd .>H .<.2. ma Hm mmmalmmmd .HHH .4.2, an mm mmmdlmmma .HH .¢.2 5 ha mmmdlvmafl .H usumum oonmoo Houmnumflsasom cowumosom onzcma mm mosowuomxm Hmuos cw mosofiummxm Hmuos «mmmalvmma qumHUZHmm z¢zzmmm .d mZHmmmadx m0 mmthomm Amq om m a m me me o z umosmfim Hmuoa mmmaaou momaaou .mcna .ommm .mua NH .mu» Hana .muh mno .muh e .muw N mmmaaou meow i i onarooomuumeeo onmamoozmo N.H.v mam¢9 wood. we ma ma v o m cm mm m m N o z HMHOB +HH calm mlv MIN filo demM ZH NUZflGHme m0 mamzmnlldada UHmmdMGQZmQ H.H.vmmnm48 86 moon m mm mm mm on m ma ed Ha Hmuoa .+ooo.mm amm.mmnooo.am ama.mwuooo.vm maa.mmuooo.~w mam.awuow Li NZOUZHIlfladn UHmmdmwOEma v.H.v Hands wooa N 0H 0 m 0H vH em w Om N m o w m h (hm Z amuoa Hmcoflmmmmoum assummmcmz mmamm cmamummuo omaaflxmco mmmcwmsm I i.“ 1|. . L monammsooonueeeo onmemeozmo m.H.v Manda meuo3 cmmoamEocD oow>nom mmwsomcom J 87 wooH N N o «H 0N wH Nm mH on H H o h 0H 5 mH m HmuOB m h m m w m N H ZMMQHHZU mw4 Hoomom m0 mmmZDledfida UHmmdmwosz m.H.v wands NOOH v e m «N 0N NH «N m cm N N m NH OH w NH m .HMUOB m h m m e m N H i zmmaflHmU Ezmazmmma m0 m.H.v iv mmmZDZIldfidn UHmmdmwozmn mamfla 88 In the course of the survey interview, each respondent was asked the highest level of formal educa- tion attained, his occupation, and his total family income. Information concerning the number of children attending school, dependent children, length of residence in city, sex and family position was obtained also. The measure of social class ranking for respondents was based upon a score derived from combining the individual's education, occupation and income ranking position.l~ Occupational ranking was classified into seven categories: (1) housewife/unemployment (2) service worker (3) unskilled (4) craftsman (5) sales (6) business or managerial (7) professional. Educational rank was classified into seven categories: (1) completed eighth grade (2) completed eleventh grade (3) completed twelfth grade (4) some college or specialized training (5) completed two years college (6) completed four years college (7) post graduate study. Income was classified into five categories: (1) less than $1,999 (2) $2,000-$3,999 (3) $4,000-$6,999 (4) $7,000-$8,999 (5) more than $9,000.2 1August B. Hollingshead and others, "Social Stratification and Psychiatric Disorders," American Sociological Review, XVIII (April, 1953), pp. I65-I66. 2Werner S. Landecker, "Class Crystallization and Its Urban Pattern," Social Research (Autumn, 1960), p. 314. 89 The social rank position for each respondent was established by totaling the rank scores obtained from his occupation, education and income classification. The respondents' social indefo r these combined rankings (occupation, education and income classifications) ranged from 3.0 to 19.0. The average social index for the sample population was 9.3 (a score derived by totaling the social index scores of each respondent and dividing this sum by the number of respondents in the sample [N a 50]). The data gathered-reveals that the typical respond- ent in this study had lived in the community for more than 10 years, had attended or completed secondary school, was unskilled, earned from $2,000 to $9,000 per year, and averaged 3.5 children per family. The data indicated that the intercorrelation for the three variables (income, education and occupation) was positive and significant at the .01 level (Table 4.13). Measure of Respondent Participation In the course of the survey interview, each respondent was asked how he learned about the educational program in his community. A listing of the most frequently used media for communications was compiled (Table 4.2). Each reSpondent was asked to indicate its effectiveness: in conveying information about the educational program to 90 TABLE 4.2 MODE OF COMMUNICATION (Questionnaire Item 8) Least Some Most Medium Children> 1 2 14 28 20 40 Friends and Neighbors 2 4 25 50 6 12 Bulletins 3 6 15 30 13 26 School Organizations 5 10 16 32 12 24 New Haven Register . 6 12 18 36 9 18 Faceeto-Face 7 14 9 18 18 36 Community Civic Organization 10 20 15 30 9 18 Telephone 6 12 20 40 2 4 Television 7 14 16 32 3 6 Radio 7 14 14 28 4 8 Area Periodicals 13 26 5 10 6 12 New Haven Courier 15 30 4 8 3 6 Other ' 3 6 o o o o 91 him. These data provided different responses from similar studies.. Boozerl reported that 81 per cent of his respond- ents obtained most of their.information through the local press and 46 per cent via television. Sixty-eight per cent of the respondents in this study (Table 4.2) indicated that they obtained some or most of their information about the public schools from their children: the next most important source of information came from friends and neighbors, followed by school organizations and school bulletins. The local newspaper and face—to-face contacts with school officials ranked fifth and sixth respectively in effectiveness.for dissemination of educational informa- tion. However, these findings do not agree with other data gathered in the survey which suggest that face-to-face contacts most significantly influence the amount and kind of information an individual possesses concerning the educational program. The table of variable intercorrelation (Table 4.13) indicates a slightly-negative (but not significant) corre- lation between the number of school-age children a respondent may have and the amount of information he possesses. There is, however, a significant positive . . I 1Raymond Boozer, "A Study of the Voting Publics in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Concerning Public School Operating Millage Elections" (unpublished Ph.D._dissertation, . Michigan State University, 1969). .16 men "be“ ‘30 - 92 correlation between the number of contacts with the school and the amount of correct information an individual pos-v sesses concerning the educational program. A tabulation of the results of respondents' perception of the effective- ness of a communication media is presented in rank order of effectiveness in Table 4.2. Nature and Degree of Respondent Participation In this study each reSpondent was asked to indicate the nature and extent of his involvement in the school's educational program. A variety of reasons for school contact was presented in order to identify existing basic trends for school contact. It cannot be assumed that parents who confine their participation to visiting the school to attend to problems concerning their children will be equally as motivated to participate in.adult education programs, to work on a curriculum improvement committee, or to serve on an advisory board. The test for variable intercorrelations (Table 4.13) supports this statement. In fact, the degree of respondentvschool contact is significantly correlated ‘with the respondent's-education, occupation and income (S.E.S.) as well as to the extent of communication received concerning the educational program. There is actually a slight negative correlation between the number of 1r) loo-1"! 93 respondentvschool contacts and the number of dependent children that he has. Table 4.3 shows the nature and degree of the con- tacts that the respondents have had with the school. This data suggests that the extent and nature of the respondent's desire to participate in school activities is more closely correlated to socio-economic status than to the nature of the activity being sponsored by the school. Res ondent Satisfaction Emanating from SchooI Contact An analysis of the respondent's estimate of the responsiveness of the public school officials to their requests is presented in Table 4.4. Respondents were also asked to indicate the degree of personal satisfaction with the total educational program. These data indicate that while only 8 per cent of the respondents were unsatisfied with the responsiveness of the school officials--more than 4 times as many (38%) were dissatisfied with the total. educational program. The majority of respondents indicated varying degrees of satisfaction with the responsiveness of the public school officials and with the educational program in their community. It can also be noted in Table 4.4 that 72 per cent of the respondents expressed varying degrees of satisfac- tion with the responsiveness of school officials--while 94 OH «H Z +oH mH ON ON on mN mN N« OH OH NH «H MH HN mllllm OHlm «H mH m« «N «N NH om NN «N NH NH mH HH w Z NIH Na om ow NN mm mm «m m« 0« cm HH mN mH 5N mrlllbm o EOHQOHN Hmc0mumm mo cowusHOmom HON Hoorom Sony museumHmmd mcmemw Emumoum “Hand OOHOOSOQm Hoocom cH ucmmHOHuumm M ed Emumoum HMHoomm cH acmmHOHuumm mm omuH>cH Emumoum mchumocoo coHDMEMomcH HchHuHood race on seeumuceeo> cmueme> soeeoee meeeeeomee mo enamomm Hoocom ou OOGQEEcm memeoeemo Hooaom an mmmumoum m.©HHrU 3OH>om on pouH>cH SOHOMNHcmmuo Hoocom HMHonmo no sense: we muomucoo OGO£QOHOB Hmuoa omumEHumm mueme> Hooeom deuce mesmeeumm use» Hoocom mcano muomucoo Hoonom mo musumz ANHIHH mEmanouHmccoHumocov mmHaH>HBU¢ noomum oHanm zH onadeoHam¢m azmozommmm m.« mflmda .U .0 .MINH .MIHH 95 e m e e e m eN ea «m ea mm ea anemone HcGOHumosum wooeuonnmemz om OH 0 m oH m mH m o« m m « OHMHOHmmo Hoocom mo mmocm>amcommmm w z w z m z w z m z w z GOHuomumHumm Omco mum omHmmHumm rmHmmHumm omHmmHumm omHmmHumm vaumHumm mo mend oz NHHMSOHummoxm muw> NHHHMh uoz AmH|«H mamuH OHHmccOHumosov m904azoo noomom 20mm OzHadzmzm onaodmmHamm Bzmozommmm mo mmmwmo «.« mqmda qr ‘ V” o 34‘! i..." I 96 only 56 per cent of the respondents expressed some degree of satisfaction with the total educational program. The disproportionate degree of respondent satisfaction between the school unit officials and the total educational program suggests that the respondents feel that many of the problems that exist in the local unit school are beyond the ability of the local officials to rectify. These findings correspond to similar findings of this study (Table 4.9) which indicate that the community feels the central office is indifferent concerning its opinions, while the local unit administrator is concerned and more responsive. Extent OftN hborhood Informal Discussions Relatin figucationali Programs It can be noted in Table 4.5 that 68 per cent of the respondents indicated that they have participated in discussions related to education often or very often.- Only 18 per cent of the respondents stated that they rarely or occasionally discussed education with their neighbors. The table of variable intercorrelations (Table 4.13) indicates a positive significant correlation between communication and the socio-economic status of the respondent. That is to.say, the respondent who was most likely to discuss education typically has had more educa- tion and has a better job and more income. He also has 97 «H h m « cm on «H b « N :OHmmSOMHO «6 peouxm .me 7 a Z w B m Z museumom coumo mum> cwumo HHMSOHmmooo um>mz EOpH OZ AmH EouH OuHmcGOHumosov Edmwomm HflZOHBflUDDm UZHzmflUZOU mZOHmmDUmHQ QOOMMONEUHHZ H¢Em0mZH ZH ZOHBKflHUHBMdm mHmmB ho BZmem mmfi m0 BZMmeMmmd .mBZmQZOmmmm m.« mHmdfi 98 had more contacts with the school and has learned about school through a wider range of media than those who never or only occasionally discuss education. Table 4.5 shows the varying degrees of discussion and the percentages of the sample for each category. Information Possessed by Rgspondents Relating to Educational Program As part of the basic design of this study, research was conducted to assess the extent of correct information possessed by each respondent in the sample population.. Table 4.6 is a compilation of the responses to questions which were selected to measure the general range and depth of the respondent's basic knowledge of New Haven's educa- tional system. The first question was extremely general and asked the respondent to identify the current superintendent of schools name from a list of five other names of individuals who have been associated with the central office adminis- tration.~ Only 70 per cent of the respondents correctly identified the superintendent's name. Table 4.6 presents the percentage of right and wrong responses to specific questions designed to assess the basic information possessed by the respondents in the sample. It is inter- esting to note that 72 per.cent of the respondents were unaware of the attrition rate for school superintendents. 99 «m 5H mm mm moocmcHh Hoonom mo moucom .m mm mN «« NN unease: coHumonom mo Unmom mo unoEucHommm .m mH m. mm H« madumoum mchmcm HmucOEHummxm Hmconom mo coHumusa .O mH m mm H« mucmosum Hoocom OHHnsm on axoonuxoa Omnm mo.HmmH>oum ..U ee mm mm mm Hooeom Hmoeeaome Hmeoemmm Hence no GOHumummo mcHocmch can conH>uomsm How NDHHHOHmcommom HmsoHucuHumcH .0 mm mm we em mouusoo Hooaom amen umneauom .n mm me me an meooeom amen sH mmmucou HMSOHumoo> mo huHHHanHm>< .mnoN om mH on mm Emummm Hoosom_mo ucmocousHuOmcmnucouuso .mH w z w z unmocommmm an wommmmmom coHumauowcH mucus pamem # . k «AoNImH mEOuH muHmccoHummsov Emamwm Hoomom OB W>HB¢HMM mBZmQZOmmmm um QmemmmOm ZOHB¢ZMOZZH ho mfimm¢ ameomqmm m0 MM>MDm m.« mnm¢9 100 .U xHocmmmd .OHHmQGOHummso own mSOHumosv HmchHuo mom .chHqusv comcmvc00« «w mm mm mH mmouuHEEoo cmNHuHU co NOHHom m.coHumosvm mo oumom .0 mm we we em mmeeuooz mvH co NOHHOA m.c0Husosom mo unmom .c o« . om cm on EmHHmocm> Hoonom mo umou can acouxm .2 N5 mm mm «H mucopcmucHuomsm Hoocom «0 spam SOHuHuuu< .H m« «N mm mm (sOHoHHnU commuOHpcmm you mamnmoum HMHommm mo huHHHnuHHm>< .x «« mm mm mm mmcmm NHMHmm .muocomma .fl mm mH «e um musomouo Hoonom Mom mO>HumcuouH¢ .H mm am me am ummesm sueo Hmuoa mo oumam HMSOHuuomoum m.c0Humosom .a mllmlllllm a (Z ucmwcommom an omummmmom SOHumsuomcH cou3. ugmHm emeeeueou--e.e memes l I“... ‘4.- Th 101 Fifty-eight per cent were unaware of what portion of the total city budget is allocated to education. Fifty-six per cent erroneously reported that the superintendent of schools appoints the members of the board of education. In Table 4.13 (Table of Variable Intercorrelationl) the data shows that the amount of information possessed by the respondents is significantly correlated (.01 level) to the socio-economic status of the respondent, the amount of communication he receives, and the number of school con— tacts he has made. Respondent Attitude prard Educational Programs and Practices Another segment of the questionnaire sought to identify the respondent's perceptions of the quality of education offered by the New Haven School System with neighboring school systems in the Greater New Haven Metropolitan Area. Each respondent was asked to subjec— tively compare the New Haven Educational System with other. systems with which he was familiar. Sixty per cent of the respondents gave responses which indicated that they felt the quality of education within the system ranged from fair to superior. Thirty-six.per cent of the respondents indicated that_they considered the quality of education-to be poor. Sixty-four per cent of the respondents indicated 1Table 4.13, Intercorrelation Table, p. 116. “In shy “a 1w the dat 102 that they considered the New Haven School System to be at least equal to, or superior to, neighboring school systems, and 26 per cent of the respondents indicated that they considered New Haven's School System to be inferior to those of surrounding towns. These data suggest that the majority of the respondents felt that the educational problems that exist within the New Haven School System are generally no different than those that exist in neighboring areas. It is interesting to note in the Table of Inter- correlation Variables (Table 4.13) that the respondents' estimate of the quality of education being offered in. New Haven does not correlate significantly with any of the selected variables. Therefore, these findings can be considered merely as interesting observations rather than significantly related to the findings of this study. Table 4.7 presents the data relating to respon- dents' qualitative assessment of the New Haven School System. Res ondent's Self—Estimate of Public SchooI Interest, Although this segment of the questionnaire was' designed to assess the relative degree of personal interest the respondent exhibited towards the educational program, data gathered here more.readily reflects the respondent's 103 oe m ea e om mm on me meoummm maosmHucoo apex mcchmm O>Humnmmsou .NN w z w MEI rdlz E OmGO MOM HOHHO 5m Hana m .HOHOOAH oz e N o o a H me e me an on ma mmeeuomeo HMGOHuoosom mo sueeooo .em aruuumrl. e z willie“ annulmw willie mono mom ucoHHmoxm HOHHO cm @000 uHmm Hoom EouH oz Amwnem meope oueoeeoeueoooe zemoome qezoeeeooom mo seeqaoo m>Heemaezoo mo ezmzmmmmme .mezmozoemmm h.« mqmdfi E? l 9‘4 .u b.‘ 51 an. 2' II I I . I 4. AQ - r. and.“ .5. .n :4 u ...u a VIM NM NM 0 t D... 104 perception of educational interest expressed by others in the community. Eight per cent indicated that they felt less interested in education than other residents of the community. Thirty-six per cent felt they were similarly interested, 48 per cent felt that they were more interested and 8 per cent felt they were exceptionally interested. These data indicate a general assumption by the majority of respondents that the community is apathetic toward the educational programs being conducted in the system. Table 4.8 presents the data relating to the respondent's self-estimate of his interest in the educa- tional program. Respondent's Perception of Lay Citizen Current ROle in the Educational Decision-Mak1ngProcess In this section, data are presented which describe the respondent's perception of his ability, opportunity and desire to influence educational policy-making decisions. It is interesting to note that 74 per cent of the respondents felt that public school officials were un- concerned about the respondents' opinions concerning education, 68 per cent felt that they exerted no influence on educational policy and 60 per cent felt the whole educa- tional process was too complicated and better left to the professional educators to handle. 105 m « m« «N on mH m « umououcH Hoocom OHHocm mo oumEHuOHIMHOm .mm m z w z m z w m INHHMSOHumooxm who: MHHMHHEHm .mmoq .EouH AMN EouH onHmSGOHumocov BmHmMBzH noomum UHAmDm mo azmzmmmmmHommm HHHz SOHummHOHuumm SONHHHU vommmHocH .m mm «H e N o o OH m NH e we mm Hoeoe ocean: NOHHom HMSOHumosom on» no cocooz mH GOHummHOHunmm SONHUHO vommmuocH .O NH o 0N OH mH m N H mm mH «H h mHoosom OHHnsm 0:» m0 was mxmz ou_wmmmusoocm our msoNHuHU hon .@ w z w z m z w z w z m z Oncomwom omummen mommMmHo mound mmumd mwumfi mocmumoood oz .zHecouum zHoHHz zHoHHz szoozum useSoumum mo ooumoo oooaeueoo-ue.e memes 109 m.m« m.mm «.o muoumosom Hmconmomoum o.NN o.o> o.m mcouHuHo awn MHSOHMHOU mo SOHumcHEuouoo m.mn m.oN m.o muoumocom HmconmOmon o.mN o.«m o.m mcmuHuHU mmq mxoonuxoa mo coHHOOHom m.«m m.«H m.o muoumosom HMGOHmmowoum a.wm o.mm o.m chNHuHU mug mumnomma.mo SOHHOOHOm H.mw b.Hm N.m muoumonvm Hoconmououm o.«m 0.0m o.m mSONHuHU mun muoumuumHsH864 mo SOHHOOHOm w m m muHHHnHmcommOm mcoz omnmcm HHsm HMSOHumosvm ucmumm mo Omummo AwN EouH ouHmscoHumosov mMméB H420HB¢UDQH HdZOHBHQdMB Qmaumqmm ZH NEHHHmHmZOQmmm HflBZflMHuo< HMHSOHuusomuuxm mo conH>Humdm h.mH m.mb «.« muoumospm HMSOHmmmmoum o.«N o.o> o.o mGONHuHU hon mmHmH>Huo¢ HMHOOHMusomuuxm mo coHumcHfiumumo m.om m.m H.o muoumosom.Hmc0HmmOmoum o.Nm o.mm c.0H .mcoNHuHo hon moosuozAMSHnomoa mo coHumcHEuouoo m.mm m.mm m.o muoumosom Hmconmomoum o.mH o.«> o.m mcmNHuHo.mmq acoucoo omusoumo coHumcHshouoo w w m auHHHOHmcommom ocoz omumam HHcm HMSOHumosom ucoumm mo moumoo cmscHucoonloH.« Manda 111 professional educators generally agree on the extent of parental responsibility. The majority of both classifica- tions indicated that responsibility for these two tradi- tionally professional educational tasks should now be shared by lay citizens and professional educators. In addition to strongly objecting to lay citizen involvement in determining teaching methods, 84.9 per cent of the professional educators objected to parental involve- ment in the selection of teachers, while 65.1 per cent of the professionals objected to lay citizens selecting their administrators. Although professional educators overwhelmingly objected to parental involvement in the selection-of textbooks, they were not as adamant about parents sharing the determination of curricula, course content, and budget allocation. While the majority of both groups generally agreed that parents should have some responsibility in carrying out most traditional educational tasks, only a small percentage of teachers and lay citizens indicated that parents should have full.responsibility for any of the educational tasks listed. In the Table of Intercorrelation Variables (Table-4.13) it is noteworthy to mention that there is a slight negative correlation (.05 level) between the length 112 of residence in the community for the respondent and his expressed desire for responsibility. The longer he resides in a community, the less likely he is to assume more responsibility. It is also important to note that this variable is significantly correlated (.05 level) to the amount of education he has acquired and to the comparative interest expressed in the educational program as a whole. A complete presentation of the data obtained for comparing the opinions of lay citizens and professional educators relating to the degree of lay citizens.involve- ment in traditional educational tasks is listed in Table 4.10. Selected Educational Activities in which fi Respondents Indicate a Desire for a reater Participatory Rble The data concerning the interest that parents- expressed in selected educational activities is presented in Table 4.11. Although the majority of respondents indicated (Table 4.10) that lay citizens should "share" the responsibility for carrying out traditional educational tasks, only 30 per cent indicated that they would be willing to serve on a school advisory committee if they“ were given the opportunity to do so. Another 30 per cent indicated that they would like some form of school employ- ment if given the opportunity. Only 8 per cent indicated lw‘lm 113 that they were willing to volunteer their services to the school program. A complete summary of the responses to this section of the questionnaire is presented in Table 4.11. TABLE 4.11 SELECTED EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES IN WHICH RESPONDENTS EXPRESS A DESIRE FOR A GREATER PARTICIPATORY ROLE (Questionnaire Item 17) Activity N % School Employment 18 36 Recreation 8 16 Adult Education 5 10 Volunteer 4 8 School Committee 15' 30 TOTAL 50 100 Selected Educational Activities in which Res ondents Indicate a Desire fOr More In ormatiOn In this section, each respondent was asked to indicate about which of nine educational areas he would be interested in learning more. A summary of the responses is presented in Table 4.12. A comparison of these re- sponses with the data collected for Table 4.6 (Information Possessed by Respondents) reveals that the areas in which In 114 TABLE 4.12 SELECTED EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES IN WHICH RESPONDENTS INDICATE A DESIRE FOR‘ MORE INFORMATION (Questionnaire Item 16) Educational Activity_ N % Educational Research 9 18 Teaching Methods 24 48 School Building Program 10 20 Counseling Program 19 38 School Organization 8 16 Teacher Recruitment 8 16 Teaching of Reading 9 18 School Finance 4 8 9 18 Programs for Handicapped more information is desired shows little correlation with. the areas_of the educational program in which they are least knowledgeable.p For example, only 18 per.cent of the respondents indicated that they wanted more information pertaining to educational research, while 64 per cent of the respondents were unaware that the superintendent'S‘ and board of education's policy quite enthusiastically endorsed the concept of citizen advisory boards, whose primary responsibility would be to cooperatively undertake educational research projects and conduct community 115 surveys. Another example of the counter relationship between knowledge possessed and information desired is in the area of school finance. In this area, merely 18 per cent of the respondents indicated a desire for more information.. Table 4.6 presents data which show that 44 per cent of the respondents do not know the teachers' salary-range, 44 per cent do not know that the local board of education does not finance the nearby regional technical school, 58 per cent of the respondents are unaware of the prOportionate share of the city budget being spent on. education, 40 per cent are unaware of the annual cost of school vandalism and 34 per cent are unaware of the source of school finance. In the area of school organization, 56 per cent of the reSpondents erroneously reported that members of the board of education are appointed by the superintendent of schools, while merely 16 per cent indicated an interest in learning more about school organization. Considerable interest (48 per cent) was shown in learning more.about teaching methods and the counseling program. Fifty-two per cent of the respondents incorrectly answered the question dealing with the curriculum and 26 per cent lacked basic knowledge relating to the counseling program. Table 4.12 presents the complete summary of the data gathered from this section of the questionnaire. 116 .poumoHch OmH3uonuo unuHcs o>Hanom one nucoHoHuuooo SOHuoHouuoo HH< .mo. I a uOu nhN. an ucaoHuHcoHu mun nosHa> ousHOOQo HH¢c .Ho. I a you «mm. an acouHuHcmHa one nocHu> ounHOunn HH< . ... HHH. comm. moo. hHH.n mHN. mNo. NvH. omo. hmH.I HHH.I oHN. wmo.n oaH. cHon. cHon.| huHHHnH-comeom uOu ouHuOo .OH ... mmH. HOH. aNH. mnH.n mHH. an. who. ovo.| who. nmo. mHo. omo. Hno. NHo. ucoEmmomu< Seymoum .mH ... mHH. Hm««. .«Nm. oomv. .Nwm. .mmm. emmN.I omH.| «NmN. wHH. mmN. «mam. mnH. uuououcu IuHom o>Huouoaeou .«H ... moo. mmo.| .o««. HHH. mmH.a NHH.I m«H.I mmo.l ¢m«m.| 5H0.) a«o. fiHmm.l Hoonom nouosoa coaueuur .nH ... umNm. zoom. «mom. cram. mHN.I chH.I omen. woN. zoom. «cmm. moo.) Cocoon-om coHuneuOucH .NH ... nee.) .mm«. comm. HHO.) wHH.| .mm«. .m>«. cram. .HHv. «Ho.| acoHnasonHo HQEMOMSH .HH ... cHoN. moo.) HoH.n mmo. Hoe.) HMO.) Nae.) m«H. NoH. coHuuauuHucm uoeucou .OH ... .HNm. HNN.) cme.| .mmv. 05mm. cHNn. .Hom. HNH. uuunucoo Hoonom .m ... «hH.| NmN.n .OHv. enNm. HNN. ohvm. HoH.u vo>Hoooz coHueoHcseaou .o ... Home. mmH.I omo. mac.) wHN.| mmo.| ceuvHch unaccomoo .h ... ohH.u NHo. ooo.n oomn.| OHH. couvHHnu out Hoonom .o ... .mow. 05mm. ohvh. Hmo. .m.N.m Hnuoa .m . ... chem. comm. moN. oeoocH .« ... .Nov. mmo. eoHunesooo .n ... moo.) coeuaooom .~ ... oocooHeom mo nausea .H wH mH «H nH NH HH 0H m m h o m « n N H OHnnHun> mmmUOmm UZHKdllZOHwHumG H‘ZOHB‘UDQN H38 2H ZOHB<= m4 QNNHMNZBOQNZ mmHm H>HFAH¢0mmo Omhomdum ZNNBme ho mZOHfitdmdmOUZHBZH mH.« MHflHumucomoumom monono muconmm H HO>OH SOHumUHcsEEovulH.m ousmHm ANV mHOAEoz NHmHHHUGN HNV muoaomoa EooumNMHU mmmum Hmconmomoum Amemeeoeeue pee: Hooeome roe .oHooaom amez Amy nHoonom OHCCHS H«v mHoosom .SOEOHH .mom coNHuHU hon mnoumcHouooo Haonoz muoozv HHUscoo NHONH>UH uHsD Hoocom 145 The flow of two-way communication must be broadened at this level if the community is going to influence the, nature and design of educational policy that is ultimately passed down to him to be.implemented in his school unit. It is not practical to expect the Central office adminis— trative staff to deal effectively and directly with the myriad of problems that emanate daily from the individual communities. However, many of the decisions now being made on. the central office level could be decided at the.neighbor- hood level without adversely effecting the quality of education being provided in the schools. Indeed, the quality of instruction may be enhanced in many instances.“ The models for the various dimensions of school- community communication areibased upon: A. The need for the individual school-communities to establish and maintain dialogue relative to problems that relate to a partiCular school. B. The need for the reSidents Of that school to register their concerns relating to the system as a whole and thereby influence school policy. C. The need to bring the best of both environ- ments—-the school and the community--to bear upon the educative process of the stUdent. The primary functions of the School-Community Advisory Councils will be to hear the problems of the school and to assist in developing means to resolve them; to convey to school personnel the problems, needs, 146 resources and aspirations of the community; and in general to interpret to the community the program achievement and needs of the school. Composition of-School Unit Advisory Council (MeetS‘WeekIyi ' Administrative Representation COordinator--(Principal) A. Number: One (1) at each school B. Definition: ‘ Administrator of school, the person who is primarily responsible for the overall opera- tion of the school. C. Duties: Chairman (first year) 1. Exercises voting privileges, coordinator of other voting segments. 2. Convenes initial meeting, assists membership in selecting officers and establishing by- laws, approves weekly agenda. 3. Brings issues of special importance to the attention of Level 2 communications coordinator and superordinates. 4. Provides opportunity for and helps to propagate leadership from within the councils. 5. Culls out superfluous educational jargon from educational documents, translates into laymen's terms and disseminates information from central office to council members. 6. Provides leadership to help his council succeed in reaching its stated objectives. 7. Consults with advisory board prior to initiating new school policies. II. 147 8. Maintains copies of minutes and records of Councils. 9. Meets weekly with Advisory Councils. 10. The principal should listen actively to Council's deliberations and recommendations and should be expected at times to bring these to the attention of higher authorities if they cannot be handled at the unit level. Parents' Association Representation The School Unit Advisory Council should not replace the currently recognized parents' association of the school. This plan envisages an even greater role for the parents' association. The-representative of the parents' association should have the responsi- bility of functioning as liaison between the parent. body of the school and the Advisory Council. He will be able to report the Council's activities to all parents of the school and, even more importantly, to serve as a sounding board to the Council by conveying to the committee the attitudes and reac- tions expressed by the parents. A. Number: One (1) at each school B. Definition: Current parents' association representative. President or his delegate becomes a voting member of the Advisory Council. C. Duties: 1. Reports-issues of special concern to Advisory Council and vice versa. 2. Provides functional services to educational program and Advisory Council, i.e. gradua- tion, special holiday programs, fund raising, assumes special tasks as may be designated by Advisory Councils. 3. Meets weekly with Advisory Councils. 148 III. Lay Citizen Representation A. Number: (see below) Four (4) elementary school Five (5) intermediate school Six (6) high school (at least two of whom must be parents) B. Definition: 1. May be either parent, student, nonparent adult resident, or employee of the community.1 2. Exact composition of this segment is to be determined by unit principal for the first year of the council. 3. All members vote. C. Duties: 1. One of the most valuable functions an Advisory Council can perform, is to’ systematically gather facts about its~ community--its health, human relations, educational, recreational,.economic-and welfare needs. 2. Assists in interpreting these research find- ings to the professional staff. 3. Assists in evaluating teaching methods and materials. 4. Assists in evaluating student achievement. 5. Suggests and helps to develop new teaching techniques and materials. 6. Establishes and sustains dialogue with other institutions of the community. 7. Serves as resource personnel for professional educators. 1Level2 Communications Representative from each Level 1 Advisory Unit must be a lay citizen. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 149 Works on special committees as designated by Advisory Council, i.e., prevention of school vandalism, establishing hot lunch programs, curriculum committees, bussing programs, drug addiction, etc. Establishes, strengthens and sustains (in conjunction with other council members) a fluid two-way channel of communication between school and community by such communication techniques as: arranging public meetings and forums; maintaining a speakers bureau; assisting in creating a community-school newspaper; initiating inservice workshops and training programs; preparing news releases to be used on radio, television, and newspaper; making special efforts to contact and involve new and non- English speaking families. Assists in identifying, recruiting and interviewing indigenous members of the community for school employment. Works with area colleges and school system to establish areas of career ladder employ- ment for "community interns." Works with student groups to create a greater interest in their school such as: student government, extracurricular activities, etc. Participates in the redress of parent and community grievances involving the school. WOrks jointly with school personnel in the evaluation and revision of existing or proposed systems.for reporting student. academic and social progress, especially with school guidance personnel. ‘Reviews and familiarize themselves with existing or proposed school policies, programs. Participates as the consultive community body in the assessment of, and recommenda- tion for, any major school building construction, repair, or remodeling. 17. 18. 19. 150 Meets weekly with Level 1 Advisory Council. If selected, serves as the representative to Level 2 Advisory Council. Keeps himself well-informed by studying and reading about new educational developments. IV. Professional Staff Representation A. Number: Four (4) (at least two of whom must be classroom teachers) Definition: 1. Any school employee under the direct super- vision of the unit principal. 2. May be either classroom teachers, para- professionals, ancillary staff personnel, itinerant teachers, or custodial staff members. 3. All members vote. Duties: l. Interprets new teaching methods and materials to Advisory Council. 2. Reports special concerns of Advisory Council to professional staff and vice versa. 3. Helps to develOp new teaching methods and materials for problems identified by Advisory Council. 4. Works on special committees as deemed necessary by Advisory Council. 5. Serves as a resource person to lay citizens of the Advisory Council. 6. Meets weekly with the Council. 151 School District Advisory Council The primary function of Advisory Council at Communications Level 2, is to identify educational problems that are reflected in a broader segment of the community than those that have been identified at the school unit level. A council at this level can serve the purpose of identifying broad educational trends, attitudes, and defining the extent and range of individual neighborhood problems or resources. The Level 2 council may assist in resolving educational problems that cannot be solved at the school unit level. The New Haven School System has designated seven schools to serve the system as community schools. Each of these schools is located near the center of seven~ characteristically identifiable communities, and each contains a relatively equal number of students and commu— nity resources. Each community school unit is uniquely. staffed with an expanded administrative team which has been appointed primarily on the basis of its proven capacity to work effectively with the residents and institutions within its community. The geographic loca- tion of these schools, their modified and flexible schedules, as well as their competent staffing, suggests that they are ideally suited to be designated as the schools to coordinate and expedite the flow of communica- tions at Level 2. 1i52 N H0>UH coHumoHcSEEOUIIN.m OHSDHM AhhH.hv uoHuunHo cH mucmosum Hmuos Homm.ov uoHuumHo cH mucovoum Hsuoa Hoha.ov uUHuumHn CH oucovsum Huuoa Ame ooouo in. eoouo lot «on Ame eon .n. oooonHHez in. oeooeHHHz 1H. zonHooz Ade ouosoooz 1H1 um>oozu 1H. vacuum AH. xo::< . 1H. ozone AH. means .3 1H. nouoaom 1H1 woos He. seems AH. museums 1H. ones lee ooozooou .He HH6>oe AH. common AH. cusses .Hv coauoam .HV z>H .He aH>oo 1H1 .eeeso .z .He eoueeeo AH. zeuooSHz AH. concouom lee noxooz 1H. cocoons AH. eoosoeoo 1H1 «Ho: lee zoo 1H. sneeze 1H. ceaoeom .H. uogooon . 1H. uoueoroeez AH. oueou Awe :o>erueoz AH. museum .N. ozone lee ceooceq IN. essences lo. leer 1e. lee .oH. loH. mo>Hunusuaouoom uo>Husuconouoox no>Huducoaouoom uo>Huoucoeouoom eo>Huoucououmo¢ uo>Hususeeeune¢ - H H+ HNHam souu OOHus>V no>Hueuceuouoo¢ couHuHu and uHca Hoonum An. caucuses .m. sane o>euouuaeeeao¢ undue-Ho Hooeom zuecaasoo enouecHouooo laexoo:-em encore HHocsou huOOH>u< uoHuuUHo Hoozom 153 The task of bringing people of varying cultural backgrounds, experiences and abilities together as a smoothly functioning adjunct to the educational institu- tion is an extremely delicate and complex process. If not carried out with a minimum of friction between the partieS» involved, irrepairable harm can be done that would tend to exacerbate an already tenuous relatiOnship. As stated earlier, the question of "who should determine" should be decided by the nature of the problem. Unfortunately, human relations skills are.ngp possessed by all profes- sional educators in equal quantities. Advisory Councils at Level 2 should be comprised of the most competent lay citizen representatives from the Communications Level 1 Council. Each District Council would consist of not less than 9 nor more than 12 repre— sentatives, thereby providing an organization that is not so large that it discourages or restricts meaningful communication, or so small that it fails to provide sufficient cross section of community opinion and members necessary to Carry out council work. This organizational structure permits the Level 2 council-of—the—whole to haVe lay citizen representation from the various grade levels. Although this structure may provide excellent opportunities to assess community' opinion relative to the overall educational program, it 154 is expected that the council will establish committees to deal with issues relating to specific grade levels. This organizational structure also makes it possible for parents to continue to actively participate on the Advisory Council. Composition of School District Advisory_Council (Meets Bi-Weekly) I. Administrative Representation Coordinator (Principal, or either of two assistant principals) A. Number: Administrators, three (3) B. Definition: Principal, assistant principal or community school coordinator C. Duties: 1. 2. 3. Chairman (first year) Exercises voting priviledges. Convenes initial meeting, assists membership in selecting officers and establishing by- laws. Brings issues of special importance to the attention of superordinates, other institu- tions, and educational components, as well as to the Advisory Council itself. Provides opportunity for, and helps to develop leadership skills from within the committee. When necessary, culls out superfluous educational jargon from documents and disseminates essential information to council. 12. 13. 155 Provides leadership when necessary to help Council achieve its stated goals. Helps Council to identify and articulate central issues. Approves agenda for Council meetings. Brings resources at his disposal to Council. Maintains copies of Council minutes.and‘ records. Meets bi-weekly with Council. Serves as a resource to Council. II. Professional Staff Representation A. Number: . Three (3) (at least one of whom must be a classroom teacher). Definition: 1. Any school employee under-the direct super- vision of the unit principal. 2. May be either classroom teachers, para professional, ancillary staff personnel, itinerant teachers or custodial staff members. 3. All members vote. Duties: l. Interprets new teaching-methods and materials. 2. Interpret issues relating to teacher- contract. 3. Reports special concerns of Advisory Council to teaching staff and.vice versa. 4. Helps to develop new teaching methods and materials for problems identified by Advisory Council. III. Lay A. 156 5. Works on special committees as deemed “neceSsary by the Advisory Council. 6. Serves as resource personnel to lay citizens of Council. 7. Meets weekly with Council. Citizen Representation Number: (See Figure 5.2 for specific assignment and number of representatives.) 1. 2. 3. One (1) from each elementary unit. Two (2) from each intermediate unit. Total of six (6) from each high school from which three are to be assigned to specified district Advisory Council (see Figure 5.2). Definition: Lay citizens-~parent, student, adult, nonparent resident, employed in the community and duly elected to Level 2 by Level 1, lay citizen representatives. Duties: 1. Present issues of special concern to unit councils. ' 2. Help identify common educational problems. 3. Conduct research and community surveys. 4. Assume special assignments as deemed necessary by Council, i.e. visit and report on programs in other school systems; serve as resource personnel to professional educators. ' 5. Assist in interpreting central board policy to CommUnications Level 1 Unit Council. 6. Assist professional educators in establish- ing district educational priorities and long range goals. 157 7. Report back to Communication Level 1 Unit Councils on special issues of concern to the district. 8. Establish, strengthen and maintain (in conjunction with other council members) a fluid two-way channel of communication between the school-community and other institutions located within the district. 9. Develop a more in-depth knowledge of educational procedures by studying and “reviewing-available literature. 10. Serve on Communications Level 3 Advisory ‘Board if selected. 11. Meet bi—weekly with Level 2 Advisory Board. School System Advisory Council Communication between professional educators and lay citizens must occur on a higher level than Level 1 and 2 if educational policy is to be significantly influ— enced by lay citizens. Level 3 corresponds to the central administrative staff of the educatiOnal system. It is at this level that board policy is interpreted and-impler mented. It is at this level that plans are made, ideas hatched, and priorities established before presentation to the central board for approval. However, it is exactly at this level where lay citizens have the least contact with professional educators. 'For this reason, the superintendent of schools has developed an administrative cabinet with which he meets regu1arly. Prior to making a decision he often uses the cabinet to test ideas and to 158 m Ho>mH coHuooHSSEEoonum.m ousmHm noumococHB moons cmoHHonm oocHum cHoocHH sm>mnuHmm oucou Hoe .oom uUHHumHo .pmsm on .ummd .Soe Hoochcm .>uom .QQSmI.uoom mSOHHMHOQOI.uosm .musun.uosm mmochsml.um5m .zesoau.neom any noeeeoo eeoum .umme .umme .umme .Omme .umma HouocHouoou ucoocoucHHoosm HNHnusoz muoozv HHossoo NHOmH>om Eoummm Hoonom 159 obtain information from-each cabinet member about the cabinet member's special ideas of responsibility. Usually the information provided is only remotely based upon first hand knowledge of the programs and problems existing in the community. Therefore, the recommendations to the central board are spawned primarily from the perspectives of the professional educator. UPresently lay citizens have the opportunity to present their opinions directly to the central board of education. However, it is usually only after decisions have been made and the program initiated that lay citizens become aware.that-the board of education has contemplated establishing new educational policy. MoreOver, the board has traditionally approved and supported the recommendationsof itssuperintendents. The current superintendent of schools has expressed a desire to create "a sounding board of lay citizens." Obviously, this is a recognition of the need to seek lay citizen opinion before educational policy is established and introduced. However, other high ranking administrators exert influence on educational policy and more importantly, are responsible for interpreting the intent and nature of newly established policy to their subordinates. Systematic face-to-face contact between lay citizens and the educa- tional hierarchy could provide valuable insights into the many ramifications of educational decisions for both parties. 160 The primary functions of the advisory committee at Communications Level 3 would be to discuss the broader educational issues with the central office administrative staff that could not be resolved at Level 1 or 2. It would provide lay citizens with the opportunity to direct questions to members of the central offiCe staff relating to their area of responsibility, thereby serving as a capillary for information between the lay citizens of their respective districts and the Central administrative. staff. They could assist in helping to establish educa- tional priorities, mobilizing community support for educational initiatives and provide the very crucial elements of citizen support and involvement. Composition of School System Advisory Council (Meets Monthly) I. Central Office Representation: Superintendent (coordinator) and his cabinet A. Number: Eight (8) B. Definition: Chairman--superintendent—-voting member Cabinet--voting members C. Duties: Superintendent l. Convenes meeting 2. Uses Council as a sounding board for reaction to proposed programs. 3. Approves agenda. II. Lay. A. 8. 161 Helps Council identify central issues. Interprets board of education policy to Council. Brings issues raised before Advisory Council to the attention of the central board of education. Allows information gathered to influence decision. Maintains records and minutes of meetings. Administrative Cabinet Member 1. 7. Meets monthly with Level 3 Advisory Council. Votes on issues brought before Council. Seeks out answers to questions or problems raised by Council. . Researches areas of concerns brought before Council. Is prepared to speak knowledgeably about various programs under his supervision. Continues to broaden knowledge about various educational functions under his supervision. Earnestly seeks opinions of lay citizens concerning programs under his supervision. Citizen Representation: Number: Seven (7) one from each district Definition: Student, parent, adult.nonparent resident employed in the community and duly elected to Level 3 by district 2 lay citizen representa- tives. ‘E'nmrlfijnllnl. I r.» .L. «I, 162 C. Duties: 1. Meets monthly with Level 3 Advisory Council. 2. Brings issues raised at Level 2 to attention of Council. 3. Prepares himself to speak knowledgeably about issues he brings before Council. 4. Reports back to the lay citizens of his community. 5. Serves as resource personnel and on special committees as deemed necessary by the Council. 6. Respects confidences of Council. 7. Undertakes research projects and surveys as deemed necessary by the Council. Recommendations for Implementation of Advisory,Councils This proposal should be disseminated to all. parties seriously concerned about citizen participation-- the central board of education, assistant superintendents, district directors, supervisors, principals, parents organizations, community organizations, community action groups, and others. Soon thereafter, the principal of each unit school should call an organizational meeting to which he would invite representatives of the central board of education, parents' associations, teaching and supervisory staff, directors, political representatives, etc. Each unit principal should provide an opportunity for those in attendance to discuss the purpose and function 163 of the school unit Advisory Council, its size and composition, as well as the responsibilities of the specific representative segments. Several meetings may be necessary to accomplish this. It would be desirable to have those in attendance present varying points of view. The lay citizenry in attendance at the initial meeting should determine the best procedure for selecting its representatiVes to the council. The representative of the parent's group and the school representative Should determine the prOcess for selecting their representatives to the Advisory Council also. The principal may advise as to the details involved in organizing the council such as: the designing of an appropriate council, discussion of Federal, State and City educational principles and policies. Each Advisory. Council should adopt a set of by-laws or guidelines that is consistent with the central board of education policies for the functioning of its councils. All meetings should be open to the public. When, after a reasonable period of time, a principal fails to establish a representative Advisory Council either because Of lack of-administrative assis- tance, human relations skills, or personal apathy towards such councils, the Director of Community Schools should direct the District Community School Principal to contact 164 the residents in the unrepresented community and with the assistance of other community agencies, assist them in organizing their Advisory Council. Concludinngtatement Genuine belief in the principle of school-. community involvement dictates that specific and detailed ways for its implementation must be determined by the individual school community. .The question of the individual's relationship to his public institutions is one of the most pressing matters facing society today. The quality of the relationship between the school.anda community is determined in large measure by the extent of effective communications that can be achieved between the two. BIBLIOGRAPHY BIBLIOGRAPHY Allen, James E. Jr. "The School Board in Today's World." Vital Issugsin American Education. Edited by. Alice and Lester Crow. New York: Bantam Books, 1964. . - Beck, Robert Holmes. A Social History ofEducatipn, Englewood Cliffs, N. J.: Prentice Hall, Inc. 1965. - Blaustien, Albert P., and Ferguson, Clarence C. Jr. Segregation and the Law. New Brunswick, N. J.: Rutgers University Press, 1957. Berelson, Bernard, and Stiener, Gary A. Human Behavior. New York: Harcourt, Brass and World, 1964. Borg, Walter R. Educational.Research An Introduction. New York: Davia McKay Co., 1963. Campbell, Roald F. "What Peculiarities in Educational Administration Make it a Special Case." Administrative Theory in Education. Edited by Andrew W. Halpin. New York: Macmillan Co., 1958. .— Clark, Kenneth B. Dark Ghetto. New York: Harper and Row Publishers, 1967. Cloward, Richard.A., and Jones, James A. "Social Class Educational Attitudes and Participation." , Education in Depressed Areas. Edited by A. Harry. Passow. New York: CoIEfihia University, Teachers College Press, 1963. Conant, James B.- Thomaanefferson and the Development of- American PuhIic Education. hBerkley, Ca 1 orn1a: University Of California Press, 1962. 165 166 De Tocqueville, Alexis. Democracy in America. Edited by. Andrew Hecker. New Yofk: Washington Square Press, Inc., 1964. Featherstone, Richard L. "Urban Schooling." Reorganizing the Control Patterns in Urban Schools. Edited by Herhert C. Rudman and Richard L. Featherstone. New York:“ Harcourt, Brace and World, Inc., 1968. Fischer, John H. "The Priorities Question in Education." Vital Issues in Education. Edited by Alice and LeSter Crow. New York: Bantam Books, 1964. Frost, S. E. Jr. Essentials of History of Education. New York: Baron's EducatiOnal Series, Inc., 1947. Fuchs, Estelle. Pickets at the Gates. New York: Free Press, 1966. Gist, Noel P., and Fava, Sylvia F. Urban Society. 5th ed. New York: Thomas Y. crowell PublishingiCo., 1964. Good, Carter V. Introduction to Educational Research. New York: Appletéh-Century-CrOIts, 1963. Good, Harry G. A History of American Education. 2nd ed. New York: Macmillan CO., I962. Johnson, George M. Education Law. East Lansing: Michigan State University Press, I969. Kindred, Leslie W. School Public Relations. Englewood Cliffs, N. J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1951. Koenker, Rober H. Simplified Statistics. Bloomington, Illinois: McKn1ght and McKnight Publishing Co., 1961. Mann, Horace. Horace Mann on the Crisis in Education. Edited By Louis Filler. Ohio: Antioch Press, 1958. McCloskey, Gordon. Education 9nd Public Education. New York:- Harper.and'Brothers, Publishers, 1959. Report of the National Advisory Committee on Civil Disorders, U. S. Riot Commission Report. Otto Kerner, chairman. New York: New York Times Co., 1968. ‘ 167 Riessman, Frank. The Culturally Dgprived Child. New York: Harper and Row Publishers, I962. Rose, Arnold. The Ne ro in America. New York: Harper Torchbooks, I364. Sanders, Irwin J. The Community. New York: Ronald Press Co., 1966. Shibutani, Tamotsy, and Kian, Kwan M. Ethnic Stratifica- tion. New York: Macmillan Co., 1965. Sumption, Merle R. How to Conduct a Citizens School Survey. New York: PrentiEe-Hall, Inc., 1952. Van Dalen, Deobold B. Understandin Educational Research. New York: McGraw HiII Book Co., 1962. Journals.andrPeriodicals Campbell, Clyde M. The Community School and Its Adminis- tration (October, 1964). "Decentralization Dilemma." Time Magazine, December 29, 1967. Fantini, Mario, and Gittell, Marilyn. "The Ocean Hill- Brownsville Experiment." Phi.Delta Ksppan, L, No. 8 (1969). Hollingshead, August,.B., and others. "Social Stratifica- tiOn and Psychiatric Disorders." American Sociological Review, XVIII (April, I953). Illinois Citizen Education Council. "A Research and Development Project on Citizen Participation in Policy Making for Public Educators in Illinois." Urbana (November, 1963). Landecker, Werner S. "Class Crystallization and Its Urban Pattern." Social Research (Autumn, 1960). Letter to Editor, Adams Morgan School. Harvard Educational Review, XXXIX (Winter, 1969). Mauch, James E. "Breaking Traditions Forges School- Community Ties." Phi Delta Kappan, L, No. 5 (1969). 168 Melby, Ernest L. "The Community School a Social Imperative.” N.C.S.E.A. News (October, 1968). N.E.A. Research Division. "Teacher Opinion Poll." The Journal of the National Education Association Tfiecember, 1968). Sizer, Theodore R. "Reconnection for Learning: A Commu- nity School System for New York." Harvard Educational Review, XXXVIII (Winter, I968). Shanker, Albert. "Education in the Ghetto." Saturday Review, January 11, 1969. Wirth, Lewis. "Urbanism as a Way of Life." American Journal of Sociology, XLIV (July, 1938). Unpublished Materials Boozer, Raymond. "A Study of the Voting Publics in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Concerning Public School Operating Millage Elections." Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Michigan State University, 1969. Ciernick, Sylvia. "Development and Use of a Conceptual Schena for Analyzing the School Public Relations Process." Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Michigan State University, 1962. Farquhar,.William W. "Motivation Factors Related to Academic Achievement." East Lansing, Michigan: Office of Research and Publications, 1963. Frank, Roland Gerald. "An Analysis of the Communications Patterns of Selected Elementary Principals in Michigan." Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Michigan State University, 1969. Hickey, Howard W. "Development of Criteria for Evaluating Alternative Patterns to Reduce School Segregation in the Inner City." Unpublished Ph.D. disserta- tion, Michigan State University, 1968. Smith, Daniel Otho. -"A Study of Certain Communications Processes of Superintendents in Nine Class A Public School Systems in Michigan Education Association Region 10." Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Michigan State University, 1965. 169 Other.Sources. Barbaresi, Gerald. New Haven.Eveninngegister, November 26, 1969. Chances tor Changejfor Black Children. Brochure. DetrOit: Citizens for Community Control of Schools, 1969. Connecticut. Re ulations Concernin Racial Imbalance in the PuhIic SchoOIs. Pu 1c Act No. 773. Connecticutheneral Assembly, 1969. Cunningham, James V. "Resident Participation." Un- published report prepared for the Ford Foundation, New York, August, 1967. (Mimeographed.) Harris, George D. "The Community." Paper presented at Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, November 20, 1969. Interview with Community Progress Incorporated (C.P.I.) Officials. New Haven, Connecticut, December,. 1967. Interview with Morgan.School Principal and Citizens Advisory Council. Washington, D.C., January, 1970. Interview with New Haven Public Housing Authority. New Haven, Connecticut, December, 1969. Interview with New Haveanubl c School Officials and Educational Reform Groups. New Haven, Connecticut, 1969-1970. Interview with Public School 144 Principal and Parents Groups. New York, January, 1970. Johnson, Alexander. "United States History and Constitu- tion." Encyclopeadia Britannica. 9th ed. Vol. XXIII. Letter from Detroit Public School Officials, Detroit, Michigan, October, 1969. Letter from Edward White Jr., Director, New Haven Public Housing Authority, December 22, 1969.1 170 Letter from New York Public School Central Office Officials, New York, October, 1969. Leu, Donald J., and Featherstone, Richard L. "Current Forces Tending Towards Major Changes in Centralization and Decentralization of Educa-, tion in the United States." Unpublished report prepared for the United States Office of Education, Washington, D.C., May, 1969. Melby, Ernest L. Address to Mott Interns, Flint, Michigan, September, 1968. Michigan. Senate Bill No. 635. Michigan 75th General Assembly, 1969. New York Board of Education. Guidelines for Decentraliza— tion. New York: June, 1969. News Item. Detroit Free Press, February 27, 1969. Niemeyer, John H. Paper presented at Symposium on School Dropouts, Washington, D.C., December 2, 1962. School Committee on Citizen Involvement. "Report to the Superintendent of New Haven Public Schools." New Haven, Connecticut, June, 1969. U.S. Department of Housing and-Urban Development. Program Guide. Washington, D.C.: December, 1967. Wobster's NewWorld Dictionary. Cleveland and New York: WOrld Publishing Co., 1966. Young, Whitney M. Jr. "Ghetto Studies Called Useless in Many Cases." Flint Journal, June 15, 1969. APPENDICES APPENDIX A LETTER AND QUESTIONNAIRE TO PAST AND PRESENT PRINCIPALS OF KATHERINE A. BRENNAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 171 Dear : As you probably know, I am currently conducting a—survey to assess the current extent of lay citizen participation. in the operation of the New Haven Public School System. Because of its geographic location-and the current demand for a greater participatory.role in the educational programs of Katherine A. Brennan, the residents of Brookside-Rockview Public Housing Project have been selected as the sample population of the survey. A greater participatory role for lay citizens is not only an imminent possibility-~but a desirable educational objective as well. Data gathered from this survey will be most valuable in helping define which areas of our educational program lend themselves to more meaningful . citizen participation. It then becomes the responsibility of professional educators to see to it that the role-- when established—~is constructive and supportive of the, overall purposes and goals of public education. There are several dimensions of a community that no questionnaire can adequately measure. Your past Ekperience and day-to-day contact with the parents and children of' Brookside-Rockview Public Housing Project have undoubtedly familiarized you with: the social organization; life style; resources and aspirations of the community. I would like your objective impressions of the community in the above mentioned areas. Your responses of course will be held in strictest. confidence. Please give a brief response to each item on the enclosed questionnaire and return it to me in the self-addressed envelope. ~ Sincerely, George D. Harris Jr. GH:gh KAT 172 HERINE A. BRENNAN SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS QUESTIONNAIRE Dates of administrative service at Katherine A. Name Brennan Total number of years as Total number of years as an a professional educator educational administrator: (Please give brief statement.for each item and return questionnaire in self-addressed envelope) 1. In your Opinion, what community groups (or individuals are representative of the community? What is the informal social structure? 2. Which community groups (or individuals) in the Brookside-Rockview neighborhood have consistently expressed an interest in the educational program at Katherine A. Brennan? 3. List some of the long-standing major educational problems emanating from the community--of which you were aware--but unable to resolve-to the satisfaction of the Brookside-Rockview community. (Go on to next page) 173 List some of the things you did as an administrator at Katherine A. Brennan which were.specifically designed to bring about greater school/Community interaction and communications. As an administrator, what obStacles impeded your attempts to improve school/community relations at Katherine A. Brennan? What are_your recommendations for improving school/community relationships in the Brookside- Rockview school.district? Please write on the back Of this form any information that you consider pertinent to this study--but not asked for on this questiOnnaire. Thank you for your cooperatiOn-and assistance. Sincerely, George D. Harris Ass't Supt./Supportive Services APPENDIX B LETTER AND SAMPLE RESPONSES TO SCHOOL SYSTEMS. SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN STUDY 174 Dear : As part of a graduate research project, I plan toreview~ a number of public school system citizen-participation projects currently in effect or being contemplated for urban communities. Since it is well known that your school system has . already.taken steps to facilitate-citizen-participation,I your experience and knowledge of this topic would be of invaluable assistance to me. ~I.am.especia11y interested in the organizational structure that you have developed to facilitate communication and/or Citizen participation-. Any pertinent material or information concerning this aspect of your program would be greatly appreciated. ' If you would like to know the.recommendations and. . suggestions resulting-from this study, please indicate so by sending me your name and address and a copy will be mailed to you upon its—completiOn. Sincerely, George D. Harris Jr. GH:gh 175 NORMAN DRACHLER SUPERINTENDENT or pusuc SCHOOLS DETROIT pusuc SCHOOLS CENTER-5057 woooweeo AVENUE DETROIT. MICHIGAN 48202 September 15, 1969 Mr. George D. Harris Coordinator, Level I Mott Institute for Community Improvement College of Education 517 Erickson Hall East Lansing, Michigan 48823 Dear Mr. Harris: Although Detroit still has far to go in order to achieve the kind of citizen-participation projects necessary for more effective education - we have made a good start. Beginning with the Citizens Advisory Committee on Education in 1957, headed by the former Governor George Romney, Detroit has during the past decade continued to involve citizen-participation following the aforementioned citizens' report in 1958. In 1961, the Board of Education appointed a Citizens Committee on Equal Educational Opportunity which was headed by Judge Nathan Kaufman and submitted many important recommendations concerning staff integration, desegregation, community participation, etc. In 1963 there was also an Audit Committee composed of citizens to evaluate our school building program. In 1966 the Board of Education appointed the High School Study Commission which consisted of 22 teams composed of citizens and students for each high school and an overall city-wide High School Commission. Each team evaluated its own high school and made recommendations for improvement. The Commission reported in June of 1968 with over 200 recom- mendations pertaining to high schools. In each of the above commissions, the Board selected citizens who represented all walks of life in our community 176 Mr. George D. Harris -2- September 15, 1969 and reflected viewpoints which served to develOp adminis- trative and board policy. One outgrowth of the original 1957 Committee was the development of a project advisory committee for each school building that was to be con- structed. This committee consists of citizens in the proposed school area who together with the architect and school staff develOp the educational specifications for the proposed building. During the past ten years some two to three thousand citizens were involved in this effort. In the past two years we have also established the Miller Advisory Project for five inner city schools and the Neighborhood Educational Center; also, for schools in the inner city. Both of these projects were financed - the former under Section IV of the State of Michigan; the latter under Title III, of the Federal Government. I am forwarding your letter to Dr. Louis Monacel, Assistant Superintendent in charge of State and Federal Projects, who undoubtedly will be able to provide you with additional materials pertaining to the partnership in these two projects, as well as in some other Title I areas. As you know, we are now working on the whole challenge of decentralization. We hOpe within the next year to develop guidelines for our local boards throughout the city. If I can be of any further help, or if you wish copies of the above-mentioned reports, please let me know. Sincerely, VIM knewe Norman Drachler e1 cc: Dr. Louis Monacel 177 DETROIT PUBLIC SCHOOLS DIVISION OF GOVERNMENTAL RELATION. AND FIUCAL PLANNING OFFICE OF FEDERAL. STATE. AND SPECIAL PROGRAMS PLANNING. DIVILOPMINT. COORDINATION. OlIiIMINATION sou Woonwano m. MICHIGAN «to: PM“ 313/088-7000 October 8, 1969 Mr. George E. Harris Coordinator. Level I Mott Institute for Community Improvement Colleze of Education 517 Erickson Hall East Lansing, Michigan “8823 "73 as». 1. . Dear Mr. Harris: In a recent letter to Dr. Drachler you had requested some information about the plan to implement an orvanizational structure for citizen participation in the affairs of the Detroit Public Schools. The public position of the Board of Education is documented in minutes of the Board and speaks to the broad issues of citizen participation. The minutes are available for ex- amination. The legislation. recently passed, is also very ceneral in nature, leaving broad, sweeping discretionary powers to the central Board. To meet the terms of that legislation, the Board of Educa- tion will soon be establishing committees to begin develop— ing the implementation plan for creating the intimate struc- ture of the operational plan, but as of this date nothinz has been developed for discussion at the Board meetings. Of secondary importance is a plan for citizen participation as presently in operation in the Neighborhood Education Center complex, which is funded by a Title III grant. A copy of that plan is attached. Just how it will fit in with the new plan is not certain. The Special Projects Division has other models of citizen participation through the Great Cities project which pro- vides participation in two ways: (a) The establishment of a committee of neighborhood people to participate in the hiring of teacher aides in each school. (A copy of the teacher aide agreement describing the community or— ganization is attached.) we a. m mun W wiLlJAM cannon. can!" my COMM J. M uswm my W ”I.“ mm. W 0' m ”AND 0' CDUCATION: m. '. ONYLLI 1A” A. HAYNA'AY 'AYIICN A. WALD m U. ".00! "H0. O. IOIINOON. I... m. DAM“ ”A" A. I. mums 178 Mr. George D. Harris -2- October 8, 1969 (b) The Great Cities project also provides for the estab- lishment of a committee composed of teachers, citizens and pupils to assist in the development of the curriculum for the extended school program. Another example of citizen involvement is in the Model Neighborhood Agency. Model Neighborhood is funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Deve10pment and has awarded a $22,000,000 grant to the City of Detroit. The educational component of that grant is $u,000,000. The Model Neighbor— hood Agency has an elaborate system of citizen participation, beginning with a 120 man governing board. Each sub-community elects representatives to the Board and these elected repre- sentatives comprise the membership of 10 standing committees. It is a very interesting project. I would suggest, if you want more information, that you contact Mr. David Cason, Director of the Model Neighborhood Agency, u15 Brainard, Detroit “8202. In brief, these are Detroit's major efforts in the area of citizen participation. We think they represent a consider- able investment of staff time and energy devoted to the prin- ciple that citizens should he directly involved. Nearly all of the 30 special projects have some provision for direct interaction with citizens' groups. If you have additional questions, please don't hesitate to ask for information. Sincerely, L- fl ichard irk Assistant to Dr. Monacel Rbih Encl. APPENDIX C QUESTIONNAIRE 179 An Instrument Designed to EVALUATE THE EXTENT OF SCHOOL-COMMUNITY COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ATTITUDES OF THE COMMUNITY TOWARD THE SCHOOL Developedvby George D. Harris Jr., Assistant Superintendent New Haven Public Schools New Haven, Connecticut October, 1969 180 SURVEY OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SCHOOL-COMMUNITY COMMUNICATIONS WITHIN A SELECTED NEw HAVEN SCHOOL DISTRICT Dear Parent: In our continuous effort to improve communications and the relationship between each school and the community which it serves, it is necessary to assess the effectiveness of the channels of communication that exist. Please answer each question as briefly and as-objectively as possible. The data collected in this interview will be treated confidentially. PART I. INFORMATION ABOUT YOU 1. Male _, female _, head of-household -Yes__, No_‘, 2. Please check the number of years you have resided in New Haven. (1) less than one year (2) 2-3 years (3)__fi-5 years (4) :6- 10 years (5) _more tHEh 10 years. 3. Please check the highest level of schooling that you have completed. (1) _less than grade 8 (2) grade 9-11 (3) _high school (4) :Some college or speciEIized training (5) :two years of college (6) four years Of college (7) :more than four years of college. 4. Please check one of the following groups that best identifies your current occupation. (l) housewife (2) _unemployed (3) _service worker (4) unskilled laborer (5) craftsman or foreman (6) sales (7) business or _managerial (8)__professional (9) other (specify) 5. Check Income:. (1) Less than $1,999 (2) $2, 000- $3, 999 _, (3) $4, 000- $6, 999 ,-T4) $7, 000- $8, 999 _, (5) more than $9, 000 _. 181 6. __Number of dependent children living with you. 7. Number of childrenpresently attending New Haven __Public Schools. PART II. COMMUNICATION ABOUT PUBLIC SCHOOLS 8. We would like to know how you learn about the public schools in New Haven. .For.each type of communication listed, please check the column which shows how much it has helped yOu learn about the public schools. Least Some Most Method of Communication . (0) (l) (2) Face-to-face contact. with school officials Phone conversation with school officialST ‘1‘ Children School bulletins Friends and neighborS’ Community organizations Programs in schools (including PTA) v New Haven Evening-Register fir Journal Courier fii Area Periodicals: A.I.M. C.P.I. New Letter, et.al. Radio Television Other (specify) 182 9. Have you heard anything bad.about the local public schools lately? Yes__, 'No__, If yes, what? 10. Have you heard anything good about the local public schools lately? Yes__. NO__. If yes, what? PART III. PARTICIPATION IN PUBLIC SCHOOL AFFAIRS 11. How often did you contact the school by phone to talk with teachers or other school officials? (0)__pot at all (1) one or two times (2)__three to ten (37;4more than ten. 12. How often did you visit the public schools in New Haven or attend public school functions last year? (0)__not at all (1) one or two times (2)__three to ten tIfies.(3)__more than ten times. A. If so, under what circumstances did you attend? (Check more than one answer if appropriate) a. As a member of an official school committee or-organization. (0)__not at all (1) one or two times (2)__three to ten (ET;_more than ten. b. Invited to visit by teacher or administrator to review child's progress. (0) not at all (1) one or two times (2)::three to ten (37;_more than ten. C. Summoned to school because of a problem. concerning your child. (0) not at all (1) one or two times (2):three to ten (ET—more than ten. d. Visited voluntarily to Obtain more information concerning-school programs. (0)__not at all (1) one or two times (2)__three to ten (57;_more than ten. 13. 14. 15. 16. 183 e. Visited to.participate in Special school program. (0) not at all (1) one or two times (2) _three to ten (37' more than ten. f. Attended as.a participant in an adult program sponsored.by the school. (0) not at all (1) one.or two times- (2):three to. ten. (ET—more than ten. g.~ Went to school to seek assiStance in non- educational (personal) matter. (0)_;not at all (1) one or two times (2)__three to ten (57;_more than ten. How often do you discuss the local schools with other people in the neighborhood? (0) _never (1) _Occasionally (2) _often (3) :very often. How responsiVe do you consider the school authorities are to your requests? (0) _not responsive (l) _fairly responsive (2) :responsive (3) _very responsive (4) :exceptionally responsive.~ How satisfied are you with the educational program> being offered in your neighborhOod school? (0) not satisfied (1)—fairly satisfied (2) _satisfied (3) _very satisfied (4) :exceptionally satisfied. Please check those.activities in our public school program that you are.interested in learning more, about. a. Research findings b. New teaching methods c. School building programs d. Student counseling services e. School organization. f. Teacher recruitment g. The teaching of reading~ h. Operating costs i. Programs for handicapped children j. Other (please specify) 184 17. Please check the school activities you desire to take part in if given the opportunity to do so: a. Public school employment b. Evening recreation c. Evening high school d. Volunteer classroom. worker e. PTA, neighborhood school committee, etc. f. Other (please specify) 18. What people, civic groups, or other organizations in New Haven do you feel have the best interests of the children at heart when they speak of public education? PART IV. INFORMATION POSSESSED CONCERNING THE NEW HAVEN PUBLIC SCHOOE EIETEM 19. Please check the name of the person who you believe is the present superintendent of the public schools. (1) George Barbarito (2)__§erald Barbaresi (3)::Arnold Epstein (4)__Orvi11e Sweeting (5)__lawrence Garfinkel. 20. Please answer the following statements in the space provided by placing a check.after true or false. a. Vocational educational courses are available to students in our local high schools. True_. False_. b. United States History is a required course for all high school students in our local public high schools. True__, False__, c. The Eli Whitney Regional Technical School is financed and operated by the New Haven Board of Education. True__. False__. d. Textbooks are provided free to all students attending public schools in New Haven. True_. False_. 185 New Haven children are being bussed to suburban school systems for the first time this year. True__, False__. The Superintendent of Schools appoints the members of the New Haven Board of Education. True_. False__. City property tax money is the only source of financial revenue used to operate the New Haven Public Schools. True__. False__. Less than ten per cent of the total city budget is spent on public education. True__. False__. Students that drop out of school may not be readmitted. True__, False__. A classroom teacher's salary ranges from a minimum of $9,000.00 to a maximum of $18,000.00 True__s False__3 The New Haven school system presently offers special programs which are specifically designed to educate the physically and emotionally handicapped child. True__, False__. The New Haven School System has appointed five school superintendents within the past ten years. True_.. False_. The board of education spends enough money because of vandalism each year to hire five additional teachers. True__. False__. Lay citizens of the community are not allowed to attend Board of Education meetings. True__, False__, The Superintendent of Schools and the New Haven Board of Education have enthusiastically endorsed the formation of Citizen Advisory Committees for each neighborhood school. True_. False_. 186 PART V. FEELING TOWARD THE NEW HAVEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS 21. 22. 23. 24. How good a job do you feel the public schools are doing in educating New Haven children? (0)__poor (l)__fair (2)__good (3)__yery good (4)__exceptional. Compared to other school systems, how good a job do you think the local public schools are doing? (0)__poor (l)__fair (2)__good (3)__yery good (4)__exceptional. Compared with other people whom you know, how interested are you in the local public schools? (0) not interested (1) less interested (2)::sbout the same‘(3)::more interested (4)__exceptionally interested. Please check to what extent you agree or disagree with the following statements: a. Public school officials are concerned about the educational opinions of lay citizens. (0)__strongly disagree (l)__mildly disagree (2)__mildly agree (3)__agree (4)_4strongly agree. b. Working class citizens can influence the direction of the educational policy. (0) strongly disagree (l)__mildly disagree (2)::mild1y agree‘(3);;agree (4)__strongly agree. c. Our public educational system is too complex for“ me to understand. (0) strongly disagree (1) mildly disagree (2):mildly agree (3)—agree (4)—strongly agree. d. Citizens of all ages are encouraged to use the local public schools. (0)__strongly disagree (l)__mildly disagree~ (2)__mildly agree (3)__agree (4)__strongly agree. e. Increased citizen participation is necessary at the policy-making level. . (0) strongly agree (1) agree (2) mildly agree (3):mild1y disagree (4Estrongly‘disagree. f. Increased citizen participation will resolve many of the problems of publ c education.‘ (0) strongly agree (1) agree (2) mildly agree (3):mildly disagree (4Estrongly‘disagree. 25. 26. 187 Please finish the following statements in any way you wish: a. The New Haven Public Schools aregén L b. I would like the New Haveanublic Schools to ...: Do you believe that a representative group of parents from the school neighborhood should have full respon- sibility, responsibility shared with professional educators, or no official responsibility for the following educational tasks? Please check: Parent Responsibility Full Shared None Selection of.administrat0rs Selection of teachers Selection of textbooks Determination of curriculum offerings~ Determination of course content. Teaching methods: *AA Determination of-student extracurricular activities Supervision of student extracurricular activities A; Determination of school budget allocations 188 Thank you very much for completing this questionnaire. The' data collected from this survey will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of our present methods of communicating with parents of the community. rYour.suggestions of how we may establish closer school-community relationships will be of invaluable assistance in:enabling professional educators to move in the direction of greater citizen participation in the operation-of the schools. Sincerely, George D. Harris: Ass't Supt./Supportive Services Please write any additionalfcomments that you would like to make about local public schools in the space below: APPENDIX D LETTER AND RESPONSE FROM NEW HAVEN PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY 189 Dear 3 The New Haven Public School System is currently conducting a survey to assess how effective we have been in involving the lay citizens of the community in the educative process. Residents of the Brookside-Rockview Public Housing Project have been selected as the sample population for the survey. Data gathered from this survey will be moSt valuable to us in helping define which areas of the educational program that lay citizens can most meaningfully participate. Because of its geographic location, the Brookside—Rockview Public Housing Project obviously affords many advantages for this type of study. We would appreciate any information you can provide us which may help identify the socio-economic characteristICS' of the overall population of the project. Our records only reflect the socio-economic characteristics of those‘ residents that have children attending the Katherine A. Brennan Elementary School. Any information you can provide relative to special community concerns other than the educational programs would be appreciated also. ' Should the need arise for us to assist you in any way, we hope you won't hesitate to call upon us. A summary report of this study and subsequent recommendations based upon it will be forwarded to you upon its completiOn. Thanking you in advance for your cobperation. Sincerely, George D. Harris Jr. Assistant Superintendent New Haven Public Schools GH:gh 190 Housing Authority of the City of New Haven 230 Ashmun Street. New Haven, Connecticut 06511 0 777-7631 _ Mrs. Sherwin Casher Chairman Albert Rogers Vice Chairman Melvin J. Adams Mrs. John Moorer December 22, 1969 Dominick Panagrossi Edward White, Jr. Executive Director Mott Institute for Community Improvement College of Education 517 Erickson Hall MICHIGAN STATE: UNIVtRSITY East Lansing, Michigan 48823 Attention: George Harris Assistant Superintendent New Haven Public Schools Dear Mr. Harris: In reSponse to your request, the following are some facts re the socio-economic characteristics of the Brookside-Rockview community, along with the enclosed statistical breakdown. Rockview is a federally-assisted, low income housing project while Brookside is state-assisted moderate income housing. Naturally, the difference in income requirements for the two projects is re- flected in the statistics on single-parent families and proportion of population receiving full or partial assistance. The main concerns of the community outside the area of education are deveIOpment of adequate recreational facilities for youngsters, including daycare centers and teen lounges; attracting more business services to the immediate neighborhood; and the creation of new housing in the unpOpulated areas surrounding the projects. In addition, many residents and potential residents feel the need for more roads connecting the area with other neighborhoods, and improved public transportation. The enclosed statistics are largely self-explanatory. "Poverty families" are families whose income falls below the federally- established poverty level. Please contact me again if I can be of further assistance. Very truly yours, 6 E ward White, Jr. Executive Director pb APPENDIX E MAP DEPICTING RELATIVE LOCATION OF BROOKSIDE-ROCKVIEW’PUBLIC HOUSING PROJECT 191 \. ’\ 7. uaowuooccoo £93: 302 no on: I - - _.._._._.-._...._.-.-.,.._‘> uomfloum man—mac: 0.:an ogmxooumllv. fl _xhlxlwr 3043.00: 3. I .. -... "Itiitittiiitiitt'tiiiti