A STUDY OF THE KEY' ELEMENTS 0F AGENCY- SCHOOL COOPERATION AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO COMMUNITY EDUCATION ’ "Thesis for the Degree of Ph. D.‘ MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY : LOUIS J. TASSEV , 1972H5' ,I‘r' LIBRARY Michigan State University ‘ 3 1293 10141 8055 This is to certify that the thesis entitled The Study of The Key Elements of Agency-School Cooperation and Their Relationship to Community Education presented by Louis Joseph Tasse has been accepted towards fulfillment of the requirements for Pth. degreein Administration and Higher Education flaw/Z/ (flat/flea , f Major professor Date 2 1 2 0-7639 ABSTRACT A STUDY OF THE KEY ELEMENTS OF AGENCY- SCHOOL COOPERATION AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO COMMUNITY EDUCATION BY Louis J. Tasse The institutionalized role of education has been a key force in the emergence of modern-day American society. The effects of rapid change, social change, and the increasing amount of educational change contribute to the proposition that this institutionalized role of edu- cation must be modified to meet new demands. If the role of education must change, then the traditional views and assumptions about formal education and learning need to be reassessed and new assumptions presented. Education is more than schoolhouse learning and many examples of learning taking place outside the school are apparent. When these dimensions of learning are considered it is essential to examine all educational innovations demon- strating the potential to cope with change. Although community education is not a new idea in education, it is presently being widely promoted and Louis J. Tasse diffused across the country. The process, which promotes education in the broadest sense, has experienced much success and growth. A Closer investigation of one of its components--agency—school cooperation--is necessary to add to the growing wealth of objective knowledge regarding the community education process. The Purpose The purpose of this study is to identify the key elements of agency-school cooperation and their relation- ship to community education. Two basic hypotheses were formulated: hypothesis 1: There is no significant difference between the "ideal" and the "real" in agency—school cooperation. Hypothesis 2: There is no significant difference in the perceptions of community school directors, principals, agency personnel and parents about agency—school cooperation. The review of the literature revealed that most research in community education has primarily been related to history, philosophy, concepts, the community school, and the community school director. No studies dealing specifically with agency—school cooperation, as defined in this study, were found. Louis J. Tasse Methodology A randomly selected sample of 120 reSpondents pro- vided the basic information for the study. This sample was representative of community school directors, princi- pals, agency personnel, and parents in Flint, Michigan. Six dependent variables made up the two question- naires used in the study. These variables were: (1) com- munity involvement, (2) feasibility analysis, (3) com- munity school director, (4) structure, (5) implementation, and (6) evaluation. Data for use in the analysis of the selected variables were collected in Flint, Michigan. In the conduct of this study, an analysis of the above elements and their community education relationship was undertaken. Basic statistics using multivariate and univariate analysis of variance techniques were utilized. Findings of the Study 1. There is a significant difference between the "ideal" and "real" perceptions of agency-school cooperation. 2. Significant differences exist between the "ideal" and "real" perceptions of six elements of agency- school cooperation. 3. Significant differences occurred in the perceptions of the four groups: (1) community school directors, (2) principals, (3) agency personnel, and (4) parents. 10. 11. Louis J. Tasse There were significant differences in the per- ceptions of four groups on four elements of agency- school cooperation: (1) community involvement, (2) feasibility analysis, (3) community school director, and (4) implementation. Significant interaction occurred between four groups on the community involvement element. Community involvement is a Vital element of agency-school cooperation. The community school director occupies a central role in agency-school cooperation. Evaluation is a key element in agency—school cooperation primarily on the basis that community education has a built-in evaluation instrument-- participants. Three other key elements were identified—-imple- mentation, feasibility analysis, and structure. Community based action projects which enlist com- munity participation are important to agency- school cooperation. Agency-school cooperation (l) improves services, (2) provides services not ordinarily provided by the school, (3) makes the public more aware of the services provided by non—school agencies, and (4) makes services more accessible to residents. Louis J. Tasse 12. Parents in the study strongly supported com- munity education. 13. Community education is a viable vehicle for agency-school cooperation. Recommendations The results and implications of this study prompt three types of recommendations. First, ways in which this research can be used as a model for a diagnostic and prescriptive tool for schools to (1) assess agency-school c00peration, and (2) assess other components of community education. Second, considerations to be made by communities interested in the integrating of agency—school services. It should be particularly noted that every community is different in its characteristic make-up, educational goals and programs, agency services, organizational structure, and so on. Adequate study of the community, needs, ser- vices, available resources, problems, and other unique circumstances should be undertaken prior to the develop- ment of agency-school cooperation ventures. Third, to suggest areas for further study, (1) replicate the study in two or more cities to allow com- parisons of perceptions, (2) replicate the study but with a selected sample from community education programs across the nation, (3) utilize the study design to examine one of the six elements in depth, and (4) replicate the study in a community where community education is not in existence. A STUDY OF THE KEY ELEMENTS OF AGENCY- SCHOOL COOPERATION AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO COMMUNITY EDUCATION BY Louis J. Tasse 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 1972 “‘3'; - k‘ ‘\‘_~\, . 'cfi l {A \,1 copyright by LOUIS J. TASSE 1972 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The author wishes to express sincere appreciation to Dr. Howard W. Hickey, Chairman of the doctoral com~ mittee, for his insightful guidance, intellectual prods, and valuable time. Dr. Clyde.M. Campbell, Coordinator of the Mott Intern Program, provided encouragement and counsel when- ever needed. Dr. Albert E. Levak and Dr. Floyd G. Parker also served on the committee. The author is grateful to Mr. C. S. Mott whose dedication to Community Education inspired him to provide funds for study through the Mott Foundation. A Mott Fellowship presented the opportunity to work with the staff at the National Center for Community Education. Their help cannot be measured. This project could not have been undertaken with- out the ready cooperation of the Flint Community Schools. Dr. Peter L. Clancy, Superintendent of Community Edu- cation, receives thanks for his assistance and interest in the author's professional growth. ii Dr. Lawrence Lezotte and Dr. John Schweitzer assisted in providing needed advice on computer programs and statistical methods. Dr. V. M. Kerensky planted the seed which led to the author's interest in completing a doctoral program. This colleague fertilized it often. The late Frank J. Manley and Dr. Ernest O. Melby provided inspiration and frequent counsel. The author's fellow interns at the Leadership Center shared their ideas, experiences, barbs, and encouragement. A special expression of thanks is extended to Elihu Carranza, Everett Williams, and Jacob Winters. Finally to my wife, Carol, and our children, Cindy, Greg, Jenny, John, Tim, and Pam, whose love, patience, understanding, faith, and sacrifice made it possible for us to complete this work. Thanks family! iii Chapter I. II. TABLE OF CONTENTS THE PROBLEM . . . . . Significance of the Problem Purpose of the Study . Methodology . . . . Definition of Terms . Delimitations of the Study Summary and Overview . REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE. Background of the Study The Community . . Organizational Theory. Social Service Agencies Perceptual Theory . Is the Role of Education One nence?. . . . . Is the Role of the Rapid Change. . . Social Change . . Educational Change. Is Education More than Learning? . . . . "School Is Dull and Outside" . . . . Environment . . . The Home . . . The Community . The Media. . . Health . . . iv of Promi School Changing? . Page ll l7 19 20 24 25 27 28 28 3O 35 39 42 46 46 49 56 63 63 68 68 69 71 74 Chapter Peer Relationships . . Future Educational Programs Community Education. . Summary. . . . . . . III. METHODOLOGY . . . . . . Population and Setting. . The Sample. . . . . Procedures for the Collection of Instrumentation . . . . Statistical Methods. . . IV. ANALYSIS OF DATA . . . . Purposes . . Part I—-Tests of Hypotheses Perceived Differences in and "Real" . . the Variable I (Community Involvement). Variable II (Feasibility Analysis) Variable III (Community School Director) . . Variable V (Implementation) Interaction Between Groups Part II--Research Questions Summary . . . . . . "Ideal V. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS Summary . . . . . . Conclusions . . . . . Recommendations . . . . SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . APPENDICES Appendix A. List of Flint Community Schools Randomly Selected for Study from List of All Community Schools in Flint Page 75 78 82 85 87 87 89 91 93 99 102 102 104 104 107 108 109 110 111 114 123 128 128 131 135 137 144 Appendix Page B. List of Agencies in Flint Randomly Selected for Study . . . . . . . . . . . 145 C. A Description of the Human Resource Center Pontiac, Michigan . . . . . . . . 146 D. A Description of the T. Wendell Williams Community Education Center Flint, Michigan . . . . . . . . . . . 155 E. Community Education Questionnaire for a Study of Agency-School Cooperation and Coordination (Ideal) . . . . . . . 163 F. Community Education Questionnaire for a Study of Agency-School Cooperation and Coordination (Real) . . . . . . . 169 vi Table 4-4. LIST OF TABLES Record of Response, Ideal . . . . . . . Record of Response, Real . . . . . . . Record of Responses . . . . . . . . . Hoyt Analysis of Variance Test of Relia- bility. I O O O O O O O O O O 0 Results of Multivariate Test of Equality of Mean Vectors for Comparison of All Per- ceptions of the "Ideal" and "Rea-Iw of Agency-School Cooperation . . . . . . Results of Univariate Test for Comparisons of All Perceptions of the "Ideal" and "Real" of Agency-School C00peration on Each of the Six Dependent Variables . . . . . Results of Multivariate Test of Equality of Mean Vectors for Comparison of the Dif- ference in Perception of Four Sample Groups. . . . . . . . . . . . . Results of Univariate Test for Comparisons of the Perceptions of the Four Sample Groups About Agency-School Cooperation on the Six Dependent Variables. . . . . . Univariate Analysis of Variance for Com- parison of the Mean Difference in the Per- ceptions of Four Groups About Community Involvement in Agency-School Cooperation . Univariate Analysis of Variance for Com- parison of the Mean Difference in the Perceptions of Four Groups About Feasi- bility Analysis in Agency-School Cooper- ation . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii Page 90 90 96 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 Table Page 4-8. Univariate Analysis of Variance for Compari- son of the Mean Difference in the Per- ceptions of Four Groups About the Role of the Community School Director in Agency-School Cooperation . . . . . . . 110 4-9. Univariate Analysis of Variance for Compari- son of the Mean Difference in the Per- ceptions of Four Groups About Implemen- tation in Agency—School Cooperation. . . . 111 4-10. Perceptions of the "Ideal" and "Real" Situ- ations in Items Related to Research Question #1 by the Four Groups in the Study Sample . . . . . . . . . . . 117 4-11. Perceptions of the "Ideal“ and "Real" Situ- ations in Items Related to Research Question #4 by the Four Groups in the Study Sample . . . . . . . . . . . 119 viii LIST OF FIGURES Figure A Page 4-1. Univariate Analysis of Variance for Compari- son of the Interaction in the Perceptions of Four Groups in Variable I--Community Involvement . . . . . . . . . . . 112 4-2. Comparison of the Total Mean Scores of Four Groups in Assessing the Potential of the Agency-School Component of Community Edu- cation. . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 CHAPTER I THE PROBLEM For no one can educate anyone else. PeOple educate themselves. And if we can help peOple to find ways of doing things for themselves and their communities, we can set in motion an educative process of such power that it dwarfs schools and colleges in magni- tude. This does not mean that schools and colleges lose importance——they merely change their role and their relationship to the community. As they relate themselves to their communities, they serve the com- munity, but the community also serves them. It becomes a laboratory in human living for the faculty and students.1 The general public and educators have postulated assumptions about what school is, as well as what it is not. Questions about the purposes of school and what its purposes ought to be continue to be raised. Education is more than fact—learning or information gathering2-—it is a process of "becoming."3 This "becoming" process is a continuous one—-probab1y beginning before birth and continuing until death. The individual is constantly 1E. O. Melby, Horace Mann Lecture, 1955, The Edu- cation of Free Men (Pittsburgh: University of PittsBurgh Press, 1955), p. 54. 21bid., pp. 17, 24, 51. 31bid., p. 56. striving to "become all that he is capable of becoming."4 Education may be defined as that system which helps indi- viduals in this quest for self-actualization.5 In this context, that system becomes very broad and is made up of many variables and experiences. It does not View the school as an institution with an exclusive franchise for learning. For education is lifelong, communities always educate. Many questions continue to be asked such as: Educate for what purpose? In what way? How effectively? What are the resources? Can these resources be coordi— nated in such a way that the "life chances" of indi- viduals may be improved? What are the component parts of this education process? Who may be in the best position to mobilize each facet of one's self—actualizing process? How can this education be coordinated to the fuller realization of the "becoming" process of indi- viduals? Melby writes of the schools: Now we must take a hard look at ourselves. We can— not produce the fully mobilized community unless we become one of the educational agencies of the com- munity rather than insist that we are the agency 4E. O. Melby, National Community School Education Association Keynote Address (Miami, Fla.: Carillon Hotel, December, 1967). 5A. H. Maslow, "Some Basic PrOpositions of a Growth and Self-Actualization Psychology," in Perceiving, Behaving, Becoming, ed. by A. W. Combs (washington, D.C.: Association for Supervision and Curriculum DevelOpment, 1962). for education. we must stop trying to dominate the community, stop trying or hoping to direct all edu- cation, and humbly take our place as members of the community as it organizes itself for educational purposes. One's "education" is really the sum total of many smaller education systems.7 These smaller systems, i.e. the home, environment, economic conditions, peer groups, communication media, church, street, school, various agencies, etc. . . . all contribute in the total "becom- ing process."8 How these systems contribute can be better understood by citing several examples. 1. In a recent study conducted by the National Academy of Sciences it was found that low birth weight of babies may be contributing to America's relatively high rate of infant deaths, particularly in the urban centers. In addition, Dr. Aaron Lechtig, one of the members of the study team, said: "It's been long enough known, with all kinds of data, that newborns whose birth weight is very low definitely have retarded development." The study further found that protein supplements given to mothers during pregnancy could lift hundreds of babies 6Melby, op. cit., pp. 52—53. 7Alvin Toffler, Future Shock, Chapter 18 (New York: Random House, 1970), pp. 3984427. 8A. W. Combs, ed., Perceiving, Behaving, Becoming, Chapter 15 (washington, D.C.: Associatibn for Supervision and Curriculum DevelOpment, 1962), pp. 234-53. out of the "high risk" category. Dr. Tommy N. Evans of the wayne State School of Medicine also reported high protein diets as a necessity for healthy babies and that there is a direct correlation between amino acids (pro- tein) and the size and mental ability of the child.9 Could it be that improved educational and action pro- grams (involving health agencies) for expectant mothers and future mothers in our schools might sharply reduce these problems? 2. Swiss professor Jean Piaget's detailed studies and observations of the learning habits of infants and pre-school age children dramatically show the importance of the home environment in the growth and development of children. The capacity for coping seems to be influenced by the variety of things with which a child has coped. Piaget agreed that children in intellectually stimulating environments advance more rapidly than others. Environ— ments which restrict children's opportunities to explore, to test their own ideas, to have their questions answered and other questions raised, will retard their development. The real problem for schools is not to decide what should be taught, but why, according to Piaget. He further asks, "Is the purpose to know a certain number of things, or is it to become capable of creating, of inventing new 9Richard Pothie, "Pregnant WOmen Gain Weight," Detroit Free Press, September 5, 1971, p. 2-C. things?"10 What of the children who are not raised in stimulating environments? Does the school have a responsibility to, through working with others, help to create a community which provides a stimulating environ- ment? 3. Bloom's studies of intellectual development in early childhood have shown that: a. A child's I.Q. may vary as much as 20-30 points according to the environment; b. By age six a child has developed as much as two—thirds of the intelligence he will have at maturity. He also says that the unplanned intellectual diet of the children of the poor bring almost certain disaster in terms of preordained failure in school and in adult life. Until the 1960's the home was viewed in terms of the emotional support it offered--not in terms of its "hidden curriculum." If a child's educational achieve— ments depend so much upon what he learned before attain- ing the age of six, then the major educational insti- tution in the land is not the school but the home.11 What should be done then, if the major educational loMaya Pines, Revolution in Learning (New York: Harper & Row, 1966), pp. 53-60. llIbid., pp. 46—52. institution--the home——fails? Should one watch millions of children march toward wholesale failure in our schools? Does the school need to better develop those services which will provide greater assistance to the home? 4. Steele and Lezotte have shown that socio-economic indicators correlate with Michigan Assessment test scores. Their study showed that, "Environmental decay, racial isolation, undereducation, unemployment, divorce, and unhealthy, crowded living conditions are predictive of the failure of one school system to teach fourth grade 12 central city children." The study further suggests that if all the learning conditions within the school were ideal, children in at least the fifteen elementary districts studied would not achieve their maximum learn- ing potential until a massive attack is waged concomi- tantly on the socio-economic conditions cited in the study. Can the school then--the servant of the people-- afford to not exert its leadership in bringing together agencies whose combined efforts may rid the community of these predictors of failure? 5. Similar studies have shown that hungry children have a more difficult time in "formal school“ learning 12Steele and Lezotte, "Recent Research," The Urban Review, CCCCCXIII (January, 1972), 36-38. than less hungry children.l3 Is it possible that welfare agencies and schools will find positive advances in reducing this problem via breakfast programs, free—lunch programs, etc., at least for the children of the poor?14 6. Studies have also found that young people with physical, health, and dental problems are more difficult to assist in the learning process than those without these problems.15 These deficiencies in basic needs operate to influence learning in a number of ways. Much of the energy and attention of the child is directed to his immediate needs and he is less able to attend to learn- ing.16 Perhaps these health problems could be reduced by the joint-efforts of the school and the medical, dental, and health departments of our communities? 7. Other studies have indicated that more than the school, family, and small neighborhood contribute to the value system of our society today. Education is suddenly 13W. F. Totten and F. J. Manley, The Community School (Galien, Mich.: Allied Education Council, 1969), p. I2. 14B. S. Bloom, A. Davis, and R. Hess, Compensatory Education for Cultural Deprivation (New York: Holt Rein- Eard & Winston Inc., 1965), pp. 1311. 15Roy E. Peterson, "AnthrOpometric, Physiometric and Health History Comparisons of High and Low Academic Achievement Motivated Early Adolescent Boys" (unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Michigan State University, 1969). l6Bloom, Davis, and Hess, op. cit., p. 8. a much bigger word than it used to be. Only a fraction 17 We watch "the of it goes on inside school buildings. war," men walk on the moon, demonstrations hundreds of miles away, see open heart surgery, and visit China by television today. 8. One only has to read the newspapers or watch television to know that many skills we teach in school are out-moded by the time the learner has mastered them. That jobs disappear and are replaced by new and different ones almost before we have really learned how to prepare people for the old ones. 9. Harrison Salisbury,l8 James Conant,19 and Rev. David Wilkerson20 in their books about life in the cities, help us to understand the influence of the "streets" upon education. Salisbury reviews juvenile gangs and peer- group influences on crime and delinquency. Conant reflects upon the dramatic differences between the chances of the 17Stephen K. Bailey, Disruption in Urban Public Secondary Schools (washington, D.C.: National Association of Secondary SchOol Principals, 1970), p. 24. l8Harrison Salisbury, Shook-Up Generation (New York: Harper & Row, 1958). 19James B. Conant, Slums and Suburbs (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1961). 20Rev. David Wilkerson, The Cross and the Switch- blade (New Jersey: Fleming H. ReveIl, 1970). slum children vs. those of suburban youth. Wilkerson's book closely looks at the drug problem and reports case studies of addictive youth and the problems which led up to their rejection of home, school, or society. What is the role of the school in bringing about community develop- ment? Are these problems that require inter-agency and community—wide action? Can the school provide some coordinating functions toward their reduction? James S. Coleman21 discusses the changing role of the school. He talks of the information—poor society of yesterday as one in which the school was the place where people went to get information. Schools not only had the control of the information, but could be selective about the information dispensed. Along with this information- poorness of yesterday was a richness of opportunity for children to learn through productive action. Children had productive work to perform at home or in the neighbor- hood. They could be and feel like contributing members of the home or community. Contrasted with today's lack of opportunity for productive work experiences and the information richness of today the role of the school seems to have been reversed. From one of the school, as a relative monopoly, selecting and shaping values 21James 8. Coleman, "The Children Have Outgrown the Schools," Psychology Today, V, No. 9 (February, 1972), 72-75. 10 we seem to have moved toward one in which the school must provide the main socializing experiences. Thus far it appears that the school has not accepted this new role. The school, it seems, has clung to the traditional or classical functions which no longer exist. In the past, the child's role involved certain other important and productive roles such as: helping care for younger brothers and sisters; working at home; in the store; on the farm; on the newspaper route; surviving in a hostile environment—-roles which affected other people's welfare. Most of these roles have disappeared in the "communication rich and action poor society."22 The school must begin in some dynamic way, to cope with its changing functions and deal with those new functions which largely were accomplished outside of school in the past. Coleman Suggests that the school of the future must not have as its primary goal the teaching of children. He says schools must be integrated with other organizations of society and not insulated from them.23 We can do this by making the school a productive community in which the participants carry out responsible activities of service to the larger community. He further suggests the concept of full-time education up to a given age and then full-time 22 23 Ibido’ pp. 72-75. Ibido’ p. 750 11 work, being replaced by a continuing mix that begins at an early age and runs through adulthood.24 Therefore, if such be the case, the schools of today and the systems of which they form a part must con- front the task of not only the changing role of schools in today's society but meet the challenge of the future-- a time of increasingly rapid change, according to Toffler and others.25 The problem for education and educators is one of harnessing the accelerative thrust of rapid and drastic changes, especially in the inner city, and guiding it to a positive meeting with the needs of chil- dren, youth, adults, and families. Significance of the Problem The late Frank J. Manley, whose vision of com- munity education and leadership over the past four and one-half decades has provided inspiration to community education advocates everywhere, frequently has simply defined it as an idea that is devoted to "helping people help themselves" and promotes "understanding among men." On first examination the meaning of these concepts risks their dismissal as idealistic and unrealistic notions. But a deeper more thoughtful look exposes their eloquence and excites the spirit. What is the full meaning of 24Ibid., p. 82. 25Toffler, op. cit., Chapter 18, pp. 398-427. 12 "helping peOple to help themselves?" Does this not imply a basic belief in man and his capacities to "become"? Does it not suggest that a special kind of "love" must exist between the "helper" and the "helped"? Is it possible that in helping another to obtain greater self— realization, the helper also experiences a greater degree of self—actualization? Does not this "helping process" suggest that it is a "dynamic process," one which takes into account the special wants, needs, and conditions of the person being helped? And what of the growth of the person serving as the helper? The second of Manley's concepts deals with "under- standing among men." Does "understanding" not imply first an understanding of one's self? Are not the notions of Earl Kelley's "full—functioning person" implicit in "understanding among menP? Is the under- standing person not realizing relationships which break down the barriers which separate him from others and creating an openness of experience and cooperation? Does not the "understanding person" see himself as a part of a world in movement, developing and holding high human values?26 Are not those embracing this concept utilizing all available data; social demands; complex and maybe 26Earl C. Kelley, "The Fully Functioning Self," in Perceiving, Behaving, Becoming, Chapter 2, ed. by A. W. Combs TWaShington, D.C.: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1962), pp. 9-20. 13 even conflicting needs; perceptions of the uniqueness of the situation; as resources upon which to base their behavior? Is not the person attempting to understand others positive, forward moving, constructive, open, and trusting?27 Are not Maslow's basic propositions of self-actualization inherent to the understanding pro- cess?28 And what of the adequate personality described by Combs? Does not understanding others aid in the development of a positive view of self? As Combs says, Who can say what kind of world we might create if we could learn to increase our production of adequate people?29 The essence of the community education concept, for this researcher at least, is captured in these two goals which have served as the basis of the "community education vision" of Frank J. Manley. The Community School Concept has been viewed, by some, as one of the means to the regeneration of the central city as well as a focal point for activities and 27Carl R. Rogers, "Toward Becoming a Fully Functioning Person," in Perceiving, Behaving, Becoming, Chapter 3, ed. by A. W. Combs (thhington, D.C.: Associ- ation for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1962), pp. 21-33. 28Maslow, op. cit., Chapter 4, pp. 36-51. 29A. W. Combs, "A Perceptual View of the Adequate Personality," in Perceiving, Behaving, Becoming, Chapter 5, ed. by A. W. Combs Twashington, D.C.: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1962), pp. 50-64. 14 services designed to offer Opportunity to improve the life chances of citizens of all ages. In this context, life chances are viewed as all of those variables necessary to help individuals "become all that they are capable of becoming." Combs describes the truly adequate, healthy per- son in terms of (1) positive view of self, (2) identifi- cation with others, (3) acceptance of and openness to experience, and (4) the richness and availability of the perceptual field.30 Inner-city schools are noted for having children whose growth and development is far below their poten- tial.31 As schools develop programs to increase their ability to meet the needs of persons whose growth and deve10pment is below their potential, they must do so by accepting the premise that the shortcomings or faults are to be sought in the structure of the system and not in the children. The task of providing a relevant program of edu- cation for children which effectively increases their life chances is an extremely complex one. It encompasses not only the educational program but one which includes 30A. W. Combs, "A Perceptual View of the Adequate Personality, Paper delivered to Mott Interns, Flint, Michigan, November, 1972. 3J'Miriam L. Goldberg, "Factors Affecting Edu- cational Attainment in Depressed Urban Areas," in Edu- cation in Depressed Areas, ed. by A. Harry Passow New York: Teachers College Press, 1966), pp. 68—97. 15 emphasis on the social, physical, cultural, recreational, and emotional programs of assistance as determined by the unique needs of each individual child.32 It is therefore essential that in designing ways to assist the individual, services not traditionally included within the "structure of the system" must be made readily available. Not only is the availability of such services important, but the system of delivery and the coordination of these many services becomes increas- ingly vital. The "life chances package" must be coordi— nated in such a way that the goal of providing the help needed to the individual or family is a consequence of the coordination rather than a coincidence. Two essential requirements of the agencies coordinating their efforts on behalf of individuals or families are (1) an acceptance of the fact that they, too, have contributed to the shortcomings of the system's structure and (2) a will- ingness to review their own structure in order to determine more effective means of delivery.33 Since "life chances" constitute the sum of more than the school ordinarily can offer alone, a way must be 32Mel Ravitz, "The Role of the School in the Urban Setting," in Education in Depressed Areas, ed. by A. Harry Passow (New York: Teachers ColIege Press, 1966), pp. 6-23. 33Clyde M. Campbell, "The Administration of Com- munity Schools," in The Role of the School in Community Education, Chapter 4, ed. by Howard HiCkey (Midland, Mich.: The Pendell Co., 1969), pp. 41—52. 16 found to better coordinate these efforts. The community school philosophy is a commitment to this ideal through partnerships with agencies, institutions, and individuals to accomplish tasks that will assist individuals to realize their potential.34 Certainly no single agency, institution, group, or individual alone has thus far provided a fully satis- factory method of maximizing education to allow the fullest possible actualization for all people.35 Can it be that education has become so complex that better ways to coordinate its many variable elements must be found? Can it be that the role of the school, which is owned by the public, is being redefined by its "stock- holders" and being pressed to fulfill an increasing coordinating function? Is it perhaps possible that a "teaming" effort on the part of agencies, institutions, and groups may produce a harmonization that provides greater opportunity for more and more individuals to help themselves? In sum, providing maximum opportunity for the education of all children is a shared responsibility of home, school, and community. This concept in itself is clear evidence that working together on behalf of 34V. M. Kerensky and E. O. Melby, Education II (Midland, Mich.: Pendell Publishing Co., 1971), pp. xi- xvi. 35Ibid., Chapter 11, pp. 157—78. 17 children is a cooperative venture. All persons, agencies, institutions, and organizations must find improved ways of coordinating their objectives in such a way that their shared common goals may be orchestrated with those of the child.36 Positive changes in the educational environment (community) must be an outcome of these services. Social, economic, cultural, recreational, and health needs must be met in a more purposeful manner. Just as the symphony produces fine music only through the discipline of its integral parts all working together in harmony with each other, so also must agencies be woven together in their efforts to help others. A higher quality of coordination between agencies and a process of cooperation that pro- duces this coordination as a consequence rather than a coincidence must be found by those working together to actualize the potential of our students. Purpose of the Study Where a school fits in the mosaic of community life may depend upon whether the school sees itself only as a receiving agency-~an agency which seeks to get support from without—-or, on the other hand, whether it sees itself as both a receiving and giving agency-- one which actively engages in reciprocity with other community groups and agencies.37 3 6Kerensky and Melby, op. cit., Chapter 12, pp. 181—87. ——' . Samuel A. Moore, "Local Interagency Cooper- at10n,? The School Administrator, Series on Politics and Educatlon, No. 12 (August, 1971), 9. 18 The purpose of this study is to identify the key elements of agency-school c00peration and their relationship to community education and to show how this relationship (1) allows the school to alter its role as determined by a rapidly changing society and (2) demonstrates a plan where education is more than school-house learning. The study will also examine the perceptions of principals, community school directors, parents, and agency persons as to the "ideal," that which "ought to be," and the "real,"'that which "is," of inter-agency cooperation to determine, if any, the differences and provide for analysis. This study will attempt to also examine how the community education concept can coordinate the human and physical resources of the community to maximize the edu- cational growth of all persons. Two basic hypotheses will be tested in this study. Null Hypothesis 1: There is no significant difference between the "ideal" and the "real" in agency—school cooperation. Null Hypothesis 2: There is no significant difference in the perceptions of principals, community school directors, agencies, and parents about agency-school cooperation. 19 This study will further furnish some answers to the following research questions: 1. Does the community education concept lend itself to the coordination of resources? 2. What is the role of the community school director in inter—agency c00peration? 3. How important is community involvement to pur- poseful agency-school coordination? 4. Is formal structure important to agency-school cooperation programs? 5. Are community—school based action projects which enlist community participation important to agency-school coordination efforts? 6. Are local community—school and agency services significantly improved by the cooperation process? 7. Are services more accessible to people because of inter—agency cooperation? 8. What are some of the difficulties in bringing about the coordination of resources in the community? Methodology To gain further insights into the process of inter-agency cooperation in community education, the researcher will by a review of the literature and both 20 through informal and formal interviews with selected persons who have demonstrated expertise in the field of inter-agency cooperation develop a questionnaire which examines the "ideal" in terms of agency-school c00peration. The questionnaire will be used to gather data from groups of principals, community school directors, agency personnel, and parents who respond to the "ideal." A second set of data will then be gathered from a second sample set of different groups of principals, community school directors, parents, and agency personnel, to examine the "real" in terms of agency-school cooperation. Both random sets of four groups will be selected in Flint, Michigan. An analysis of the data will allow (1) testing of the hypotheses previously stated, and (2) identifi- cation of the key elements in inter—agency cooperation. Definition of Terms The following terms have significance for this study of agency and school coordination. These defi- nitions are proposed for clarity and consistency. Community Education Concept.--refers to a dynamic process constantly seeking new forms for the marshaling of all human resources within a community toward the development of human potential. An idea that views education as the sum of many component parts which con- tribute to the "becoming process." It embraces freedom 21 . . . for a full life, for the deve10pment of all one's capacities, for a warm relationship to one's fellowmen, and for participation in ordering the affairs of one's community and one's government.3 This concept includes the total realm of edu- cational experience available to individuals and groups to enable them to learn how to use their knowledge for the fulfillment of their wants and needs. It encompasses all of the individuals, organizations, agencies, and places in the community from which people learn. Community School Concept.--refers to the process which views the school and its leaders as catalytic agents which help to set people and projects in motion in such a way that human development and community improvement may evolve.40 Becoming.-- The person who is in the process of becoming is . . . a human being in flow, in process, rather than having achieved some state . . . sensitively open to all of his experience--sensitive to what is going on in his environment, sensitive to other individuals with whom he is in relationship, and sensitive perhaps most of all to the feelings, reactions and emergent meanings which he discovers in himself.41 38Kerensky and Melby, op. cit., p. 185. 39Totten and Manley, op. cit., p. 250. 4OIbido, pp. 248-490 41Rogers, op. cit., p. 235. 22 Self-Actualization.-- "What a man opp be, he must be." The identification of the psychological need for growth, development, and utilization of potential--what Maslow calls self- actualization--is an important aspect of his theory of human motivation. Maslow has also described this need as "the desire to become more and more what one is, to become everything that one is capable of becoming." Maslow finds that the need for self- actualization generally emerged after a reasonable satisfaction of the love and esteem needs.42 Life Chances.--are all of those variables necessary to help individuals "become all that they are capable of becoming." It refers to the equalization of Opportunities or improving of the odds as described by Silberman as a complex of cultural factors, often associated with poverty, income, environment, housing, home, family, and others.43 Rapid Chapge.--refers to a higher rate of change relative to the occurrence of another process. Toffler appears to hold a Heraclitean view of change as process. "All 'things' . . . are, in reality, not things at all, but processes. . . . Change is therefore, necessarily relative."44 42Frank Goble, The Third Force--The Psychology of Abraham Maslow (New YorK: Grossman Pub., Inc., 1970), p. 42. 43Charles E. Silberman, Crisis in the Classroom, Chapter 3 (New York: Random House, 1970), pp. 53-112. 44Toffler, op. cit., p. 21. 23 Social Change.-- . . . may originate in any institutional area, bringing about changes in other areas, which in turn make for further adaptations in the initial sphere of change. Technological, economic, political, religious, ideological, demographic, and stratificational factors are all viewed as potentially independent variables which influence each other as well as the course of society.45 "Directed social change is consciously brought about by an actor or social system representative who for convenience may be designated as the change agent."46 For our purposes the school may be the social system and the community school director its representa- tive or change agent. Perception.--concentrates attention upon process rather than fixed status. This approach helps us to try to adopt the client's (or in this case, the respondents in the sample) perceptual field as a basis for more genuine understanding. This allows us to be fully aware that the scope of one's personality (his concepts of self- behavior, environment, observations, other peOple, etc.) are internal integrated conditions related to the degree 45Amitai Etzioni and Eva Etzioni, eds., Social Change: Sources, Patterns, and Consequences (New YorE: Basic Books, 1964), p. 7. 46Charles P. Loomis, "Tentative Types of Directed Social Change Involving Systemic Linkage," in The Planning of Change, ed. by W. G. Bennis, K. D. Benne, and R. CHin (New’YOrk: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1961), p. 223. 24 of acceptance or non-acceptance of his perceptions. This study then will view notions of "ideal," that which "ought to be" and "real," that which "is actual" in this con- text.47 Ideal.--refers to a conception of something in its perfection . . . a standard of perfection or excel- lence . . . a model for imitation.4 Real.--refers to something that is existing or occurring, actual rather than imaginary, ideal, or fic- titious . . . not imaginary.49 Delimitations of the Study The research instrument developed by the liter- ature, selected interviews with experienced persons in the field of agency-school cooperation, will be validated in Flint, Michigan, and will therefore be representative and not exhaustive. Further, this research will identify key elements of agency-school cooperation and allow for the development of some recommendations. It is not 47Carl R. Rogers, "The Organization of Person- ality," in Personality: Readings in Theory and Research, ed. by Eugene A. SoutHWelI'and’MiEhaeIiMerbaum (Cali- fornia: wadsworth Publishing Co., 1964), pp. 203-20. 48Jess Stein, ed., The Random House Dictionary of ‘the English Language (New YorE: Random House, 1966), Po '707. 491bid., p. 1,196. 25 intended that the recommendations be viewed as a panacea or master model for agency and school relationships but rather that they serve as a "helping" document for schools or agencies who find them, or portions of them, applicable in bringing about improved coordination of resources in the community. The study will limit the research samples to four groups-~principals, community school directors, parents, and agency persons. Data will be analyzed in accordance with its relevance to the specific research hypotheses and questions already stated. Summary and Overview In summary, this study will seek to identify key elements of agency-school cooperation, test them, and determine whether the community education concept serves as a vehicle for the coordination of human and physical resources of the community under study, to maximize the educational growth of all persons. Chapter II will concentrate on the review of the literature, especially as it relates to the assumptions that: (1) Education is more than what takes place in the schools and (2) That a rapidly changing society is altering the role of schools. 26 Chapter III will present a discussion of the research design and procedures used in the study. It will also discuss the kinds of data and methods used to collect it. Chapter IV will analyze the findings. Chapter V will be a summary of the findings including conclusions and recommendations. CHAPTER II REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE This chapter reviews the literature related to the assumption that community education offers a viable means for the improvement of education for all Americans. The chapter will basically be concerned with: (1) The community, its organization, social services, and notions of perception; (2) The role of education in America; (3) Change and the rapidly accelerating rate of change; (4) The concept that views education in the broad sense . The first section introduces community, organi- zational theory, social services, and perceptual theory t0 provide a base of understanding for other sections and arguments presented. The second section introduces the Place education has occupied in the democratic way of life in our country. The third section examines the t0131c of the changing role of the school in our society. 27 28 The fourth section deals with the concept which views education as more than schoolhouse learning. The fifth section will be a brief narrative which examines Com- munity Education in light of the basic assumption stated above. The sixth and final section will be a summary and an introduction of the aspect of community education under investigation--agency-school cooperation. Background of the Study The Community It appears to be appropriate to examine briefly a few of the ideas about community. The definition of the American community is really deceptively simply pro- vided one is not asking for a rigid definition. The term has frequently been used to call forth rich imagery of the "country village," the "small town," or the "big city" according to Warren1 and others. Community is often associated with both large places and small places, with huge metropolitan areas and smaller suburban neigh- borhoods, with clusters of people living in close proximity and with groups of industries adjacent to one another. Generally definitions of community include various criteria thought to be characteristic of all communities. In the main, these characteristics may be categorized as lRoland L. Warren, The Community in America (Chi- cago: Rand McNally, 1963), pp. 1-8. 29 (1) including a specific population; (2) referring to a specific geographic area; (3) a place where institutions, and values are shared; (4) a place where significant social interaction exists. The transformation of com- munities seems to be bound by two major interrelated developments. One is related to the actual change which is happening constantly within the communities. The other is the modification and changing of the theoretical formulations among those students of community. Another aspect important to the understanding of the term "community," according to Warren, is that it is both psychological and geographical. The shared interests, characteristics, and associations are viewed as psychological, while the geographical sense denotes the clustering of people in specific areas. Difficulties in understanding community arise out of (1) the relationship of one community to another; (2) the fact that communities cannot be clearly delin— eated; (3) the problem that no "formal“ organization for community exists. Organization charts clearly defining the business, responsibilities, duties, goals, and so forth exist in industry, but not in community. In considering all such difficulties Warren's statement seems important: The reason is simple. PeOples' lives and their behavior are significantly influenced by their pro- pinquity. Living together in close physical proximity calls for social structures and social 30 functions which sustain life in the locality and pro— vide the satisfactions which people seek. By living in the same geographical area, even in today's con- ditions of rapid transportation, people must share common local institutions and facilities. They have a common interest in the local schools, stores, sources of employment, churches, and other insti- tutions and services whose availability to indi- viduals in their own locality is a part of the total pattern of American society. The intertwining of their lives on a locality basis, even in these days of specialized interests, urban anonymity, and depersonalization, provides an important social reality and important focus of study, fraught with theoretical difficulty though such study may be.2 In sum, most authors seem to agree that defining Community, determining its characteristics, and developing organizations to deal with its difficulties is not an easy task for society and the students of it. Organizational Theory According to Etzioni,3 organizations are defined as deliberately planned social units possessing certain characteristics. These characteristics may be divided into divisions of (l) labor, (2) power, and (3) communi- cations. These divisions have one or more power centers which control the organizational efforts and combine or recombine as well as replace their personnel where and when necessary to increase efficiency and effectiveness. These social units guided toward goal-directed work become 2Ibid., p. 9. 3Amitai Etzioni, Modern Organizations (New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1964), pp. 1-5. 31 servants of organizational needs. In this context, goals are considered as a desired state of affairs. "Real" goals are those to which the organization's means are directed, and the participants are committed to in con- tradistinction to the "stated" (or ideal) goals which may or may not be the actual goals of an organization. Etzioni4 further discusses modern society as a society of organizations. While organizations are not a modern invention, the ordering of organizations and their use to regulate others on the local, state, and national level5 is a relatively recent development. Effectiveness is generally measured in terms of the degree to which goals are achieved. Efficiency is measured in terms of the amount of cost input needed to achieve a unit of output. Outputs should not be considered as identical to goals. Goal distortion is due to over-measurement, but is a relatively mild type of distortion when compared to that which occurs when goals are displaced and other goals substituted. 41bid., pp. 5-16. 5See Roland L. Warren, "The Community's Vertical Pattern: Ties to the Larger Society and Culture," Chap- ter 8 and "The Community's Horizontal Pattern: The Relation of Local Units to Each Other," Chapter 9, in The Community in America (Chicago: Rand McNally, 1963), pp. 237-66 and 267-302, respectively. 32 To be sure, organizations experience goal succes- sion and the addition of other goals (either secondary or new, once the old ones are realized). Some organizations, however, are multi-purpose organizations; that is they legitimately serve more than two goals. Multi-purpose organizations tend to be more effective than single- purpose organizations.6 This happens through a variety of ways but generally results from improved personnel, combining services, and the spill-over effect to services rendered to another goal (within limits). In the study of organizations two approaches are frequently mentioned: (1) the goal model and (2) the sys- tems model. The goal model usually defines success as a Complete or almost complete realization of the organi- zational goals. Such an approach, however, seems to possess an intrinsic characteristic of always falling short of perfection. The systems model recognizes goal as well as non-goal activities and the necessity of coordi— nation between them. Analysis of the systems approach requires that one determine what he considers a highly effective allocation of means to achieve ends. The Par- sonian model seems to provide extensive analysis of the means and ends as well as an analysis of the external and internal aspects of organizations, for example. 61bid., pp. 14-19. 33 In determining appropriate types of theory for administration of specific organizations, many models are available as Etzioni illustrates.7 A few administrative types with brief definitions, and not ranked in order of importance, are listed below. 1. Classical theory also known as the scientific management approach basically includes the realm of economic rewards, distinct hierarchy of authority, and extremely high degree of speciali— zation. It is most often contrasted with the human relations approach to administration. Human relations theory emphasizes the emotional, unplanned, and the non-rational elements in organizational behavior. Structuralist theory embraces primarily the Weberian bureaucracy and recognizes the organi- zational dilemma that strains are inevitable and can be reduced but not eliminated. Decision-making theory reviews and analyzes how decisions are made and under what conditions more rational ones are produced. Simon and others have discussed both the horizontal and vertical dimensions involved in the process. 71bid., pp. 20-80. 34 There are, of course, other theories not men- tioned which expound solutions to the perennial problem of formal and informal organization. Formal organizations most often assume that there is one major structure of authority (the line). This line of authority is directly related to the goal activity of the organization. The dilemma occurs in the determi- nation of the process of combining professional and administrative authority.8 Semi-professional organizations give greater weight to knowledge as a determinant of authority and factors such as amount and kind are of importance. Pri- mary schools and social work agencies are generally con- sidered as examples of semi-professional organizations. Organizations considered by Etzioni9 as service organi- zations for professionals would be hospitals, research organizations, and the like. The major distinction usually made between public and private organizations is in the way they are owned and financed. The previous discussion has dealt with brief dis- cussions of community and organizational theory. It seems proper now to also examine briefly a few important aspects of social service agencies. 8Ibid., pp. 82-87. 91bid., pp. 86-93. 35 Social Service Agencies The history of American social work10 is rela- tively brief. Like group work, community welfare organi— zation has had its main lines of growth through the col- laboration of voluntary agencies. The charity organi- zation societies grouped together for the purpose of creating greater consistency in their programs and achiev- ing certain generally held goals. The exchange movement followed from the development of the charity organization movement. The community chest movement was instituted in Denver in 1888, and adopted by Cleveland in 1913 and later by other cities. Its main purpose was to engage in fed- erated financial drives. It provides an example, his- torical at least, of social agencies organizing for the benefit of the whole community. Councils of social agencies, urban coalitions, and human services councils are still more recent developments. Foundations, in the main, provided support for agency work initially. Esti- mated expenditures by foundations in 1960 was more than $400 million dollars. Government social work has had its most significant growth since the 1930's when the economic depression made it impossible for voluntary organizations to care for the needs of the unemployed. Federal 10Herbert Stroup, Social WCrk (New York: American Book Company, 1960), pp. 29-62. 36 legislative programs have continued to be more and more necessary in the American society, in recent years especially. Generally it can be said that the history of American social agencies is brief, that agencies have experienced great change in both organization and coordi- nation of services, and finally that voluntary, philan- thropic, religious, economic, and governmental types continue to show growth and increased efficiency. It should be noted that in providing for integrated social services in any given community, one must take stock of existing local, state, and national services available to a particular area. The integration of social services, especially with schools, provides at least three meanings of "inte— gration," according to a recent study conducted by the Syracuse University Research Corporation.11 First, it refers simply to the physical location of services and education at one site. Secondly, it refers to the complimentary interaction of social ser- vices, to the transcending of administrative boundaries which usually lead to highly independent and self-contained social service bureacracies. A third definition is that 11"The Potential Role of the School as a Site for Integrating Social Services," Paper by the Syracuse Uni- versity Research Corporation prepared for U.S. Department of Health, Education, and welfare, March 31, 1972, pp. 1- 61. 37 of integrating the members of the community to be served into the decision-making process which determines structure and operating procedures of social service centers. It appears that two main rationales for examining the inter-agency idea are: (1) providing services at a lower cost, and (2) the improvement of services. In either case, efficiency and effectiveness are the primary considerations. It should be noted that inter-agency cooperation is intimately related to various notions of community involvement, participation, or control. For many it simply suggests making services more accessible to clients. It is also articulated as an approach to the provision or delivery of services. Inter-agency cooperation is based on the undeniable fact that different people have differing requirements for social services. The current practice is to have independent sets of services, each directing its efforts toward particular aspects of an individual's needs--physical health, mental health, welfare, job training, recreation, and so forth. This type of organization seems to pay little attention to the unique set of needs of the individual. Nor is any assurance provided that the individual will even be aware of or the recipient of all the services to which he may be entitled to, legally. 38 Locating services in "physical" or "geographic" centers makes a certain amount of sense in that they also need to be interrelated in some comprehensive way. More recently the role of education has come to be viewed as increasingly vital and central in the inter- agency process. There are virtually every community. educational facilities in They are reasonably acces- sible, and are not utilized to their maximum potential currently. More importantly, educational services are integral elements of social services. The high degree of specialization in education has brought these needs to the fore and many agency-school services have developed-- day care, early childhood centers, vocational education, prenatal and nutritional education, drug abuse projects, job training, senior citizen services, welfare programs, and so forth. There are many examples of agency-school services and cooperation. The Syracuse study examined in detail ten such models displaying in services, organization, The study further presents version, and are worthy of than a general interest in high levels of cooperation funding, and construction. each in a detailed case study review for those with more inter-agency work. 39 Perceptual Theogy Since this study is concerned with the perceptions of those persons participating in it, a brief review of perceptual theory seems appropriate. The educator, agency representative, and parents seem to have vital roles in the task of strengthening and promoting the concept of agency-school cooperation. It seems evident in our presently changing and complex society that schooling alone does not provide man with the skills required to satisfy his needs and desires. Therefore, the process of human development and the satis- faction of human needs requires the combined efforts of the school and those forces outside it. It seems reasonable that schools and agencies should consider especially the advantages of joint efforts; when one considers previously presented ideas about community, organizations, and social service agencies. This study attempts to deal with agency- school cooperation and its relationship to community edu— cation, by examining the perceptions of persons viewed most central to the notion. Perception is a term with various meanings. Presthus12 defines perception as the process of becoming acquainted with the environment. This "getting acquainted" process makes use of the instinctive tendencies to use 12Robert Presthus, The Organizational Society (New York: Random House, 1962), pp. 94-133. 40 our sense organs. Observation, for example, suggests we appraise new situations to orient ourselves and to help us decide what role is important. Our perception defines the limits of our behavior and its accuracy determines the effectiveness of our response. Certain levels of anxiety facilitates perception at times, however it sometimes distorts perception, culminating in exaggerated responses. The latter should not be confused with anxiety which is the uncomfortable feeling of not possessing adequate control of situations felt to be important to us. Many forces impinge upon perception. For example, the "structured field" of the bureaucratic situation; reinforcement through rewards and punishments; the effects of social structure and the common drive toward upward- mobility; the pervasive need to be liked; the weight of social expections; previous experiences with people important in one's life; and of course many others. It is not the intent of this study to deal with each of these forces, but to relate to perception in the sense that the perceptual field in which a person functions determines his behavior. Many theories have been advanced relative to cer- tain aspects of perceiving. Allportl3 goes onto lengthy detail in describing thirteen separate theories. l3Floyd Allport, Theories of Perception and the Con- cept of Structure (New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1955), p. '8} 41 The school of Gestalt psychologists seek to understand the behavior of the individual from his own point of View. Combs states, "By the perceptual field, we mean the entire universe, including himself, as it is experienced by the individual at the instant of action."14 In relation to the Gestalt theory, this study seeks to learn how things "seem" to the individual from his frame of reference. The definition used as a theoretical base for this study as stated by Combs is as follows: . . . PeOple do not behave according to the facts as others see them, they behave according to the facts as they see them. . . . These personal meanings which govern behavior the psychologist calls perceptions.15 Combs further states that: " . . . all behavior, without exception, is completely determined by, and per- tinent to, the perceptual field of the behaving organism. . . . "16 This brief discussion of perceptual theory helps us to understand the impact perception plays in the indi- Vidual's response(s) to questions about "ideal" or "real" situations of agency-school cooperation, as posed in this study. 14Arthur W. Combs and Donald Snygg, Individual Behavior (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1949), p. 17. 15 16 Ibid., p. 20. Ibid. 42 Is the Role of Education One BfTProminence? Recently a number of educational critics have indicated points of View that formal education and school are really not very important. This seems then to be a basic question requiring a closer look. An examination of American history shows that the schools and education have played important roles in our society. Both have profoundly influenced the lives of people. Since the settling of the first colonies, edu- cation has been a significant part of the American way of life. People's belief in education has always been strong, even though educational opportunities have not always been free or equal for all citizens.17 A state- ment by Myles Horton about the turn of the 19th century summarizes the American attitude toward education: Popular education and certain faiths about popular education are in the mores of our time. we regard illiteracy as an abomination. we ascribe to ele- mentary book learning power to form character, make good citizens, keep family mores pure, elevate morals, establish individual character, civilize barbarians, and cure social vice and disease. We apply schooling as a remedy for every social phe- nomenon which we do not like.18 17Larry E. Decker, "An Administrative Assessment of the Consequences of Adopting Community Education in Selected Public School Districts" (unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Michigan State University, 1971), p. 20. lglbid. 43 As far back as the Revolution, according to Sol- berg,19 the prominence of the role of education in our society was gathering momentum. Even then he says, it was clear that education was a legitimate and necessary concern of government.20 Indeed, there was disagreement then, as well as now, about which level of government ought to be involved and how much involvement should occur. There was, however, a common View that govern- ment had a stake in an educated body politic. Not only has this belief in education become an accepted fact, but state and federal education agencies have stated their faith in the American people and their ideas of education. Michigan's Department of Public Instruction's statement21 indicates strong support for education and is typical of the governmental attitude in most states. Revolutionary times also marked the beginning of the democratization of education, according to Solberg.22 19James R. Solberg, "The Evolution and Implemen- tation of the Community-School Concept" (unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, University of Michigan, 1970), p. 17. ZOIbid. , p. 18 . 21Bess Goodykoontz, "Selected Studies Relating to Community Schools," The Community School, Fifty-Second Yearbook of the National Seciety fer the Study of Education, Part II, ed. by Nelson B. Henry (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1953), p. 66. 22Solberg, op, cit., p. 18. 44 John Adams expanded on the ideas of our nation's early leaders in regard to their views toward public education. He stated unequivocally that "the instruction of all pe0ple ought to be the care of the public."23 He added that "schools for the education of all should be placed at convenient distances and maintained at public expense."24 The process of the democratization of education has con- tinued throughout our history to emphasize the important role of education. Evidence of more recent thinking about public education is expressed by Gardner: "Our schools must prepare all people, whatever their talents, ' I o 25 for the ser1ous bu51ness of being free men and women." In writing about education, William Yeager points out its close-knit relationship in the process of living. As the eye cannot get along without the hand, neither can the school without the home, nor the school and home without the community. Each becomes necessary to the welfare of the others; all must work together in the interests of childhood and of desirable living for all men in every community. Although the leader- ship belongs to public education, the responsibility belongs to all.26 23Charles Francis Adams, ed., The Works of John AdamsL Second President of the United States: ‘W1th"A_Life of’the Author, Notes, and Illustrations, VI (Boston: LittIe, Brown, and Company, 1851), p. 16. 24Ibid., p. 21. 25John W. Gardner, Goals for Americans (Columbia University: The American Assembly, 1960), p. 100. 26William A. Yeager, Home--School--Communi§y Relations (Pittsburg: University of Pittsburg, 1939), p. 3. 45 The history of education leaves little doubt about its importance in any modern society, whatever its political or economic forms. In introducing the National Goals for Education prepared by the President's Commission on National Goals, John W. Gardner states: Education is essential not only to individual fulfillment but to the vitality of our free insti- tutions depends upon educated men and women at every level of the society. . . . Ultimately, education serves all of our purposes-- liberty, justice, and all our other aims-—but the one it serves most directly is equality, and education is the instrument by which we hope to make good the promise. . . . The fulfillment of the individual must not be dependent on his color, religion, economic status or place of residence.27 In reviewing selected readings28 in the educational philosophy to obtain information about the prominent role of education, the researcher noted that although the views about goals, purposes, methods, and approaches differed significantly among the authors, all felt that the role of education was truly one of prominence in our society. Further evidence of the prominent role of edu- cation is the spectacularly large number of persons encompassed by it. In 1963, for example, there were 126,870 institutions of education in America, 51,700,000 students enrolled, and some 2,212,350 teachers and 27Gardner, op. cit., p. 81. 28Joe Park, ed., Selected Readings in the Phil- osophy of Education (New York: MacMillan Company, 1959). 46 administrators.29 When we add board members and sta- tistics of all those who are indirectly involved in American education via school construction, book pub- lishing, equipment manufacturing, related school ser— vices, driving buses, maintaining facilities and grounds, and through payment of taxes, then we touch virtually the whole of the American peOple. It makes sense, then, to conclude on the basis of the evidence that education is definitely important in our society. Is the Role of the School Changing? It makes a certain amount of sense to examine the question, for if the role is not changing, traditional concepts and formal schooling are as adequate today as they were yesterday. To investigate this question, it is reasonable to review three aspects of change: (1) Change and the increasing rapidity of it; (2) Social change; (3) Educational change. Rapid Change One of the best-selling books of our time is Future Shock by Alvin Toffler. He attempts to come to 29William M. French, America's Educational Tra- ditions (Boston: D. C. Heath and Co., I964), p. 363. 47 terms with the future, of coping with it, of examining the rate of change and our adaptability to it.30 "Future shock," he says, "is a time phenomenon, a product of the greatly accelerated rate of change in society." "Culture shock is the effect that immersion in a strange culture has on the unprepared visitor," he continues, To illus- trate his theories about change and its accelerative thrust, Toffler uses this example: It has been observed, for example, that if the last 50,000 years of man's existence were divided into lifetimes of approximately sixty-two'years each, there have been about 800 such lifetimes. Of these 800, fully 650 were spent in caves. Only during the last seventy lifetimes has it been possible to communicate effectively from one lifetime to another--as writing makes it pos- sible to do. Only during the last six lifetimes did masses of men ever see a printed word. Only during the last four has it been possible to measure time with any precision. Only in the last two has anyone anywhere used an electric motor. And the overwhelming majority of all the material goods we use in daily life today have been developed within the present, the 800th lifetime.3l He also points out that it has been within this 800th lifetime that man's relationship to resources has reversed itself, and to understand what is happening to us in an age of super-industrialism, it is imperative that we analyze the processes of acceleration. To further illustrate the rapidity of change, Toffler says that it would require a duplicate city for each of the 30Toffler, Future Shock, pp. 1-11. 3lIbid., pp. 13-14. 48 hundreds that dot the globe to accommodate the new urban millions if all existing cities simply maintained their present size. And they must do this in eleven years. He also discusses the astonishing speed with which our knowledge base has grown and how momentum is increased as knowledge is accumulated for the previous knowledge serves as fuel to further increase the speed. The pace of life to the average individual is analogous to the "wound-up-man-on-the-go." Toffler speaks of the "throw away society," the new nomads and the 3,000,000 mile club, and the modular man.32 The rapid changes in jobs may be illustrated by these two of many Toffler examples. 1. The airline flight engineer emerged and dis- appeared in a period of 15 years. 2. A Fortune magazine survey of 1,003 young execu- tives employed by major corporations showed 1 in 3 held a job that simply had not existed until he stepped into it. The changing role of the school, according to Toffler is to help build a society that is far better equipped to meet the impact of change. To create such awareness and curiosity he sees as a cardinal task of education and the schools. The super industrial revolution 321bid., pp. 14-124. 49 in the schools has as its main mission the creation of an education that will create this curiosity. "Edu- cation must shift into the future tense."33 Social Change W. Harold Grant relates the story of his visit with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi of India, in which he talked of the concept of Dharma in India. It deals with the push, the motivation, the desire in each.man, in men collectively, to become what he can be. It is that which keeps us from being able to stand still, and he says whenever the environment is not conducive to this evo- lution, when it blocks it, that the only alternative is revolution.34 In the area of social change and especially as it relates to the changing role of the school, a revolution has been taking place in this country in recent years. Yankelovich describes it as follows: Since the early 1960's, the campus has served as incubator for two kinds of social change--one political, the other cultural. Up to now, the two have interpenetrated each other, with the political side being the more prominent.35 33Ibid., p. 427. 34W. Harold Grant, Speech presented at the National Catholic Educational Association (Detroit, Michigan, April, 1969). 35Daniel Yankelovich, "The New Naturalism," Saturday Review, April 1, 1972, p. 37. 50 He accounts for this social change on the campus with the explanation that: Our sons and daughters on campus are urging us to stop our frantic rush to bend nature to the human will and in its place to restore a vital, more harmonious--and more humble--balance with nature. Discouraged about not being heard by the larger society, many students have turned in on them- selves, seeking to live a more private life. But great ideas work by a covert underground process. Just when the students have abandoned their evan- gelism and activism, the seed of the idea that now flourishes on campus have taken root in the larger culture. Before the decade of the 1970's has passed, the new naturalism will become a powerful force, nationwide in scope.36 Urban America has been undergoing tremendous social change and the rate seems to have been increasing. The changing population of large cities, due to the flight of families to the suburbs and their replacement by the less fortunate, has caused sweeping social change to take place in metropolitan centers. Mel Ravitz discusses the crisis and illustrates its relationship to education. America's central cities are in the process of changing their function. They are changing from being the centers of social, political, economic, cultural, educational life to being mere catchment areas for the old, the poor, and those nobody else wants or even wants to see.37 36Ibid. 37 Mel Ravitz, "Urban America Is in a Crisis," The Community School and Its Administration, X, No. 4 (Decem- ber, 1971), 1. 51 He further explains that the increasing mobility38 of people is the major reason for the problem. The motor car has made the difference. Revitalizing the city will require that our leaders change both their attitudes and the structures of our institutions according to Ravitz.39 He claims that a drastically revamped public educational system is needed in the city. Amitai Etzioni recently discussed social problems in a Saturday Review article. "Solving social problems by changing people is apparently less productive than accepting people as they are and changing their circum- 40 stances instead." He suggests the changing role of the school when he states: Probably the greatest disappointment educators have encountered in recent years, and have not quite come to terms with, is the failure of intensive edu- cational campaigns to help children from disadvantaged backgrounds catch up with their more advantaged peers. . . . The reasons for this inability to bridge the dis- tance between the educational achievements of dis- advantaged and better off children are hotly debated. It seems to me that the key reason for the failure of compensatory education lies in the fact that the dis- advantaged children are locked into total environments, which include home, neighborhood, parental poverty, discrimination, and inhibiting models of behavior. we cannot hope to change one without changing the 381bid., pp. 1-2. 39Ibid., p. 2. 40Amitai Etzioni, "Human Beings Are Not Very Easy to Change After All," Saturday Review, LV, No. 23 (June 3, 1972), 46. 52 others. Education will become more effective when it works together with other societal changes--which, of course, means that, by itself, it is not half so powerful as we often assume.41 The plight of the poor in our society is typified by Peter Schuck's description of the cane worker in Louisiana. The cane worker is immobilized by a depri- vation extreme even for the rural South. He is a skilled operator of sophisticated machinery, yet earns only about $2,600 a year to sustain an average family of six. This is nearly $2,000 less than the poverty level for farm families. His seasonal work requires a constant rush to beat the frost or the heavy rains, during brief periods of the year and then idleness until the next crop is ready. He is almost imprisoned by his occupation for there is nowhere else for him to go.42 He answers the question of, how does one trapped in such poverty escape? If the past is any guide to the future, cane workers will escape the system, not by changing it, but by leaving it for large cities. That is possible only for the young, however. For the thousands left behind, the hope for a better life depends wholly on outside intervention.43 4lIbid., p. 47. 42Peter Schuck, "Tied to the Sugar Lands," Satur- day Review, LV, No. 23 (June 3, 1972), 36. 431bid., p. 41. 53 One cannot adequately consider the issue of poverty without examining "equality." Greater awareness of inequality in our society is producing a "New Equali- tarianism" according to Herbert J. Gans. . . . interests have begun to shift, and equality may be on its way to becoming as significant as liberty in the hierarchy of American goals. The shift began . . . in 1955 when Mrs. Rose Parks of Montgomery, Alabama, . . . was no longer willing to sit in the rear of a bus. Much has been written about the ensuing political and social unrest, but few observers have emphasized that the revolts of the blacks, the young, and others have a common theme: the demand for greater equality by the less than equal.44 Another View of equality has to do with the idea of equality of educational opportunity as expressed by Coleman, et al., in the now famous Coleman Report. In the statement issued by the U.S. Commissioner of Edu- cation, Harold Howe 11,45 and used as a cover to the report, he describes the survey as addressing itself to four major questions: 1. The first is the extent to which racial and ethnic groups are segregated from one another in the public schools. 44Herbert J. Gans, "The New Equalitarianism," Saturday Review, LV, No. 23 (June 3, 1972), 43. 45James S. Coleman, et a1., Equality of Edu- cational Opportunity (washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1966), p. iii. 54 2. The second is whether the schools offer equal educational opportunities in terms of a number of other criteria which are regarded as indicators of educational equality (laboratories, textbooks, libraries, curriculums--academic, commercial, vocational, teacher characteristics, student body characteristics, parental education, socio- economic backgrounds, pupil self-concept, etc.). 3. The third deals with how much students learn as measured by their performance on standardized achievement tests. 4. The fourth attempts to look at possible relation- ships between achievement and the kinds of schools they attend. Some of the findings of the study are illustrated by these excerpts from the report itself. In regard to segregation, the report says: The great majority of American children attend schools that are largely segregated--that is, where almost all of their fellow students are of the same racial background as they are. Among minority groups, Negroes are by far the most segregated. On the schools and their characteristics, it states: Clear differences are found on these items. The average Negro has fewer classmates whose mothers graduated from high school; his classmates more frequently are members of large rather than small 46Ibid., p. 3. 55 families; they are less often enrolled in a college preparatory curriculum; they have taken a smaller number of courses in English, mathematics, foreign language, and science.4 In regard to achievement the report states: . . . the deficiency in achievement is pro- gressively greater for the minority pupils at pro- gressively higher grade levels. For most minority groups, then, and most par- ticularly the Negro, schools provide little opportunity for them to overcome this initial deficiency; in fact they fall further behind the white majority in the development of several skills which are critical to making a living and participating fully in modern society. Whatever may be the combination of non- school factors--poverty, community attitudes, low educational level of parents--which put minority children at a disadvantage in verbal and nonverbal skills when they enter the first grade, the fact is the schools have not overcome it. 8 The relationship of achievement to school characteristics is illustrated by these statements in the report: It is known that socioeconomic factors bear a strong relation to academic achievement. . . . To put it another way, the achievement of minority pupils depends more on the schools they attend than does the achievement of majority pupils. . . . This indicates that it is for the most disadvantaged children that improvements in school quality will make the most difference. . . . But if a minority pupil from a home with- out much educational strength is put with schoolmates with strong educational backgrounds, his achievement is likely to increase.49 The report suggests that the school's role is a changing one in a statement summarizing equality of educational opportunity: 47Ibid., p. 20. 48Ibid., p. 21. 491bid., pp. 21-22. 56 Taking all these results together, one implication stands out above all: That schools bring little influence to bear on a child's achievement that is independent of his background and general social con- text; and that this very lack of an independent effect means that the inequalities imposed on children by their home, neighborhood, and peer environment are carried along to become the inequalities with which they confront adult life at the end of school.50 Toffler's concepts of rapid change are most cer- tainly evident when one thinks of the rate of social change in society. A few of the issues in which society is demanding change have been reviewed in this portion of section two. There appears to be little doubt that social change in our society presents implications that the role of the school is changing. Educational Change As the effects of rapid change and social change have settled upon society, they have produced another set of changes; changes that challenge traditional notions about education. Maya Pines51 calls it a revolution in learning. The traditional view for many years believed that children should begin school at the age of six. "Rules" were even developed that required a child to be six by a certain date, December lst, for example. This assumption has been challenged vigorously by growing 5°1bid., p. 325. 51Pines, Revolution in Learning, op. cit. 57 numbers of our leaders (Piaget,52 Bruner,53 Bloom,54 for example). This challenge has produced new ideas about kindergarten, Headstart, pre-school, day care, etc. It also has caused educators to refine their ideas about early childhood education. . . . change in many human characteristics becomes more and more difficult as the characteristics become more fully developed. Although there may be some change in a particular characteristic at almost any point in the individual's history the amount of change possible is a declining function as the characteristic becomes increasingly stabilized.55 A. Harry Passow in his writings of the crucial early years has stated: The past few years have abounded in early childhood programs, particularly at the "pre-school" levels of nursery and kindergarten. Aside from sheer growth in numbers, changes have multiplied in content and pro- cedures for educating younger children. One of the basic ideas guiding the direction of program develop- ment has been the impact of cognitive learnings and language development during the first five years on later personality and intellect. Bloom's analysis of hundreds of studies (dealing with intelligence, achievement, physical traits, interests, attitudes and personality) points up the early stabilization 52Jean Piaget, The Origins of Intelligence in Children (New York: International University Press, 1952). 53Jerome S. Bruner, The Process of Education (Cam- bridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1960). 54Benjamin S. Bloom, Stability and Change in Human Characteristics (New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1964). 55Ibid., p. 218. 58 of many characteristics. . . . The early environment is of crucial importance in laying the base for further development.5 Engelmann57 and associates are testing an academically oriented program for pre-schoolers. Passow quotes this description of the program: The school as a whole is run in a highly task-oriented, no-nonsense manner. Full participation of all chil- dren in the learning tasks is treated as a require- ment to which the children must conform . . . rather than as a developmental goal toward which the children are allowed to progress at their own rate. Emphasis is placed upon effort, attention, and mastery, but not upon competition, as is so damagingly done in many of our more achievement-oriented elementary schools.58 Another notion that has been challenged most recently has to do with the time one spends in school. The 8:30-3:30 school day, the September to June school year, and the 6-16 compulsory attendance laws have all been challenged. The community education movement has played an important part in the rethinking of the "time" concepts. Minzey and Olsen in talking about the role of the school in community education have stated: 56Edgar L. Morphet and Charles 0. Ryan, ed., Implications for Education of Prospective Changes in Society (New York: Citation Press, 1967), p. 78. 57Carl Bereiter and Siegfried Engelmann, Teaching Culturally Deprived Children in Preschool (Englewoo Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1966T. 58Morphet and Ryan, op. cit., p. 87. 59 First of all, the traditional role of the school is extended. No longer is the school program con- fined to Specific hours during the day. No hours . . . are inappropriate if a function can serve a community educational need. Realizing that all the community educational goals cannot be accomplished during the regular school day, programs are designed to operate prior to and after the regular school day as well as on weekends. A program of this type per- mits the inclusion of enrichment, remedial, vocational, and recreational activities that might not otherwise be undertaken during the limited hours of the regular school day. Breaking away from the typical school day offers the expansion of available time for psychological and health services for chil— dren, which in the past have taken from the time allocated for the traditional education program. The concept of the extended school day also applies to the school year. The school in this setting becomes a year-round center for educational activities. A third change in educational thinking-—that which sees education as a lifelong process--has occurred. In part it is a result of notions previously mentioned in this section, partly as a result of our tremendous advance in technology which has produced more and more leisure, but primarily is due to the "rate of change"60 and the rate of social change discussed in the first two parts of this section. This is not to imply that educators have not viewed education as a lifelong process in the past, but that in terms of the role of the school, 59Howard W. Hickey and Curtis VanVoorhees, eds., The Role of the School in Community Education (Midland, Mich.: Pendell Publishing Co., 1969T, p. 33. 60Toffler, op. cit., pp. 20—22. the 60 compartment that dealt with the 6-16 year ages was Of main emphasis and concern. Fred Harvey Harrington writes: As recently as ten years ago, there was little mention of adult and continuing education in the public pronouncements of educators and office-holders with responsibilities in education. But the last decade has brought a striking change. . . . "In our changing society every one must keep on learning for his entire life time.“ Why this change? Simply because political and educational leaders are coming to realize that it is not enough to educate the young-~that our nation can- not prosper if we do not teach grown-ups as well. . . . We can say further that educational planners can no longer afford to neglect this field. They must give it their attention as they assess the needs and opportunities.61 He further explains the trend as follows: ing The trend is unmistakable, and it is strong at every educational level. Some of the most dramatic new developments are in elementary and secondary edu- cation, largely because of the recent nationwide decisions to do something about poverty and drop- outs. . . . 62 In discussing the growth of the continuous learn- idea, he continues: Business firms and trade associations are also in the act, as are labor unions and churches and every sort of voluntary organization and commercial agency. Both off and on the nation's campuses there is informal and formal instruction for grown-ups (credit or non-credit--take your choice). There is adult education for work and for leisure. There are home study courses and courses taught overseas. There is educational radio and educational television. There are lecture and concert series. There is on- the—job training. There are conferences and 61Morphet and Ryan, op. cit., p. 129. 621bid. 61 institutes and workshops and study groups dealing with the issues of the day—-with the special problems of druggists and engineers, potato chip manufacturers, journalists, motel owners, foremen, policemen, mor- ticians, and housewives. There are training and retraining courses, courses for cultural improvement and artistic understanding, courses for fun and for community action. There are offerings for the ill and for the aged; for those interested in physical fitness or in making money.63 On the importance of lifelong learning, he comments: The reason is obvious enough. Educators have been overwhelmed with numbers . . . problems of space, teacher supply and finance, . . . revolutions in method, . . . in subjects to be taught, demands that standards be moved up, . . . student health and recreation, traffic safety, work with the handicapped, ties with the community . . . research revolution . . more and more were heard to say that, in our rapidly changing society, lifelong learning is a necessity. New knowledge, new machines, new politi- cal and social theories outdate the old. One must keep growing for individual development and for the national good. This is the case at every level, from grade-school graduate to the professional who has completed his advanced training in a graduate field. In other words, every4 one who stops learning is a dropout these days. These challenged assumptions about education and its changing role are far from exhaustive. What about changes as a result of desegregation? Programs for the poor and disadvantaged? Programs designed to deal with the "external forces" working on changing the school? In a study for the office of Research and Planning of the Lansing, Michigan school district, Elihu Carranza dis- cussed these forces: 63Ibid., pp. 129—30. 64Ibid., pp. 130-32. 62 The assumptions underlying the rationale are that at least two sets Of forces, (one internal to the school; the other external), are responsible for the constant state of flux in the educational establishment. l. The internal set Of forces involves the extent to which the objectives Of the system are being realized. 2. The external set of forces involves social, cultural, and technological pressures which determine the objectives the school must set for itself. It follows that the Operational task for the educational system is to devise strategies other than blind reaction for responding to these two forces.65 This section is best summarized by Toffler, in these words: . . . unless we capture control Of the acceler- ative thrust . . . tomorrow's individual will have to cope with even more hectic change than we do today. For education the lesson is clear: its prime objective must be to increase the individual's "cope-ability"—-the speed and economy with which he can adapt to continual change. And the faster the rate of change, the more attention must be devoted to discerning the pattern Of future events. It is no longer sufficient for Johnny to under- stand the past. It is not even enough for him to understand the present for the here and now environ- ment will soon vanish. Johnny must learn to antici— pate the directions and rate of change. He must, to put it technically, learn to make repeated, pro- bablistic, increasingly long-range assumptions about the future. And so must Johnny's teachers.66 It follows that rapid change, social change, and educational change are constantly working to reshape 65Elihu Carranza, "A Study of the Relationship Of the CIPP Educational Evaluation Model to Decision Making and Accountability" (unpublished study for the Research and Planning Office, Lansing School District, Lansing, Michigan, 1972), p. 6. 66Toffler, op. cit., p. 403. 63 the role Of the school. In the next section of this review, we shall look at the View that education is more than that which takes place inside the school. Is Education More than Schoolhouse Learning? "School is Dull and It's Exciting,0utside“67 Why is school dull to so many Of our youth? A partial answer is provided in this passage by Carl Sandburg: Everything in the past died yesterday; everything in the future was born today. The future so terribly real waits where it cannot be seen and comes rushing at us like the wind. What does history say of tomorrow? History says tomorrow waits with a big broom. Lincoln said the dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate for the stormy present. We must think anew; we must act anew, we must disenthrall our- selves. When you disenthrall yourself you break from the bonds that hold you. You cut loose from Old traditions and begin to make new ones.68 Kerensky and Melby Offer this explanation: A century ago there was more excitement within the books in a rural school library than in all Of life outside as seen by the typical child. Today the reverse is the case. A very dull school is competing with a very exciting world outside. In fact, the contrast makes the school appear more dull than it actually 13.69 67Kerensky and Melby, Education II, p. 31. 68Carl Sandburg as quoted by Charles A. Blessing, "Two Cities Designs for Life in Milan and Detroit," Graduate Comment (wayne State University, October, 1960), p. 6. 69Kerensky and Melby, op. cit., p. 31. VJ» 64 Many authors have criticized the traditional school organization and have implied that the organi- zation itself has produced an uninteresting and repetitious experience for students. Silberman and others have stated that the way schools are organized destroys spontaneity, initiative, and love of learning for both students and teachers. They are depicted as grim, joyless places and needlessly authoritarian and repressive. If our concern is with education we must not limit our attention to the schools, "for education is not synonomous with schooling and teachers are not the only educators."70 In a six-month participant-observer study of adolescent groups in a high school, Cusick comments on certain characteristics of the school: I would suggest that the first consciously intended effects of the sum total of characteristics is that students are denied freedom of activity. They may not leave the building between 8:10 and 2:20 except for a school approved activity. They must adhere to the routine and obey the teacher's direction of the learning activity. In sum, they may do what they wish so long as it is what their superior wishes or as long as it does not interfere with the teacher's intentions. A second effect is that they are undif- ferentiated.71 The researcher's Oldest son (one of six children) provides this insight into the dullness of school when 7OIbid. 71Philip A. Cusick, "Adolescent Groups and the School Organization" (unpublished study, Michigan State University, 1972), p. 33. 65 he was recently questioned about this year's junior high school experience: Son: "In Social Studies we studied India, Russia, Pakistan, China, and some others." "How long did you study China?" "About five or six weeks." "Tell me about China." "Well, it is the second largest nation in the world, and it is the largest in population." "What else?" "Ah, it is a communist nation." "What is communism?" "It is a government that is trying to take over the world, I think." "Did you talk about government in class?" "NO!" We read about it." "Did you talk about prejudice?" "No! II "Did you talk about segregation?" "NO! fl "Did you talk about citizenship?" "NO! II "If you had your choice Of going to school or doing something else, what would you do?" "Oh, I'd go to school, but only about two or three hours a day." He once was required to write three reports on China and reproduce six maps Of China. The maps were in the book and he had to copy them on blank outline maps twice the size of those in the book. The maps were on rainfall, population per square mile, geography Of China, regions, provinces, cities, and agricultural products. They were to be done in colored pencils oply. He spent more than ten hours at home, alone on the assignment. He remarked at the time, "I don't know why we have to do this stupid stuff. If I ever need to know this I can go to any library and look it up." His grade from the teacher was v/ . That's all. Just plain t// . Later, when 66 questioned in detail, to determine what he had learned from the exercise, he responded, "Absolutely nothing!" Oh, there was one thing, he doesn't like social studies. Now, this boy is not poor, Chicano, black, suffering severe discrimination, or lacking encouragement from his home or family. It does not require that one stretch his imagination very much to think of what "dull" means to the children who are disadvantaged. In their book, Education II, Kerensky and Melby say that: We ask the child to give up the life style he has had at home. If he is black or if he comes from the ghetto, we tell him he must not be the way he now is. He must be like us: the teacher. This makes him ill at ease. Of course, young children have a great deal of spontaneity and even the most repressive teacher needs considerable time to destroy it all. Go into the first grade--the children look at you when they talk to you, they seem bright and quite happy. Visit the grades in succession until you get to the eighth grade. Here all the spontaneity appears to be lost. The children look down on the floor when they talk to you. It took more than seven years but the job is pretty thorough.72 How does a child feel when he is someplace where it is dull? He simply feels that he would like to be someplace else! Fishing, swimming, playing basketball, hiking, tossing rocks in the creek, reading a book, climbing a tree, with his friends, it really doesn't matter. Just somewhere other than where he is, somewhere where it is exciting, happy, and where he can be unafraid. 72Kerensky and Melby, op. cit., p. 33. m 67 In regard to the changes educators propose for this condition, Silberman concludes Crisis in the Class- room by observing that: . . . when schools become warm and humane, teachers grow as human beings as well as teachers. The lesson is clear; Dewey stated it two thirds of a century ago. "What is needed," he wrote, "is improvement of edu- cation, not merely by turning out teachers who can do better the things that are necessary to do, but rather changing the conception of what constitutes edu- cation."73 And Toffler states: It would be a mistake to assume that the present day educational system is unchanging. On the contrary, it is undergoing rapid change. But much of this change is no more than an attempt to refine the existent machinery, making it ever more efficient in pursuit of Obsolete goals.74 In sum, it appears that too many Of our schools may in fact be dull, and too little is being done about it. Perhaps the condition can be improved by looking outside, rather than continuing to devote a disproportionate effort to internal machinery. How can schools and agencies join their best efforts on behalf of the community? Where else does one learn, if not exclusively in the school? Can agencies and schools more effectively resolve problems apparent in the outside of school learning atmOSphere by better cooperation and coordination? 73Silberman, op. cit., p. 522. 74Toffler, 9p. cit., p. 405. 68 Environment It appears appropriate to now review other impor- tant contributors to an individual's learning process. A few examples of learning that takes place outside the school shall be discussed in this portion of the review Of the literature. The Home.--Learning in the home environment has long been considered to be the unit of greatest impact upon the child. Studies have repeatedly shown that the earliest years of a child's development are the most critical to the process of learning. The young child seems to (1) bombard mommy and daddy with questions, (2) be fascinated by new things and experiences, (3) possess inexhaustible supplies of energy, and (4) be the holder of a zest for life and learning which amazes his elders, and of course many other characteristics. But many home environments are not as able as they were yesterday to provide the encouragement and support neces- sary to sustain this vigor. These homes need the support which is sometimes provided Via agency or school services. It seems these services whether it is provided by home counselors, supplied by schools, ADC counselors, or social workers, can become more effective if a higher degree of cooperation is developed between them. Piaget describes the early learning of children as follows: 69 . . . how children construct their image of the world out of ingredients supplied by their environ- ment. . . . In a rich environment the child begins to get "kicks" out of learning soon after birth. If nothing arouses him, however, or all his attempts at learning are squelched, he will stop seeking this pleasure--to everyone's 1035.75 And psychologist J. McV. Hunt believes that: . . . human beings can become far more intelligent-- gaining an average of perhaps 30 I.Q. points-~through better management of young children's encounters with their environment.76 The impact of family background on learning may be summarized: In any case, Coleman's most important and most con- troversial conclusion that variations in school in- puts seem to have little effect on the student's academic achievement, while variations in their family background have substantial impact--does not rest on the Coleman Report's data alone. . . . Surveys conducted for the English "Plowden Report," which avoided most of the methodological weaknesses and limitations of the Coleman Report, reached the same conclusion.77 The Community.--In a study of home and community environment factors in Flint, Michigan and their cor- relation with achievement in school as measured by the Michigan Assessment Test, Steele and Lezotte report: Flint, Michigan's problems are not unique. Simi- lar patterns can be found in most industrial areas. The problems which confront urban school systems are part of the reason that city schools are making little 75Pines, op. cit., pp. 20-21. 76Ibid., p. 64. 77Silberman, op. cit., p. 73. -J' 70 headway in their efforts to improve the learning achievement of poor children. Educators have long suspected a relationship between a child's home and his academic performance, but they have been so busy checking the I.Q. Of the child, the salary of the teacher, or the number of children in the classroom that they have been content to substitute bias for fact. While educators have served as the scapegoat for all of the urban ills, they have continued to look within the system for solutions, knowing that the school is itself a reflection of the larger community. Just as the urban poor are confined by the problem-barriers from which they cannot extricate themselves, so are the school personnel confined by the barriers of bureaucracy. Too many decisions are made within the central administration buildings with no input from the community outside-~despite the demands by citizens for involvement in the decision- making process.78 In discussing the community as an educational instrumentality, Kerensky and Melby suggest: In discussing the role Of the community in education we run afoul of a vicious circularity. It is the community that educates, yet we are also aware of the erosion of the community as an educational agent. Another way to say it is that we need a good com- munity to have good education but at the very time when this need is greatest we are rapidly losing a sense of community . . . to understand the community in order that we can mount an educational program which simultaneously seeks to build community and utilize the community that is in process of its improvement as an educational agency. We believe programs can be built which make the community's participation in education an educational means for building a better community.79 These statements suggest tasks for the society that no single agency can accomplish alone. It seems to require joint planning, coordination, reorganizing, and perhaps 78Steele and Lezotte, op. cit., p. 37. 79Kerensky and Melby, op. cit., p. 159. 71 the challenging of some Old assumptions about what the school's role "outside" of the formal building should be and what the agencies' role "inside" the school should be. The Media.—-Educating institutions outside Of the school that have usually been thought by many to be merely sources of entertainment, pleasure, or mere infor— mation tools are television, movies, newsPapers, and the like. The mass media, as we have more recently learned, have tremendous learning and value-developing power. It appears we have made only but a scratch in the potential of the various media. This potential is illustrated by Silberman: Students probably learn more about certain subjects from television than from the schools, moreover; as the sociologist Herbert J. Gans of Columbia Uni- versity has suggested, television and to a lesser extent the other mass media play a major role in "bringing the news" about how to live in contemporary society. Television has taken over the mythic role in our culture; soap Operas, situation comedies, westerns, melodramas, et al., are folk stories or myths that convey and re1nforce the values Of the society. These programs and, equally important, the commercials that accompany them transmit a large amount of information relevant to these values or world view: what people are wearing, how the status system works, which occupations have status or promote mobility, how to outsmart authority, what products to consume and how, and so on. They convey a great deal of information relevant to--perhaps necessary for--socialization of the adult as well as the child.80 However, our neglect in utilizing these sources toward more positive purposes has created certain 80Silberman, op, cit., pp. 32-33. 72 distortions in society which may be disturbing the structures of our community. Gans writes: For example, "Batman" is, from this vantage point, a course in criminology that describes how a super- human aristocrat does a better job of eradicating crime than public officials. Similarly, the "Bev- erly Hillbillies" Offer a course in social stratifi- cation and applied economics, teaching that with money, uneducated and uncultured people can do pretty well in American society, and can easily outwit more sophisticated and more powerful middle- class types. Television series such as "Bonanza" and "The Virginian," and most popular films and fiction, are in reality morality plays that show how a hero confronts a moral dilemma and how he finally makes a moral choice. These dilemmas are Often quite contemporary and controversial; I have seen "Bonanza," one of the most popular TV programs, deal with questions of racial intolerance and intermarriage, albeit in a 19th century Western setting. Programs such as "Law and Mr. Jones," "East Side--West Side," and "The Defenders" have discussed pertinent social issues in contemporary settings, although they have been less popular from a rating standpoint. And even the innocuous family situation comedies such as "Ozzie and Harriett" deal occasionally with ethical problems encountered on a neighborhood level, for example, how to help the socially isolated child or the unhappy neighbor.81 The impact of published materials such as news- papers, magazines, pamphlets, etc. On people can be understood by reviewing this vignette from David Reisman: Stepan Arkadyevitch took in and read a liberal newspaper, not an extreme one, but one advocating the views held by the majority. And in spite of the fact that science, art, and politics had no special interest for him, he firmly held those views on all subjects which were held by the majority and by his paper, and he only changed them when the majority 81Herbert J. Gans, "The Mass Media as an Edu- cational Institution," The Urban Review, II, No. 1 (February, 1967). 73 changed them--or, more strictly speaking, he did not change them, but they imperceptively changed of themselves within him. Stepan Arkadyevitch had not chosen his political Opinions or his views; these political Opinions and views had come to him of themselves, just as he did not choose the shapes of his hats or coats, but simply took those that were being worn. And for him, living in a certain society--owing to the need, ordinarily developed at years of discretion, for some degree of mental activity--to have views was just as indispensable as to have a hat. If there was a reason for his preferring liberal to conservative views, which were held also by many of his circle, it arose not from his considering liberalism more rational, but from its being in closer accord with his manner Of life. . . . And so liberalism had become a habit of Stepan Arkadyevitch's, and he liked his newspaper, as he did his cigar after 82 dinner for the slight fog it diffused in his brain. In contrasting the media influence to that Of the schools Silberman's statement makes a degree of sense: . . . that television . . . is a powerful means of conveying a set of values, attitudes, and behaviors. In particular, the mass media teach people how to consume and play in this increasingly consumer-and- pleasure-oriented society, in sharp contrast to the schools, which still emphasize the nineteenth century virtues of work and thrift. Unlike the schools, too, the media are able to respond to changes in taste or in life style, for example inducting young people into the new youth culture and legitimizing parts of it for the adult pOpu- 1ation.83 The potential of the media in assisting with the educational enrichment of large segments of our popu- lation indeed seems to be worth the efforts of those charged with upgrading the education in our community. 82David Riesman, The Lonely Crowd (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1966), p. 23. 83Silberman, op. cit., p. 34. 74 Health.--The part one's mental, physical, and emotional health plays in one's education both "inside" school and "outside" of it seems rather Obvious, but needs mentioning lest we forget how closely related each aspect is to the other. Campbell has said, in speaking about nutrition: Nutritionists have said over and over again that a child's basic intelligence may be determined in large part by his diet-—nourishment fed to him . . . during the early years of his life. Early is a term that should be noted because it does make a difference at what age a person receives or fails to receive adequate nourishment. Research data show that a youngster in his late teens can subject himself to a short star- vation diet and not affect his health or intelligence adversely. But this is not true for the two-year-Old child. A baby has to get proper nutriment with regularity or else his intelligence and health are impaired. Likewise, authorities in physiology support the faith that malnutrition, infectious disease, and poor health habits not only affect the development of intelligence but retard physical growth as well. Experiments with animals and children, to say it again for needed emphasis, reveal that diet affects profoundly the normal growth of the organism.84 In citing the basic needs Of children Bloom writes: For children of low-income families, public health statistics generally confirm the increased incidence of gross organ deficiencies (for example, dental problems, defective vision, impaired hearing) as well as diseases commonly associated with adverse economic circumstances, such as tuberculosis. In addition, there are a variety of illnesses of a debilitating nature that are commonly not treated in this group 84Clyde M. Campbell, ed., Toward Perfection in Learnin (Midland, Mich.: Pendell PubliShing Co., 1969), p. O 75 and sap their energies. Included here are various specific deficiency problems and parasitic invasions. 85 And on how this influences learning, Bloom continues: Much of the energy and attention of the child is directed to his immediate needs and he is less able to attend to learning and school tasks which must seem to him less urgent and obviously not very relevant to his present state.86 These statements make the importance of agency-school cooperation seem almost obvious. To be sure schools have made greater advances in this area of OOOperation with agencies than perhaps others. The advances, however, are not being made in proper measure to the existing need. Peer Relationshipp Another important facet of the learning experience is found in the examination of the peer group. Kerensky and Melby have described peer relations for inner-city children as follows: The importance of the peer group for the children of inner city at a very early age is one of the striking characteristics of the culturally deprived. One senses that these students are trapped in a dilemma that is characterized by a premature acceptance of peers to be unrewarding. Many studies point to the extra-ordinary importance of peer relationships for these students at a much earlier age than is exper- ienced by middle class youth. . . . Among deprived children, the age mates assume such an important role in the socialization process that the parents are a poor second in importance, if they are not rejected altogether. The paradox is that these children evi- dently turn to their peers for acceptance, 85Bloom, et a1., op, cit., p. 8. 86Ibid. 76 recognition and identification, and exclude adult leadership. Yet, they are not happy with their plight. It becomes readily apparent that these youth have turned to their peers for self- fulfillment of their basic needs, but since all possess the same need, there is no source to meet the need. Hence there is a lack of fulfillment and the resulting frustrations affect the classroom behavior. . . . Rather than fulfilling needs, the school has tended to erode and in some cases destroy their self-esteem. . . . Consequently, . . . pre- mature reliance on peer approval and acceptance . . . is equally frustrating. They look for adult acceptance and recognition, but, despite the efforts of a few significant people in every school with whom these youth can identify, all but a few are forced to retreat into their "peer jungle" where hopelessness, hostility and an all embracing rationalization against society takes place.87 Combs88 implies that peer group membership is constituted in each person's need to acquire a feeling of belonging. Without this feeling a part of the "group" there can be no personal involvement. Learning to accept others is limited. Whatever contributes to making a child feel he is apart from or inacceptable to his fellows makes it just that much more difficult for him to accept either himself or anyone else. Every person desires to be accepted. Acceptance or rejection by one's peer group becomes a very important part of most people's lives. Dr. Robert C. Petersen, Project Officer of the Center for Studies of Narcotic and Drug Abuse, National 87Kerensky and Melby, op. cit., pp. 45-46. 88Combs, et al., op. cit., Chapter 9. 77 Institute of Mental Health, explaining why some young people turn to drugs states: Youngsters who find satisfaction in other activities are less likely to find drugs appealing. Many young peOple feel keenly the problems of our contemporary world. They need to be involved in activities that have personal meaning. . . . Adolescence for many youngsters is a lonely time. The teen-ager who is unable to find his place in some orthodox group sometimes turns to drug use as a means of finding a kind of group acceptance.89 Urie Bronfenbrenner in his book Two WOrlds of Childhood, has discussed peer relationships as follows: As we read the evidence, both from our own research and that of others we cannot escape the conclusion that if the current trend persists, if the insti- tutions of our society continue to remove parents, other adults, and Older youth from active partici- pation in the lives of children, and if the resulting vacuum is filled by the age-segregated peer group, we can anticipate increased alienation, indifference, antagonism, and violence on the part of the younger generation in all segments of our society--middle-class children as well as the disadvantaged. . . . If adults do not once again become involved in the lives of children, there is trouble ahead for American society. New patterns of life have develOped in our culture. One result of these changes has been the reduced par- ticipation of adults in the socialization of children. Although, to date, this pattern has continued to gain acceptance, there is reason to believe that it can do harm to our children and to our society. We are therefore faced with the necessity of developing a new style of socialization, one that will correct the inadequacies of our contemporary pattern of living as it is affecting our children and provide them with the opportunities for humanizing experiences of which they are now bereft.90 89Drug_Abuse Education in the Jr. High School, Curriculum Bulietifi'No. 4E (Dade County Public SOhools, Miami, Florida, 1969). 90Urie Bronfenbrenner, Two WOrlds of Childhood (New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 1970), pp. 116-18. 78 Campbell proposes a possible solution to some peer group problems with these remarks: . . . young people have shut their minds to rational processes, resorted to drugs to escape reality, fled to hedonistic practices daily in pursuit of that which would give sensuous satisfactions. . . . Many people see community education as the only defensible long-range solution to the social problems of today. Professors, school administrators and teachers cannot adequately educate young people alone. Everyone in the community needs to get into the educational act.91 Dr. Ernest O. Melby's statement to the Mott Interns seems to best summarize this section: "Education is not synonomous with school. It does not start and stop with the ringing of the schoolhouse bell."92 Future Educational Programs It is appropriate, at this time, to review the ideas suggested for improvements in education. Holt says: The alternative is to have schools and classrooms in which each child in his own way can satisfy his curiosity, develop his abilities and talents, pursue his interests, and from the adults and Older children around him get a glimpse Of the great variety and richness of life. In short, the school should be a great smorgasboard of intellectual, artistic, creative, and athletic activities, from which each child could take whatever he wanted, and as much as he wanted, or as little.93 91Clyde M. Campbell, The Community School and Its Administration, Ix, NO. 3 (November,‘l970), 4T 92Ernest O. Melby, Speech to Mott Interns, Flint, Michigan, November, 1971. 93John Holt, How Children Fail (New York: Pitman Publishing Corporation, 1964), p. 180. 79 Two forms that new educational institutions might assume are presented by Coleman. First: Perhaps the simplest form of reorganization would be one that leaves the school relatively intact but changes its goals. The intent of the school-community would be far broader than that of present schools; namely, to make responsible, productive human beings who can lead in a task or follow, and who are able to live with the consequences of their actions. Such socialization requires only a shift of attention away from the nar- cissistic goal of self-improvement, imposed on the young by making them students, toward joint construc- tive activities. Their essential property would be their focus on the outside, with learning as a by- 94 product of the productive activities of their members. And second: A second, more radical reorganization would be to modify workplaces to incorporate the young. Older children would be partly integrated into work activi- ties, with some time reserved for learning and some for productive work. The separation between economic and educational institutions would vanish; a work- place would also be an educational institution. This reorganization has implications for adults as well. The conception of full-time education up to a given age, followed by full-time work, would be replaced by a continuing mix that begins at an early age and runs through adulthood.95 In the discussion of the schools for the future, Peter Drucker suggests the following eight basic charac- teristics for consideration: 1. Tomorrow's school will have no rejects; it must guarantee every child a high minimum of accomplishment in fundamental skills. 2. The schools must utilize the individual's own rhythm, his own learning speed, his own pattern. 94Coleman, Psychology Today, op, cit., pp. 75 and 82. 951bid., p. 82. 80 This too we have learned by watching the infant acquire his basic skills. No two children learn to speak the same way. 3. The traditional school is labor-intensive; it has neither tools nor capital equipment. . . . American education tomorrow will require a great deal more by way Of tools than we have had. 4. Today's school is still the school Of the scribes. We are beset by verbal arrogance, con- temptuous of whatever is not reading, writing, or arithmetic. And yet one look should show us a world in which verbal skills are not the only productive ones. . . . We will expect the school to find the individual's real strength, challenge it, and make it productive. 5. The school of tomorrow will be neither behavioristic nor cognitive, neither child-centered nor discipline-centered. It will be all of these. 6. While it is moving out of the Middle Ages academically, tomorrow's school also must integrate itself into the community and become an integrator of the community. As the school system exploded in this century it had to become professional. But in the process it ceased to be part Of its community. . . . I do not advocate a return to what we had a century ago. But we must bring the community back into the school. American education will have to think through who its constituents are and get across to them--students, teachers, taxpayers, parents, alumni and prospective employers--what they can expect from the school, and also what the school can expect of them. 7. One way or another education will become accountable for performance. . . . The school will be expected to think through its goals, get them accepted, and be accountable for them. 8. . . . most important, American education must acknowledge that learning is lifelong--it does not stOp when one starts working. The most important learning, the most important true education, is the continuing education of educated, achieving adults.96 In closing this section it seems appropriate to give one more illustration that education is more than schoolhouse learning. This poem has Special meaning 96Peter F. Drucker, "School Around the Bend," Psy- chology Today, VI, No. 1 (June, 1972), 86-89. 81 for the researcher since it was written by a l4-year-old friend from New Orleans, Louisiana: The Future I really wish that I could see, What the future holds for me. It may be happy, it may be sad, It may be something to make me glad. I wish the future that I will see, Is filled with peace and harmony. I wish that we could end the war, Close the bars, and improve the cars. Let's end racial segregation, Stop inflation and over-population, And bring the world together as one. I know whatever the future will be, Is up to young people just like me. Take heed to what young people say, Because the Future will be their way. David A. Williams David has been confined to a wheel-chair for more than three years and has not been inside a schoolhouse in that period of time. In sum, this section of the review of the liter- ature has expressed concern that education is more than schoolhouse learning. To be sure many other problems are discussed or implied, but if our concern is with education, we cannot restrict our attention to the schools and col- leges. As so many have already said, education is not synonymous with schooling. Children and adults learn 82 outside--perhaps more than--in school. It is not intended that this is to denigrate the public schools (as the one publicly controlled educating institution which comes into close and prolonged contact with virtually every child) for they truly occupy a strategic and critical position in American society. It is not intended to denigrate teachers, superintendents, colleges, or universities, which occupy positions of great and grow- ing importance in society. It is simply to give proper weight to all the other educating institutions in society, i.e.: the home, the community, the media, health, and peer relationships to name but a few. Community Education The concepts of community education and community schools are not new. John Dewey and others supported the idea of the school as an integral part of the community at least fifty years ago. Historically, scholars and teachers have defended the idea that teaching and learn- ing are more meaningful if they are related to what is happening in the individual's wider environment. Men have been "talking" about the idea for years. John Dewey for example stated: The development within the young of the attitudes and dispositions necessary to the continuous and progressive life of a society cannot take place by 83 direct conveyance of beliefs, emotions and knowledge. It takes place through the intermediary of the environment.97 Not long after Dewey's ideas began to exert influence in the educational arenas of America other writers began to study community education. Joseph K. Hart stated in 1924 that "education is not apart from life."98 The problem in a democratic society is not in training children but in creating a community in which children cannot help but grow up to be democratic, disciplined to freedom, devoted to their fellow man, and willing to share the goals of life with each other. Schools cannot produce the result, only the community can do so. Even the idea of using schools as community centers is not new. Various cities have experimented, albeit with a few schools at a time, with the ideas of the theorists to open the doors to the community. The late Frank J. Manley, as history will even- tually record, proved to be the "doer" able to provide inspiration to a new idea in education. Such was his inspiration that an entire community was moved to work to create for themselves a better city. A philanthropist and industrial leader, C. S. Mott, was so interested in 97John Dewey, Democracy and Education (New York: MacMillan Co., 1916), p. 26. 98Joseph K. Hart, The Discovery of Intelligence (New York: Century Co., 1924), p. 382. 84 the Manley ideas and his dedication to them that a unique partnership developed in Flint, Michigan. The Mott Foun- dation was established with the express purpose of "help- ing peOple help themselves." For nearly forty years a duel between Mott and Manley was waged with each bent on giving credit to the other for the accomplishments Of their community. A model of how one community, at least, sought to create the "intermediary of the environment" Dewey had postulated, developed in Flint. Through the process of community education, Flint, Michigan was able to be the significant breakthrough in the movement. The Mott Foundation became interested in helping the program to improve by inviting others to visit and criticize. In 1971, in excess of 12,000 persons visited Flint from the more than 700 school districts in the nation currently involved in the development of com- munity education programs of their own. Perhaps community education's greatest contri- bution to education is that it is a process and not a panacea. The term "panacea" generally implies no change, no modification, no growth, no expansion, no adaptability to "special" circumstances, and often that it ifi the solution. In contrast to this notion the community edu- cation process exclaims continuous action, constant move- ment and shifting according to unique circumstances within the community, continuous modification, adaptability, 85 change, growth, expansion, viability. It proposes to meet and confront change head on through the participation of all of the actors in it (change). The basic assumption of this study is that com- munity education provides a process--not to be confused with panacea--which, in the researcher's view at least, Offers a viable means for the improvement of education for all Americans. This study is concerned with the examination of the key elements of agency-school cooper- ation which is one of the components of community edu- cation.99 Summary In summary, this review of the literature has attempted to establish, first a base of understanding of community, organizational theory, social services, and perceptual theory. The proposition that the place of education in America is one of importance was introduced. This was established by a review of the writings of a number Of accepted leaders in the deve10pment of our country, past and present, as well as by the presentation Of certain statistical evidence. 99The particulars of the community education idea such as the community school, community involvement, the community school director or agent, various programs and projects making up its component parts and others have not been discussed in detail. The bibliography of this study provides some references for use by students Of community education who wish to study the process in greater detail. The writings of Manley, Melby, Totten, Campbell, Kerensky, and Minzey are suggested. 86 A second proposition dealing with the changing role of the school provided discussion of rapid change, social change, and educational change. A third proposition that education is more than schoolhouse learning was discussed in detail, taking into account educating factors such as the home, community, media, television, health, and peer relationships. Suggestions for schools of the future as discussed by prominent authors were presented. These prOpositions led to a brief narrative dis- cussion Of community education. The researcher's basic assumption, as previously stated, is that community education Offers the most viable approach toward the resolution of the problems of developing a total educational approach to deal with rapid change. This assumption provides the basis for this study of opp aSpect of community education--namely, agency and school cooperation. CHAPTER I II METHODOLOGY This chapter comprises descriptions of the popu- lation and sample, specific procedures for the collection of data, instrumentation, and statistical methods used to test the research hypotheses: Null Hypothesis 1: There is no significant difference between the "ideal" and the "real" in agency-school cooperation. Null Hypothesis 2: There is no significant difference in the perceptions of principals, community school directors, agencies, and parents about agency-school cooperation. Population and Setting The city of Flint, Michigan was chosen for this study. The overall population of Flint according to the 1970 census was 193,574. The immediate suburban area consists of an additional 125,000 + persons. This urban industrial community is spread over 30 square miles of area and has similar racial and ethnic characteristics as other northern industrial areas. 87 88 The primary industry in Flint is automobile manu- facturing. Flint has Often been called a "General Motors City" since it not only is the home of the Buick Motor Division, but also has large Chevrolet Division, AC Spark Plug Division, and Fisher Body Division plants. Most workers in the city are either employed by General Motors or a related business. Over the years General Motors has actively supported schools, agencies, business, and government. The public school enrollment consisted of 46,500 K—12 pupils in the 1970-71 school year. The city has for many years served as a model for Community School programs and has significantly contributed to the growing community education movement. All of Flint's public schools are community centers with large numbers of participants and a proliferation of services. The growth of social services in the city has paralleled that of education and business. Recently a Human Services Planning Council was established to pro- vide overall planning and coordinating functions for the social services in the community. The population for this study consisted of prin- cipals and community school directors from community schools in the Flint School District. It also included a sampling of agencies serving the Flint, Michigan com- munity and a sampling of parents residing in the city. 89 The Sample A random sample of thirty community school directors, thirty principals, thirty agency personnel, and thirty parents was selected. Each group was further divided by the coin flip method into two equal sub-groups Of fifteen each to determine who would receive the "ideal" and "real" questionnaires. No persons were selected to participate in both dimensions of the study. Thus the "ideal" dimension had an N of sixty reSpondents and the "real" dimension had an N of sixty respondents. Questionnaires were sent to all individuals in the sample. All were returned. None were rejected for missing data, insufficient data, or incorrect entries. Thus, the total of N = 120 was used in this study as illustrated in Tables 3.1 and 3.2. The sample of principals and community school directors was selected by random numbering all Flint public schools listed in the telephone directory for the city Of Flint. A table of random numbers1 was applied in the selection of thirty Flint community schools, from which both the principal and director were included (see Appendix A). The Human Services Planning Council provided a list of eighty-one agencies for possible inclusion in 1Edward W. Minium, Statistical Reasoning in Psy- chology and Education (New York: JOhn Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1970), pp. 454-55. 90 TABLE 3-1.--Record of response, Ideal. Sample Number Number Group Sent Returned Percentage Community School Directors 15 15 100 Principals 15 15 100 Agency Personnel 15 15 100 Parents 15 15 100 Total 60 60 100 TABLE 3-2.--Record of response, Real. Sample Number Number Group Sent Returned Percentage Community School Directors 15 15 100 Principals 15 15 100 Agency Personnel 15 15 100 Parents 15 15 100 Total 60 60 100 91 the study. Agencies were then numbered and the table of random numbers2 applied to select the sample of thirty participating agencies (see Appendix B). The parent group was randomly selected from lists of parents provided by community school directors. A total of 150 parents made up the list, with each of 30 directors providing 5 names. The table of random numbers3 was applied to select two parents from each school. A coin flip was then utilized to determine the final 30 parents to be included in the study--one from each school. Procedures for the Collection Of Data In developing specific procedures for use in the study, the researcher took advantage of: (1) Conferences with recognized Community Education leaders and agency persons; (2) Available literature in field of agency-school cooperation and coordination; (3) Internship experiences; (4) His experiences in community education. The literature provided an Opportunity to review past trends; future predictions; suggest procedures; Ibid. Ibid., p. 454. 92 Obtain information on successes, failures, and problems; and to suggest questions for use in development of the questionnaire. In regard to obtaining data, Van Dalen states: "Factual information about the existing status enables members of the profession to make more intelligent plans about future courses of action and helps them interpret educational problems more effectively to the public."4 And Borg says: Descriptive studies serve several very important functions in education. First in new sciences, the body of knowledge is relatively small, and we are often confused with conflicting claims and theories. Under these conditions it is often of great value merely to know the current state of the science. Descriptive research provides us with a starting point, and therefore, is often carried out as a preliminary step to be followed by research using more rigorous control and more Objective methods. During this past year of study the researcher has had an opportunity to serve internships at the Human Resources Center in Pontiac, Michigan, and the Wendell E. Williams Community School in Flint, Michigan. Intern experiences as a participant-observer have afforded con- centrated study in reviewing the techniques of these two models and Specifically their programs of agency-school 4Diebold B. Van Dalen, Understanding Educational Research (New York: McGraw-Hill,’l962), p. 184. 5Walter R. Borg, Educational Research (New York: David McKay Co., Inc., 1963), p. 202. 93 cooperation. Both schools are innovative in facilities, programs of instruction, community service, staffing, and agency-school cooperation. Both, for example, provide space within the facilities for the housing of community agencies giving service to area residents. These exper- iences have provided many opportunities for formal and informal discussions with staff from approximately thirty different agencies and interviews with many parents, teachers, community school directors, administrators, and other community education personnel. A brief summary and description of the Human Resources Center and Williams School is provided in Appendix C and Appendix D. The researcher's experience in community education has spanned the last seventeen years. Many opportunities to work with agencies in joint efforts have been a part of this experience. Work with several hundred agencies involved in this experience has provided first-hand information of value in the preparation of this study. Instrumentation More studies in the field of social investigation have been made with questionnaires than with any other type of survey instrument.6 The questionnaire survey has been the most widely used in education because it Ibid. 94 has been a valuable technique in helping to understand the current Situation in some particular educational 7 area. improve 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. factors Claire Selltiz states several factors which chances for response: The questionnaire length The attractiveness of the questionnaire The ease with which the questionnaire can be completed and returned Coding and quality printing Offering the sample population results or an abstract of the study8 The questionnaire was designed to include as many as possible to motivate the subject and to stimu- late and facilitate completion and return of the question- naire instrument. The mailed questionnaire approach had the following major advantages for this study: 1. Standardized wording order of questiOns, and instructions for recording responses insured uniformity from one measurement situation to another. As no signature or clear identification was required, it provided the Opportunity for more candid and open replies. Less pressure was placed on the subject for immediate response SO that he could ponder a difficult question before answering. Social 71bid. 8Claire Selltiz, et al., Research Methods in Relations (New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1967), pp. 237-41. 91bid., p. 238. 95 The questionnaire was based on tOpic areas con- sidered to be important to agency-school cooperation in community education programs. All questions were worded so that positive responses would be required.10 The response categories allowed for a choice of five degrees of reaction. The results of two pre-tests reduced the questionnaire to sixty-three questions from an original Of eighty-eight questions. WOrding was changed to rephrase questions and ambiguous words were replaced. Instructions were developed for both the "ideal" and "real" popu- lations. First Pre-Test A questionnaire containing eighty-eight items suggested from the literature and experienced persons was prepared for distribution. All eighty-eight questions, suggested by others, were prepared and worded as to the "ideal." A number of persons in community education and agency work were selected and invited to respond to the questionnaire in a letter mailed on May 3, 1972. Respon- dents were asked to answer in terms of the "quality" of the question and to make suggestions for wording lOIn statistical terminology positive responses are considered to be those that are consistent in the values applied for scoring purposes. Negative responses require reverse valuing. Positive reSponses generally are scored from high to low, while negative responses are usually scored from low to high. 96 improvement. Responses were solicited in terms of the questions' importance for inclusion in a study of agency-school cooperation and coordination. TABLE 3-3.--Record of responses. Grou Number Number Percentage p Sent Returned Returned Community Education persons 11 11 100.0 Agency persons 11 8 72.7 Total 22 19 86.3 Categories of responses with values assigned were as follows: Categories of Response Values VI--Very important to study I--Important M—-Moderate S--Somewhat U--Unimportant to study U'lobOJNI-J Questionnaires were coded and responses tabulated. Only those questions with overall average scores between 1.0 - 1.9 were retained. A total of twenty-five questions was eliminated. Suggestions for rewording were utilized in rewriting questions for the second pre-test. 97 At this point all remaining questions were grouped in Six categories considered as key elements of agency-school cooperation by the consensus of persons previously interviewed. The six cells and numbers of questions in each were: I--Community Involvement 9 questions II--Feasibility Analysis 12 questions III--Community School Director 11 questions IV--Structure 11 questions V--Implementation 11 questions VI--Eva1uation 9 questions Briefly the cells are described as follows: Community Involvement.--refers to the method(s) of securing active participation from members of the com- munity, i.e., community councils, committees, etc. Feasibility Analysis.--refers to items useful in the identification and study of the wants and needs of the community. Community School Directors.--refers to the leader or change agent at a particular community school. Structure.--refers to the process of organization, involving certain rules, regulations, guidelines for Operation. Implementation.--refers to the plan of action devised for getting something done at the individual school level. 98 Evaluation.--refers to the particular method utilized to find out to what extent goals, objectives, and purposes have been reached. The "ideal" questionnaire which dealt with what "ought to be" was converted to produce a second question- naire which requested responses in terms of the "real," or what actually "is." The revised instrument was reviewed by the chairman and the Michigan State Uni- versity Research Consultation Office. NO major changes were suggested. Second Pre-Test On May 17, 1972, a second pre-test was admin- istered. Ten 1971-72 Mott Interns provided the final evaluation for clarity, timing, understanding of instructions, and ease in marking. (Average com- pletion time was sixteen minutes.) Personal Contact A11 120 persons in the sample were personally con- tacted by the researcher by telephone to determine their willingness to participate. All agreed to participate. Mailed Questionnaire and Preliminary Coding On May 20, 1972, questionnaires (see Appendix E and Appendix F) were mailed along with stamped self- addressed return envelope, cover letter, and request 99 for summary copy form. No demographic data were requested and all questionnaires were selectively coded as follows: Community School Agency Directors Pr1nc1pals Personnel EEEEEEE IDEAL 100-149 200-249 300-349 400-449 REAL 150-199 250-299 350-399 450-499 Follow-Up By June 5, 1972, responses had been received from 102 persons. Follow-up phone calls were made to 18 per- sons. Seventeen additional responses were received by June 18, 1972. On the day scheduled for key punching cards, the final return arrived and 100 per cent return had been achieved. Statistical Methods The reSponses were coded on Data Coding Forms before being punched and verified by the Michigan State University Computer Center. Number values were assigned responses as follows: Strongly Agree 5 Agree 4 Neutral 3 Disagree 2 Strongly Disagree 1 The Michigan State University, College of Edu- cation, Research Consultation Office and the Research 100 Department, College of Urban Affairs, Michigan State Uni- versity, assisted in recommending appropriate statistical techniques for data analysis. Staff members of the Research Office, College of Urban Affairs, assisted in writing all computer programs for the data analysis. The computer programs and facilities Of the Michigan State University Computer Center were used. The basic research hypotheses being tested in this study are: Null Hypothesis 1: There is no significant difference between the "ideal" and the "real" in agency-school cooperation. Null Hypothesis 2: There is no Significant difference in the perceptions of principals, community school directors, agencies and parents about agency-school COOperation. The statistical procedures used in the analysis Of data are: 1. The Two-Way Multivariate Analysis of Variance procedure was used to test the hypotheses. This procedure was appropriate because it tests simultaneously the equality of the mean vectors on all the six scales which constituted the dependent variable of concern. When Significant 101 multivariate analyses were found subsequent uni- variate F statistics were computed to determine which dependent variables (scales) were con- tributing to the overall significant F sta— tistics. 2. Hoyt Analysis of Variance method of computing reliabilities for each of the scales utilized. The various statistical hypotheses were tested at the .01 alpha level of significance with the appro- priate degrees of freedom where applicable. Each of the six sections of the survey were treated as dependent variables. Each of the six scales (Community Involve- ment, Feasibility Analysis, Community School Director, Structure, Implementation, Evaluation) constituted the dependent variables for the study. Each respondent was given a single score on each of the six scales and that score was based on the sum of the individual item responses in that scale. CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS OF DATA Purposes The purpose of this study is to examine key ele- ments of agency-school cooperation and their relationship to community education. This was done by examining the difference in perceptions, if any, of four sample groups as to the "ideal" and "real" situation and further to determine the difference, if any, in their perceptions on six scales designed to measure elements of agency- School cooperation. Chapter 4 presents the findings Of the study. The analysis of data is presented in three parts. The first part restates each of the original hypotheses of the study to adequately assess relationships between community education and agency-school cooperation and also to identify key elements of agency-school cooper- ation. The second part restates each of the research questions and an analysis Of them. Part three presents a summary of the findings. 102 103 A test of reliability was performed for each of the six scales used in the analysis Of the data. Using the Hoyt analysis of variance method of computing reliabili- ties, internal consistency reliabilities were found for each of six scales and are presented in Table 4.1. All reliability coefficients are .84 or greater, therefore, it can be assumed that the instrument used would produce similar results over time. TABLE 4-l.——Hoyt analysis of variance test of reliability. Category Sigiigi Reliability Community Involvement I .87 Feasibility Analysis II .91 Community School Director III .87 Structure IV .88 Implementation V .84 Evaluation VI .91 Two null hypotheses were presented in Chapter I. Each hypothesis is treated separately in this section. The data Obtained along with an explanation are reported in this chapter. . 11.1 1.14:”. 104 Part I--Tests of Hypotheses Perceived Differences in the "Idea1“ and WReéI" The null hypothesis tested for the difference between perceptions of the "ideal" and "real" situations in agency-school cooperation is: Null Hypothesis 1: There is no significant difference between the "ideal" and "real" in agency-school cooperation. As seen in Table 4.2 the F ratio of 15.54 with df = 6 and 107 indicates a Significance probability of .0001 which exceeds the established .01 significance level. Therefore, it is concluded that there is a statis- tically significant difference in the perceptions of is "ideal" and "real." Therefore, null hypothesis HOl rejected. TABLE 4-2.--Results of multivariate test of equality of mean vectors for comparison of Eli perceptions of the "ideal" and "real" of agency-school cooperation. (N = 120) F df P Ideal vs. Real 15.54 6,107 .0001 105 As seen in Table 4.3 the F ratio for each variable indicates the significance probabilities exceeds the established .01 significance level. It is concluded that there is a statistically significant dif- ference on every variable tested. Therefore, it may be concluded that there is a significant difference between the "ideal" and "real" perceptions of agency-school COOperation for the groups in this study. TABLE 4-3.--Resu1ts of univariate test for comparisons of all perceptions of the "ideal" and "real" of agency- ‘ school cooperation on each of the six dependent variables. Variable Mean Sq. F p Community Involvement 929.63 53.10 .0001 Feasibility Analysis 1228.80 30.63 .0001 Community School Director 267.00 9.08 .0032 Structure 1936.03 69.30 .0001 Implementation 433.20 15.44 .0002 Evaluation 730.13 42.18 .0001 Perceived Differences Between Four Sample Gropps The null hypothesis tested for the difference between the perceptions of the four sample groups in regard to agency—school cooperation is: 106 Null Hypothesis 2: There is no significant difference in the perceptions Of principals, community school directors, agency persons, and parents about agency-school COOperation. As seen in Table 4.4 the F ratio for all four groups indicates the significance probability to be .0006 which exceeds the established .01 Significance level. It is concluded that there is a statistically significant difference in the perceptions of the four groups. Therefore, null hypothesis H02 is rejected. TABLE 4-4.--Resu1ts of multivariate test of equality of mean vectors for comparison of the difference in per- ception of four sample groups. F df p Four Groups 2.58 18,303 .0006 As seen in Table 4.5 the F ratio for variables 1, 2, 3, and 5 indicate the significance probabilities exceed the established .01 level. It is concluded that there is a statistically significant difference in these four variables. Therefore it may be concluded that per- ceptions of the four sample groups do differ significantly and that this difference exists in four of the six var- iables tested in this study. 107 TABLE 4-5.--Resu1ts of univariate test for comparisons of the perceptions of the four sample groups about agency- school cooperation on the six dependent variables. Variable Mean Sq. F p Community Involvement 70.47 4.02 .0093 Feasibility Analysis 164.77 4.11 .0084 Community School Director 154.76 5.27 .0020 Structure 8.24 .30 .8289 Implementation 130.40 4.65 .0043 Evaluation 40.12 2.31 .0794 Univariate Analysis of Variance in Perceptions of the Four Sample Groups in the Four Variables Determined to be Statisti- calIy Significant Variable I (Community Involvement) AS seen in Table 4.6 the highest mean for the "ideal" in the community involvement variable was obtained by community school directors; second by agency persons, third by principals and fourth by parents. Mean scores in the "real" of the community involvement variable, however, indicated that the highest score was Obtained by principals followed by parents and community school directors, while the lowest mean score was achieved by agency persons. The greatest difference in mean scores from the "ideal" to the "real" was achieved by agency personnel (9.33), with community school directors second 108 (7.54). Considerably lower differences inmean scores Of principals (2.0) and parents (3.40) was noted from "ideal" to "real." The "ideal" situation as perceived by community school directors (Rank 1) and agency per- sonnel (Rank 2) as observed in mean scores indicates that their positions were reversed to Rank 3 and Rank 4 respec- tively when mean scores of perceptions of the "real" Sit- uation in regard to community involvement were compared. TABLE 4-6.--Univariate analysis of variance for comparison of the mean difference in the perceptions of four groups about community involvement in agency-school cooperation. Grou Mean Rank Mean Rank p Ideal (H-L) Real (H-L) Community School Directors 41.47 1 33.93 3 Principals 38.67 3 36.67 1 Agency Persons 39.13 2 29.80 4 Parents 37.87 4 34.47 2 Variable II (Feasibility AnalysisT Table 4.7 shows that community school directors had the highest mean score for "ideal" in the feasibility analysis variable with principals second, agency per- sonnel third, and parents fourth. The difference in mean scores for the "real" in this variable Shows princi- pals first, community school directors second, parents third, and agency personnel fourth. The greatest 109 difference in mean "ideal" and "real" scores was achieved by agency personnel (11.33) and community school directors (6.27). Principals (3.27) and parents (4.73) indicated considerably lower differences when mean "ideal" and "real" scores were compared. TABLE 4-7.--Univariate analysis of variance for comparison of the mean difference in the perceptions of four groups about feasibility analysis in agency-school COOperation. ”33:2. 132:. 53:22 122:3, Community School Director 52.40 1 46.13 2 Principals 52.20 2 48.93 1 Agency Persons 51.13 3 39.80 4 Parents 49.00 4 44.27 3 Variable III (Community School Director) AS seen in Table 4.8 highest mean scores in the "ideal" as related to this variable were recorded by com- munity school directors, principals, agency personnel, and parents, respectively; while highest "real" scores were recorded by community school directors, parents, principals, and agency personnel, respectively. As in Variables I and II, the greatest mean difference between the "ideal" and "real" was recorded by agency personnel (6.47) and this difference was nearly twice as high as 110 for the next group, community school directors (3.33). It is noted that the parents mean "real" score was greater than the parents mean "ideal" score by .57 and this is the only place that this occurred in the entire study of the six cells. TABLE 4-8.--Univariate analysis of variance for comparison of the mean difference in the perceptions Of four groups about the role of the community school director in agency- school cooperation. Grou Mean Rank Mean Rank P Ideal (H-L) Real (H-L) Community School Directors 48.40 1 45.07 1 Principals 46.13 2 43.47 3 Agency Persons 44.60 3 38.13 4 Parents 43.07 4 43.60 2 Variable V (Implementation) As seen in Table 4.9 highest mean scores in the "ideal" as related to this variable were recorded by community school directors, followed by agency persons, principals, and parents respectively. Highest "real" scores were recorded by community school directors, principals, parents, and agency persons in that order. As in Variables I, II, and III, the greatest mean dif- ference between the "ideal" and "real" was recorded by agency personnel (6.13). This difference was only 111 slightly above that of community school directors (5.73), but was more than 2 1/2 times that of principals (2.40) and more than 6 1/2 times the mean difference for parents (.93). TABLE 4-9.--Univariate analysis of variance for comparison of the mean difference in the perceptions of four groups about implementation in agency-school cooperation. Group 122:. 132:, 3:22 - 139:. Community School Directors 46.40 1 40.67 1 Principals 41.47 3 39.07 2 Agency Persons 43.40 2 37.27 4 Parents 39.00 4 38.07 3 Interaction Between Groups The univariate analysis of variance test for interaction between the four groups on each of the six dependent variables was performed. Variable I (Com- munity Involvement) indicates a Significance probability Of .0026 which exceeds the established .01 significance level. Therefore, it is concluded that interaction between the four groups is significant on this variable of the study. Other variables in the study did not indicate significant probability Of interaction at the established .01 level. Figure 4.1 shows the interaction between the four groups on Variable I (Community Involvement). 112 .ucmfim>ao>cH wuflcsfieou IIH Odomfium> so mmsouo Hoom mo mGOAOQOOMOm mop SH cofluomuoucH we» mo cowaummaoo Mom mocmanm> mo mammamcd mumaum>acoll.a.e musmfim Houomuflo mucmnmm msOmuOm mocoma mammaocflum Hoooom muAGSEEOU Hmmm Hmmm Hmom HemeH Heme HSOOH HMOUH ammoH mm om mm vm mm mm ov me 81033 ueew 113 As seen in Figure 4.1 the greatest interaction for Variable I (Community Involvement) occurred between agency personnel and community school directors. The highest achievable mean score on the nine items in this variable is forty-five. This score would be achieved by all respondents in each group marking all nine items "strongly agree" (value 5). Conversely the lowest pos- sible score would be achieved by all respondents marking all nine items "strongly disagree" (value 1). The mean scores for all four groups indicate all groups in the study perceived the "ideal" community involvement as a level between “agree" and "strongly agree." The mean scores for all four groups indicate that their per- ceptions were substantially lower in the "real" community involvement in this test. By summing the mean scores on the six variable cells for each group, the mean total score for "ideal" of each group was obtained on the 63 items in the test. This process was repeated for each group to produce a total mean score for the "real" on the 63 items in the test. The highest possible mean score of 315 could be achieved if all persons in a group answered every question in the test "strongly agree" (63 items x value 5 = 315). The lowest possible mean score of 63 could be achieved if every person in a group answered every question in the test "strongly disagree" (63 items x 114 value 1 = 63). The total mean scores of the four groups Show that the perception of all groups in the sample assessed the "ideal" in the highest range between "agree" and "strongly agree." The test and all of its items were designed to examine the potential of the agency- school component of community education and as noted in Figure 4.2, all groups in the sample scored in the highest range. By comparing the "real" total mean scores with the "ideal" total mean scores the figure shows significant difference existed within groups and for the groups as a whole. Part II--Research Questions Research Question #1 "Does the Community Education Concept Lend Itself to the Coordination of Resources?" Nine items of the instrument related to this question. If some of the requirements of the coordination of resources are viewed as (1) involving community; (2) maintaining direct communications; (3) making maximum use Of human and physical resources; (4) making maximum use of facilities; (5) avoiding duplication; (6) allow- ing for joint-planning of school and community facilities; (7) working closely with volunteer and civic organi- zations; (8) working with business and industry; and (9) identifying wants and needs; then perceptions of 115 .coaumosom muHcSEEOO mo ucmcomEoo Hoonomumocmme Onu mo Hmflucmuom mop mcwmmmmmm ca mesouw usom mo mouoom new: Hmuoe mop mo conflummEoulu.m.e whomwm mmsouw .mnmm .uflo .oom Had .umm .cmmm .cflum .EEOO m H m H m H m H m H omH oom cam NHN omm 0mm omm Hmw mmm OVN new mvm 0mm 0mm mom HON mom Ohm mum omN 0mm $81008 ueew 116 the potential ability of community education to perform these services would provide insight into the question under study. Inspection of each Of the nine items was per- formed to determine the mean scores of the four groups in the study as to the "ideal" and "real" situations in each item listed above. Mean scores were computed for each item by summing all responses and dividing by the number in each sample for "ideal" and "real" for the four sample groups. Highest possible mean score is 5.0. This score may be achieved if all persons in the group answer the item with "strongly agree" (5 x 1 item = 5.0). As seen in Table 4.10 for all items inspected and for all groups the mean "ideal" scores were in the "strongly agree" to "agree" range for every question in this block. If some of the requirements of the coordi- nation of resources are viewed as items above, it then may be concluded that the community education concept lends itself to the coordination of resources in the "ideal" as perceived by those in this study. Research Question #2 "What is the role of the community school director in agency-school cooperation?" This was not a direct question in the study. How- ever, questions about some of the duties of the community school director were asked in Section III of the 117 TABLE 4-lO.--Perceptions of the "ideal" and “real" situ- ations in items related to research question #1 by the four groups in the study sample. Item CSD. Prin. Ag. Per. Par. 1. Involving Community Ideal 4.9 4.7 4.7 4.7 Real 4.5 4.6 4.1 4.4 2. Communications Ideal 4.7 4.9 4.1 4.5 Real 3.7 3.9 2.5 3.0 3. Use of Resources Ideal 4.7 4.6 4.7 4.3 Real 3.7 3.8 3.0 3.5 4. Use of Facilities Ideal 4.4 4.3 4.4 4.0 Real 3.4 3.6 3.8 3.7 5. Avoiding Duplication Ideal 4.7 4.5 4.4 4.2 Real 3.3 3.7 3.3 3.3 6. Joint-Planning Ideal 4.5 4.5 4.2 4.5 Real 3.5 3.8 3.6 3.4 7. Work with Vol. and Civ. Org. Ideal 4.5 4.5 4.6 4.1 Real 4.2 4.3 3.8 4.0 8. WOrk with Bus. and Ind. Ideal 4.5 4.3 4.5 4.1 Real 4.0 4.1 3.8 3.8 9. Identify Wants and Needs Ideal 4.7 4.7 4.2 4.3 Real 4.3 4.6 3.2 3.7 118 questionnaire. Eleven separate items which had direct relationship to the community school director's job were included in the study. InSpection of the items about the community school director Showed varied responses, sig- nificant mean score differences, and significant inter- action. Although the purpose Of the study was not to establish what the role of the community school director is in agency-school cooperation, it did present evidence that whatever his role, it is central. See Tables 4.3, 4.5, 4.6, 4.8, 4.10, and Figure 4.1. Research Question #3 "How important is Community Involvement to purposeful agency-school coordination?" Evidence previously presented in Tables 4.3, 4.5, 4.6, 4.10, and Figure 4.1 Shows that community involvement is a key element of agency-school cooperation in this study. Inspection of all items relating to community involvement in this study Show it to be of central impor- tance to the 120 persons in the sample. Research Question #4 "IS formal structure important to agency-school COOperation programs?" There were four direct questions about structure in the test. They were: 119 1. Formal agreements between agencies and schools should be/have been developed. 2. A definite set of procedures for working with agencies Should be/has been developed. 3. Specific guidelines showing steps to be followed in inter-agency projects should be/has been develOped. 4. A general set of guidelines should be/are estab- lished for inter-agency cooperation. Table 4.11 reports the mean score results of responses from the four groups to these questions. TABLE 4-ll.--Perceptions of the "ideal" and "real" Situ- ations in items related to research question #4 by the four groups in the study sample. Item CSD. Prin. Ag. Per. Par. 1. Formal Agreements Ideal 3.6 3.4 4.0 3.9 Real 3.4 3.3 2.3 3.3 2. Definite Procedures Ideal 4.1 3.7 4.0 4.1 Real 2.6 3.2 2.5 3.3 3. Specific Guidelines Ideal 3.9 3.7 3.7 3.9 Real 2.4 2.2 2.7 3.3 4. General Guidelines Ideal 3.9 4.2 4.1 3.9 Real 3.4 3.3 2.8 3.5 120 As seen in Table 4.11 the mean score of agency personnel perceived formal agreements higher than other groups in the "ideal" category, but significantly lower in the "real" situation. Community school directors, agency personnel, and parents achieved nearly identical mean scores on the definite procedures question. It is noted, however, that lowest significant "real" mean scores Showed agreement between community school directors and agency personnel that procedures were lacking. The question on specific guidelines illustrated that principals, community school directors, and agency personnel, respectively, had significant mean differences in the "real" when compared to the "ideal" mean scores. The question dealing with general guidelines Showed the greatest mean difference between the "real" and "ideal" scores of agency personnel and principals, respectively. The mean scores Of agency personnel consistently Showed the greatest difference between "ideal" and "real." The results of the study indicate that all groups felt structure was important but did not agree on what kind it Should be. Research Question #5 "Are community-based action projects which enlist community participation important to agency- school coordination efforts?" 121 There was one item which dealt directly with this question on the instrument. The question was: "Agency-school cooperation Should be/is pro- ducing projects which allow for community persons to participate in various action projects in their school area." The results of that test showed that the four groups agreed that this was an "ideal" condition. The four groups recorded mean scores in the "strongly agree" - "agree" range for the "ideal." The four groups agreed that the "real" situation was producing a near to the "ideal" result. Research Question #6 "Are local community school and agency services significantly improved by the cooperation process?" There were three items in the test which dealt with this question. One was a direct item dealing with the question and the other two are directly related to the question. The questions are: 1. Agency-school cooperation should be/is noticeably improving services. 2. Agency-school COOperation ought to be/is pro- viding services not ordinarily provided by the school. 122 3. Agency-school cooperation is making the public more aware of services provided by non-school agencies. An inSpection of these items showed that close agreement of the four groups existed on these three items in both the "ideal" and "real" situations when mean scores were compared. The groups agreed that (1) improved ser- vices; (2) services not ordinarily provided; and (3) more public awareness Of non-school services was a direct result of agency-school cooperation in this study. Although improvement was indicated, "real" mean scores were achieved relatively close to the "ideal" mean scores and the "ideal" situation was rated by the four groups in the "strongly agree" - "agree" range. Research Question #7 "Are services more accessible to people because of inter-agency cooperation?" The direct question was asked: "Agency-school COOperation should be/is making agency services more accessible to residents." Item analysis results showed that identical "real" and "ideal" mean scores were recorded by principals, community school directors, and agency personnel (Ideal 4.3 — Real 4.0). Parent mean scores recorded were only 1/10 of a point below those of the other three groups. 123 It is found that in this study the perceived consequences of agency-school cooperation of the four sample groups were that services are more accessible. Because Research Question #8 requires interpre- tation of data, it will be presented in Chapter V. Summary Chapter IV has presented the analysis of data to (1) enable assessment of the hypotheses; (2) examine research questions presented in Chapter I; and (3) to present findings which are pertinent to the purpose of this study—-identification of the key elements of agency- school COOperation and their relationship to community education. The results, findings, and interpretations have been statistically presented by tables, figures, and written descriptions deemed appropriate by the researcher. The Hoyt analysis Of variance method of computing reliabilities Obtained reliability levels satisfactory to the statistical procedures utilized in the study. Basically the multivariate and univariate analysis of variance tests were used in analyses of the two-null hypotheses under study. An alpha level of probability (.01) was established and maintained in analysis of the hypotheses. Mean and mean difference scores were used in reporting cell differences, item analysis, interaction, and study of the research questions. The findings resulting from analysis of data are: 124 Null Hypothesis 1 postulated that there would be no difference in the perceptions of the "ideal" and "real" in agency-school cooperation. Tests performed were conclusive that significant dif- ferences did exist and existed in six cells (community involvement, feasibility analysis, community school director, structure, implemen- tation, and evaluation). Therefore, HO was 1 rejected. The second hypothesis stated that no difference would exist between the perceptions of the four sample groups as to the "ideal" and "real" of agency-school COOperation. Analysis of the data provided evidence to reject the null and further concluded that the difference was Significant in four hypothesis cells (community involvement, feasibility analysis, community school director, and implementation). Closer inspection of the differences present in each cell, significant at the .01 alpha level, found that: a. In the community involvement variable, agency persons and community school directors per- ceived levels of the "real" to be substan- tially below the levels of expectation of all four groups in the "ideal." A test of inter- action revealed significant differences 125 regarding perceptions about levels of com- munity involvement existed, and this dif- ference was primarily noted in the mean scores of agency personnel and community school directors. Agency personnel mean score differences in perceiving the "real" were nearly five times as great as principals. Community school directors' mean score dif- ference in the same comparison was nearly four times greater than principals. In the feasibility analysis variable, per- ceptions of the "real," as perceived by agency persons and community school directors, indicated their mean difference scores were nearly 3 1/2 times and 2 times greater than principals reSpectively. In the community school director variable, difference was primarily noted by disagreement of the "real" mean scores of agency persons. In the implementation variable parents obtained a "real" mean score very close to the level of expectation exhibited by their "ideal" mean score. Agency persons showed significant discrepancy between "ideal" and "real" mean scores . 126 The comparison of the sums of all sixty-three items on the test for four groups in "ideal" and "real" showed strong support for the potential of the agency-school aspect Of community edu- cation and indicated good support of the current community education program in the community studied. Research Question #1 dealt with whether community education lends itself to the coordination of resources. Item analysis of nine questions on the instrument showed support for the affirmative postulate. Analysis Of the data related to the second research question presented evidence that the community school director's role was central to agency-school COOperation but did not determine what the role was. Analysis of the data related to the third research question presented considerable evidence to support the central importance of community involvement in agency-school cooperation. In Research Question #4, the data discussed related to structure in agency-school cooperation programs. Findings were varied and presented perceived differences as to type of structure-- formal, general, Specific, and definite procedures. 10. 127 Analysis of the data related to Research Question #5 found that community-based action projects enlisting community participation were important to agency-school cooperation efforts in the per- ception of the four groups in the study. The sixth research question dealt with whether the improvement of services was evidenced by the agency-school cooperation process. Findings of the direct item analysis and related questions showed high positive agreement of the four groups tested that agency-school cooperation (a) improved services; (b) provided services not ordinarily provided; and (c) that more public awareness of non-school services was a direct result of agency- School cooperation in this study. The seventh research question asked if services were more accessible to peOple because of inter- agency cooperation and the findings of the item analysis of the direct question on the test indicated the perceived consequences of agency- school cooperation of the four sample groups was in the affirmative. CHAPTER V SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS Summary The purpose of this study was to identify the key elements of agency-school cooperation and their relation- ship to community education. An analysis of elements and their community education relationship was undertaken. Basic statistics using multivariate and univariate analy- sis Of variance techniques were utilized. Two basic hypotheses were formulated: Null Hypothesis 1: There is no significant difference between the "ideal" and the "real'' in agency-school COOperation. Null Hypothesis 2: There is no significant difference in the perceptions Of community school directors, principals, agency personnel and parents about agency-school cooper- ation. It was theorized that the role of education in America is one of prominence. In light of national goals and the fact that virtually everyone in America is 128 129 affected by education, this seemed reasonable. The effects of rapid change, social change, and the increas- ing amount of educational change contributed to the proposition that the role of education is changing. It followed that if the role of education is changing, the traditional views and assumptions about education and learning would need to be reassessed and new assumptions presented. The proposition that education is more than schoolhouse learning was illustrated by examples of learning that take place outside the school. When these aspects of learning were considered, it seemed reasonable- and necessary that educational innovations demonstrating the potential to cope with the increasing demands of change need closer inSpection. Although community edu- cation is not a new idea in education, it is being widely promoted anddiffused across the country. The apparent success and growing acceptance of the process, which promotes a philosophy of education in the broadest sense, presented a challenge to the researcher to more closely investigate one of its components--name1y, agency-school cooperation. A review of the literature did not reveal any studies related to the problem under investigation. Most research in community education has been primarily related to history, philosophy, concepts, the community school, and the community school director. 130 No specific studies dealing with agency-school cooperation, as defined in this study, could be found. The population under investigation consisted of community school directors, principals, agency per- sonnel, and parents in Flint, Michigan. A sample of 120 respondents was randomly selected from the population and provided the basic information for this study. To test the hypotheses and answer the research questions, it was necessary to collect data on the "ideal" and "real" perceptions of the four groups selected. Six dependent variables made up the sections of the two questionnaires prepared for use in the study of the agency-school cooperation aspect Of community education. The survey sections dealt with such elements as: (1) com- munity involvement, (2) feasibility analysis, (3) com- munity school director, (4) structure, (5) implementation, and (6) evaluation. Data for use in the analysis of the selected variables were collected in Flint, Michigan and Michigan State University provided assistance in the analysis. Hypotheses 1 and 2 were statistically analyzed by use of the multivariate and univariate analysis of variance tests. The .01 alpha level of significance was selected as the critical region of rejection. 131 Conclusions Analysis of data provides the following con- clusions: 1. There is significant difference between the "ideal" and "real" perceptions of agency-school cooperation. Significant differences exist between the "ideal" and "real" perceptions of six elements of agency- school cooperation: (1) Community involvement, (2) Feasibility analysis, (3) Community school director, (4) Structure, (5) Implementation, and (6) Evaluation. Significant differences occurred in the per- ceptions of four groups: (1) Community school directors, (2) Principals, (3) Agency personnel, and (4) Parents. There were Significant differences in the per- ceptions of four groups on four elements of agency-school cooperation: (1) community involve- ment, (2) feasibility analysis, (3) community school director, and (4) implementation. Significant interaction occurred between four groups on the community involvement element of agency-school cooperation. 10. 11. 12. 132 The community school director, in this study, occupies a central role in agency-school cooper- ation. Although the role of the community school director in agency-school cooperation was not specifically established, evidence in the study clearly indicated his role was central. Community involvement is a vital element of agency-school COOperation. The kind of structure for agency-school cooper- ation was not established. Disagreement was evi- denced between all groups as to "kind." However, it is concluded that structure is an important element of agency-school cooperation on the basis that no disagreement was apparent as to importance. Community-based action projects which enlist community participation are important to agency- school cooperation. Agency-school cooperation significantly improves services. Agency-school cooperation provides services not ordinarily provided by the school. Agency-school cooperation makes the public more aware of services provided by non-school agencies. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 133 Agency-school cooperation makes agency services more accessible to residents. Implementation is an important element of agency- school cooperation. Parents in the study strongly supported community education. Community school directors consistently held very high eXpectations for the "ideal." The inference can be made that they were the most optimistic Of the groups. Principals and parents were the least critical of the "real" situation. Agency persons held the "ideal" in high regard, but were the most critical of the "real" situ- ation. The inference can be made that the low "real" scores may have been a result of a gap in communications between school and agency peOple. Feasibility analysis is an important element of agency-school cooperation. The evaluation element was not statistically sig- nificant in this study. However, it is concluded that it is a key element of agency-school cooper- ation on the basis that significant community a: 134 involvement and implementation could not reasonably have been found without it. This implies that community education has a built-in evaluation instrument in the form of participants. 21. On the basis of all information in the study, it is concluded that community education is a viable vehicle for agency-school COOperation. In addition to the two hypotheses developed, eight research questions were posed. Seven Of them were assessed in Chapter IV. Research Question #8 was posed as follows: "What are some of the difficulties in bringing about the coordination of resources in the com- munity?" The instrumentation used in the study did not deal directly with this question. The whole concept Of agency-school cooperation implies change. Change has an accelerating affect and frequently triggers more change. The suggestion of change also creates difference of Opinion about it. Therefore, it is not surprising that significant difference of opinion was found between "ideal" and "real" in the study or that the four groups significantly differed. The difficulty is in handling the difference of Opinion. And difference of opinion seems to exist about how that should be handled. 135 Several difficulties in the coordination of resources have already been noted in the conclusions. Difficulties found in the study were: (1) Difference of opinion; (2) Communications; (3) Kind Of structure. Recommendations The results and implications of this study prompt three types of recommendations. First, ways in which this research can be used as a model for a diagnostic and prescriptive tool for schools to assess: '(l) agency— school COOperation and (2) other components of community education such as recreation, pre-school programs, adult education, health services, and so forth. Second, considerations to be made by communities interested in the integrating of agency-school services. It Should be particularly noted that every community is different in its characteristic make-up, educational goals and programs, agency services, organizational structure, and so on. Adequate study of the community, needs, services, available resources, problems, and other unique circumstances should be undertaken prior to the development of agency-school COOperation ventures. Third, this research suggests the following areas for further study: 136 Replicate the study in two or more cities to allow comparison of perceptions. Replicate the study but with a selected sample from community education programs across the nation. Utilize the study design to examine one Of the six elements in depth. Replicate the study in a community where community education is not in existence. SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY Books Adams, Charles Francis, ed. The WOrks of John Adams, Second President of the United States: With a Life of the Author, Notes, and Illustrations, Vol. VI. Boston: Little, Brown, and Co.,5I851. Allport, Floyd. Theories of Perception and the Concept of Structure. New York: John WiIey and Sons, 1955. Allport, Gordon W. The Nature of Prejudice. Garden City, N.Y.: Addison-Wesley Publishing Co., Inc., 1958. Bailey, Stephen K. Disrpption in Urban Public Secondary Schools. waShington, D.C.: National Association Of Secondary School Principals, 1970. Bennis, W. G.; Benne, K. D.; and Chin, R., eds. The Plan- ning of Change. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1961. Bereiter, Carl, and Engelmann, Siegfried. Teaching Cul- turally Deprived Children in Preschool. Engelwood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1966. Bloom, Benjamin S.; Davis, Allison; and Hess, Robert. Compensatory Education for Cultural Deprivation. New York: Hoit, Reinhart, & Winston, Inc., 1965. . Stability and Change in Human Characteristics. New York: JOhn Wiley and Sons, 1964. Borg, Walter R. Educational Research. New York: David McKay Co., Inc., 1963. Bronfenbrenner, Urie. Two WOrlds of Childhood. New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 1970. Brunner, Jerome S. The Process of Education. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press,i1960. 137 138 Campbell, Clyde M., ed. Toward Perfection in Learning. Midland, Mich.: Pendell PfibliShing Co., 19693 Coleman, James S., et a1. Equality of Educational Qppor- tunit . wash1ngton, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1966. Combs, Arthur W., and Snygg, Donald. Individual Behavior. New York: Harper and Bros., 1949. Combs, Arthur W., ed. Perceiving, Behaving, Becoming. washington, D.C.: AssociatiOn for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1962. Conant, James B. Slums and Suburbs. New York: McGraw- Hill, 1961. Dewey, John. Democrapy and Education. New York: Mac- Millan Co., 1916. Etzioni, Amitai. Modern Organizations. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., I964. , and Etzioni, Eva, eds. Social Change: Sources, Patterns, Consequences. New York: Basic BOOks, 1964. Everett, Samuel. The Community School. New York: D. Appleton-Century Co., 19382 French, William M. America's Educational Traditions. Boston, Mass.: D. C. Heath and Co., 1964. Fromm, Erich. The Art of Loving. New York: Harper & Row, 1956. . The Revolution of Hope. New York: Harper & Row, 1968. Gardner, John W. Goals for Americans. Columbia Uni- versity: The American Assembly, 1960. Goble, Frank. The Third Force--The Psychology of Abraham Maslow. New York: Grossman Publishers Inc., 1970. Hart, Joseph K. The Discovery of Intelligence. New York: Century Co., i924. 139 Henry, Nelson B., ed. The Community School, the Fifty- Second Yearbook of the National Society for the Study of'Education, Part II. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1953. Hickey, Howard W., and Van Voorhees, Curtis, et al. The Role of the School in Community Educat1on. Mid- land, Mich.: Pendell Publishing Co., 1969. Holt, John. How Children Fail. New York: Pitman Pub- lishing Corp., 1964. Ilg, Frances L., and Ames, Louise Bates. The Gesell Institute's Child Behavior. New York: Harper & Row, 1955. Kelley, Earl C. In Defense of Youth. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1962. Kerensky, V. M., and Melby, Ernest 0. Education II. Midland, Mich.: Pendell Publishing Co., i971. Kohl, Herbert. 36 Children. New York: The New American Library, Inc., 1968. Kozol, Jonathan. Death at an Early Age. New York: Bantam Books, 1967. Levin, Henry M., ed. Community Control of Schools. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1970. McCharen, William Knox. Selected Community School Pro- grams in the South. NaShville, Tenn.: McQuiddy Printing Co., 1948. Melby, Ernest O. Horace Mann Lecture, 1955, The Edu- cation Of Free Men. Pittsburgh: UniverSity of Pittsburgh Press, 1955. Minium, Edward W. Statistical Reasoning in Psychology and Education. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1970. Morphet, Edgar L., and Ryan, Charles 0., eds. Impli- cations for Education of Prospective Changes in Society. New York: Citation Press, I967. Moynihan, Daniel P. Maximum Feasible Misunderstanding. New York: MacMillan Co., 1970. Park, Joe, ed. Selected Readings in the Philosophy of Education. New York: MacMillan Co., 1959. 140 Park, Robert Ezra. Race and Culture. New York: The MacMillan Co., 1950. Passow, A. Harry, ed. Education in Depressed Areas. New York: Teachers College Press, 1966. Piaget, Jean. The Origins of Intelligence in Children. New York: International University Press, 1952. Pines, Maya. Revolution in Learning. New York: Harper & Row, 1970. Presthus, Robert. The Organizational Society. New York: Random House, 1962. Riesman, David. The Lonely Crowd. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1966. Salisbury, Harrison. Shook-Up Generation. New York: Harper & Row, 1958. Sanders, Irwin T. The Community. New York: The Ronald Press Co., 1966. Selltiz, Claire, et a1. Research Methods in Social Relations. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1967. Shank, Paul C., and McElroy, Wayne. The Paraprofessionals or Teacher Aides. Midland, Mich.: Pendeil Phb- lishing Co., 1970. Silberman, Charles E. Crisis in Black and White. New York: Random House, 1964. . Crisis in the Classroom. New York: Random House, 1970. Southwell, Eugene A., and Merbaum, Michael. Personality: Readings in Theory and Research. CalifOrnia: wadsworth Pubiishing Co., 1964. Stein, Jess, ed. The Random House Dictionary of the Epglish Language. New York: Random House, 1966. Stroup, Herbert. Social Work. New York: American Book Co., 1960. Toffler, Alvin. Future Shock. New York: Random House, 1970. 141 Totten, W. F., and Manley, Frank J. The Community School. Galien, Mich.: Allied Education Council, I969. Van Dalen, Diebold B. UnderstandingEducational Research. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1962. warren, Roland L. The Community in America. Chicago: Rand McNally & Co., I963. , ed. Perspectives on the American Community. Chicago: Rand McNally & Co., 1966. Whitt, Robert L. A Handbook for the Community School Director. Midland, Mich.: Pendell PubliSHing Co., 1971. Wilkerson, David, Rev. The Cross and the Switchblade. New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell, 1970. Yeager, William A. Home-~School--Community Relations. Pittsburgh: University Of PittSburgh, 1939. Articles and Periodicals Blessing, Charles A. "Two Cities Designs for Life in Milan and Detroit." Graduate Comment, wayne State University, October, 1960, p. 6. Campbell, Clyde M. The Community School and Its Admin- istration, IX, NO. 3 (NOvember, 1970), 4. Clancy, Peter L. "The Community School Concept," Com- munity School Director's Manual (Flint, Mich.: 1971), p. 10. Coleman, James S. "Class and the Classroom." Saturday Review (April 1, 1972), 37. . "The Children Have Outgrown the Schools." Psychology Today, V, NO. 9 (February, 1972), 72-75. Drucker, Peter F. "School Around the Bend." Psychology Today, VI, No. 1 (June, 1972), 86-89. Etzioni, Amiati. "Human Beings Are Not Very Easy to Change After All." Saturday Review, LV, No. 23 (June 3, 1972), 46. Gans, Herbert J. "The New Equalitarianism." Saturday Review, LV, NO. 23 (June 3, 1972), 43. 142 Gans, Herbert J. "The Mass Media as an Educational Institution." The Urban Review, II, No. 1 (February, 1967l1 Moore, Samuel A. "Local Interagency Cooperation." The School Administrator (August, 1971), p. 9. Pothie, Richard. "Pregnant WOmen Gain Weight." Detroit Free Press, September 5, 1971, p. 2-C. Ravitz, Mel. "Urban America Is in a Crisis." The Com- munity School and Its Administration, X, NO. 4 (December, 1971), l} Richmond, George. "The Society School." Saturday Review, LV, No. 26 (June 24, 1972), 45. Schuck, Peter. "Tied to the Sugar Lands." Saturday Review, LV, No. 23 (June 3, 1972), 45. Steele, Marilyn, and Lezotte, Lawrence. "Recent Research." The Urban Review, CCCXIII (January, 1972), 36-38. Wharton, Clifton R., Jr. "Toward a Humane Philosophy of Education." The William P. Fenn Lectures, United Board for ChriStian Educationdin Asia (December, 1971). Yankelovich, Daniel. "The New Naturalism." Saturday Review (April 1, 1972), 37. Dissertations Blue, Fermin Keith. "The Flint Community School Director: Analysis of Role Conflict and Expectations." Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Michigan State University, 1970. Decker, Larry E. "An Administrative Assessment of the Consequences of Adopting Community Education in Selected Public School Districts." Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Michigan State University, 1971. Peterson, Roy E. "Anthopometric, Physiometric and Health History Comparisons of High and Low Academic Achievement Motivated Early Adolescent Boys." Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Michigan State University, 1969. 143 Solberg, James R. "The Evolution and Implementation of the Community-School Concept." Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, University of Michigan, 1970. Unpublished Material and Reports Carranza, Elihu. "A Study Of the Relationship Of the CIPP Educational Evaluation Model to Decision Making and Accountability." Study for the Research and Planning Office, Lansing School District, Lansing, Michigan, 1972. Combs, Arthur W. "A Perceptual View of the Adequate Personality." Paper delivered to Mott Interns, 1972. Cusick, Philip A. "Adolescent Groups and the School Organization." Study, Michigan State University, 1972. Melby, Ernest 0. "Frank Manley: A Giant in American Education." Unpublished paper, Lansing, Michigan, 1972. Mott, C. S. Harding. Annual Report: The Mott Foundation, 1970. "Drug Abuse Education in the Jr. High School." Curriculum Bulletin No. 4E, Dade County Public Schools, Miami, Florida, 1969. "The Potential Role of the School as a Site for Integrat- ing Social Services." Syracuse University Research Corporation, Syracuse, New York, 1972. Spoeches Grant, W. Harold. Speech presented at the National Catholic Educational Association. Detroit, Michigan, April, 1969. Melby, Ernest 0. National Community School Education Association Keynote Address. Carillon Hotel, Miami, Florida, December, 1967. . Speech delivered to Mott Interns. Flint, Michigan, November, 1971. APPENDICES APPENDIX A LIST OF FLINT COMMUNITY SCHOOLS RANDOMLY SELECTED FOR STUDY FROM LIST OF ALL COMMUNITY SCHOOLS IN FLINT APPENDIX A LIST OF FLINT COMMUNITY SCHOOLS RANDOMLY SELECTED FOR STUDY FROM LIST OF ALL COMMUNITY SCHOOLS IN FLINT Ideal Anderson Brownell Carpenter Central Civic Park Cook King Lowell McKinley Northern Northwestern Potter Southwestern Summerfield Washington Real Bryant Cody Coolidge Dort Doyle Eisenhower Emerson Intermediate Holmes Johnson Manley Oak Pierce Selby Stewart Williams 144 APPENDIX B LIST OF AGENCIES IN FLINT RANDOMLY SELECTED FOR STUDY APPENDIX B LIST OF AGENCIES IN FLINT RANDOMLY SELECTED FOR STUDY Ideal Boy Scouts Family Services Flint-Gen. CO. Community Coordinated Child Care Association (4-C) Flint Regional Emergency Service Genesee County Department of Social Services Genesee County Regional Drug Abuse Commission Girl Scouts Heart in the City Junior Achievement National Community School Education Association Urban Coalition Of Greater Flint Urban League of Flint Vocational Rehabilitation Young Men's Christian Association Young WOmen's Christian Association 145 Real Big Brothers Big Sisters Department of Community Development (Public Housing) Flint Community Planned Parenthood Flint-Genesee County Health Development Flint Park and Recreation Board Genesee County Parks and Recreation Committee Industrial Mutual Association Mott Adult Education Mott Children's Health Center Police Cadets Probate Court Senior Citizens Visiting Nurse Volunteer Bureau APPENDIX C A DESCRIPTION OF THE HUMAN RESOURCE CENTER PONTIAC, MICHIGAN APPENDIX C A DESCRIPTION OF THE HUMAN RESOURCE CENTER PONTIAC, MICHIGAN BY Thor Petersen Pontiac's Human Resources Center (HRC) is the first of its kind in the United States. Because of this, many people from all over the state and nation have come to Pontiac to see the building and watch the various programs in Operation. The visitors ask many questions. In this report we will first list the questions most frequently asked and then attempt to answer them. The first question is usually--"What is it?" What Is the Human Resources Center? The term "Human Resources" has become a popular one in recent years. In educational jargon it is techni- cally called an "education park." In common terms it is a large elementary school serving children from four former elementary school attendance areas. The aspect that makes it unique, however, is that in addition to being a school, it is also a center for community and adult services. The HRC presently serves approximately 146 147 1,600 children in pre-K-4. In addition, it serves nearly 850 adults in day and night adult education and related programs. The building contains 177,000 square feet of space. Of this, 56,000 are devoted to community use. Included are the following special community spaces: Community Theatre Community Lounge Public Restaurant Adult Library and learning Dental Clinic center Medical Clinic Eight Community Agency Five Adult Education Offices Classrooms WOodshop-Metalshop Adult Home-Economics Room Ceramics Rooms Nursery Parent Education Room Electronic Piano Laboratory Two Pre-school Classrooms Several spaces are shared by the elementary program and the community program. These include the following: Cafetorium (seats 600) Fine Arts Area Gymnasium Motor-Perceptual Develop- Kitchen and Serving Area ment Lab Vocational Music Room How was the HRC Idea Developed? A petition Signed by 300 parents gave the original thrust for the HRC. Schools surrounding the downtown area would need to be replaced. The problems of this area were greater than could be solved by merely replacing existing school buildings with new ones. A committee made thirty- three specific recommendations to the Board of Education. Thirty-two became part of the plan. A swimming pool represented the thirty-third recommendation but was not included because of cost factors. 148 ' The total cost of the building and site was $6.2 million. Four and one-quarter million dollars came from a local bond issue approved by the voters while $200,000 was appropriated by the Oakland County Intermediate School District. The remaining $1.6 million was approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under the Neighborhood Facilities Program. Pontiac was the first school district in the nation to ever receive funds for school construction under this program. Ground breaking took place in January, 1970. Con- struction is scheduled to be completed in June, 1972. What Are the Major Goals of the HRC? During the planning process, four major goals for the Human Resources Center were identified: (1) To provide an improved educational program for elementary students from a four-school area which could be used as a model for the entire school district; (2) To provide increased and improved community ser- vices to residents of the four-school area; (3) To provide a racially balanced school setting; (4) To improve the physical environment of the com- munity through home-remodeling, improved streets, lighting and additional recreational areas. 149 How IS the Instructional Pro- ggam Different? First of all the instructional program for ele- mentary students is organized on a "continuous progress" basis. Every attempt is made to allow each child to move at his or her own rate. The goal is to encourage children to progress as rapidly as possible in each academic subject without regard to traditional grade level assignments. To accomplish this goal, teaching teams have been organized. The HRC presently has 10 such teams. Each team has approximately 130 children somewhat equally divided between lst, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders. This is called multi-age, multi-level grouping. Therefore, each team has children at several age, grade, and progress levels. A typical team has the services of 10-13 adults. Included are a team leader, oral language resource teacher, learning specialist, two master teachers, two regular teachers, two interns, two or three teacher assistants, and two student teachers. Differentiated staffing permits greater amounts Of individual attention for each child. What IS the HRC Doing to Meet the Neede f ChildrenCWith Special Learning Prohlems? The HRC student body includes approximately 100 children who in previous years were assigned to 150 self-contained special education classrooms throughout the school district. At the HRC, these children have been assigned to the regular teaching teams. Special edu- cation teachers are equally divided between working on regular teams as learn-specialists and operating the HRC Learning Center. Any of the 1,600 HRC students may be referred to the Learning Center for Special help in a specific area. If a child on Team 8 is experiencing problems in learning the names of the numerals 0 through 9, he may be referred to the Learning Center for special help. Here he will receive one to one attention from a specially trained teacher until he has overcome the problem. A typical child will spend approximately thirty minutes per day in the Learning Center. The HRC also enrolls approximately 95 children who are either non-English speaking or have serious problems of language interference. Almost all of these children are native speakers of Spanish. Twenty-two of these children are in kindergarten and are served by a bilingual teacher and a bilingual teacher assistant. What Community and Adult Services Are Offered at the HRC? The basic goal of the HRC Community Services Program is to bring a variety of coordinated services together in one location which is close to the peOple being served. The program is designed for all age 151 groups and attempts to meet the educational, social, cul- tural, recreational, and Special assistance needs of area residents. The program has several parts. Pre-School.--This segment of the program begins at an early age with many participants under 1 year of age. Through the services of the Oakland County Health Department a monthly well-Child Conference is held. Here pre-schoolers receive free medical examinations and immunizations. A free nursery program is offered four days and nights per week for children of adults who are participating in adult education classes or who are volun- teering in the elementary school. During the past year, 75 Head Start as well as 170 kindergarten youngsters attended the HRC each day. In May and June, a pre- school program for 30 Latin children was conducted on a volunteer basis by students from Oakland University. Plans for 1972-73 include a large home-based pre-school program which will serve all 3- and 4-year-Old children in the HRC area. Children and Youth.--The program for children and youth emphasizes recreational and enrichment activities. These range from basketball and volleyball to piano lessons. Several dance and choral groups have been organized by community groups and meet on a regular basis. The HRC Urban Corps Program has developed an enrichment 152 program for students using parents as volunteer instructors. Activities range from cooking and serving to arts and crafts. Other activities include scouting groups, dog obedience training, and regular hearing and vision clinics. In addition, a six-week comprehensive elementary summer school program for approximately 900 children from all over the school district will be conducted during the summer months. Adults.—-A number Of adult services are offered on a continuous basis during the year. Day and night classes are offered in the following areas: Americanization and Citizenship Adult Basic Education High School Credit Program GED Training Oakland Community College Oakland University Michigan State University Several adult recreation programs ranging from physical fitness to cooking are Offered through the Parks and Recreation Department and the Cooperative Extension Service of M.S.U. The program begins bright and early with a daily 7:00 A.M. Men's Physical Fitness Program in the gym. A number of community agencies have office space on the second level of the building. Presently included are the Oakland County Health Department, Pontiac Adult Education, Center for Education Of Returning Veterans, Cooperative Extension Service of Michigan State 153 University, Michigan State University Teacher-Education Center, Clinton Valley Boy Scouts, Pontiac Youth Assistance Program, Oakland Community College CHECO Program, OCC Community Aides, and the Pontiac Schools Community Services Program. 154 lOWEI Illflflflfllv MUSEUM! UPPER “EMENYARY mum PIE. SCHOOL KINDERGAR'IEN W mm W! m W S“?! ____._i I‘ 3:31? '-.\. A D 'C a 7 . . . ‘ ‘ c “.O‘ a ‘3 ] .' _l. .- F's.’ ‘ ‘ V ‘\'.'.' “.0 d‘ O " C O I.Q.!fr'. . - °'~9- . 0*? fl HUMAN RESOURCES CENTER URBAN“ DESIGN , ‘ ' ......... ‘ a»... nut-J 31m: w W' Ponvroc M‘mhfigan *"MM‘ PHuburgh PQnmylvonld APPENDIX D A DESCRIPTION OF THE T. WENDELL WILLIAMS COMMUNITY EDUCATION CENTER FLINT, MICHIGAN APPENDIX D A DESCRIPTION OF THE T. WENDELL WILLIAMS COMMUNITY EDUCATION CENTER FLINT, MICHIGAN Submitted by: Mr. Jack H. Hudson The Williams Community Education Center was designed as a total human resource center for the Williams community to demonstrate the utility of the community edu- cation concept. The center is comprised of: Williams Community School Component.--where ele- mentary classrooms open into a large sunken learning resource center containing instructional equipment and materials for student use. Educational staff in the learning resource center assist students in the effective utilization of multi-information resources, individualized instruction, and group work. Classrooms provide Oppor- tunities for team teaching and flexible grouping accord- ing to student development. This component of the total Complex was constructed and is operated by the Flint Board of Education and began Operation in the Fall, 1969. Robert J. Whaley Recreation Component.--where a 72-acre park-school facility provides an indoor-outdoor family swimming pool for student instruction and com- munity use on a year-round basis; ice skating rink 155 156 convertible to tennis, basketball, and other court recreation during summer months; shaded picnic area in the summer; science and outdoor biological studies for elementary students; and a variety of community recreation programs suitable to the interests of the local community are available. This component of the total complex opened in March, 1971, under the administration of the Flint Recreation and Park Board. Construction funding was pro- vided by the Flint Recreation and Park Board, the State of Michigan Recreation Bond Bill, the Flint Board of Edu- cation, and the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. Operation of the component is provided by the Flint Recreation and Park Board. Community Services Component.--where formal and informal classes, activities, and services are provided according to the expressed interests and needs of com- munity residents. Staffed with a trained Director of Community Services, continuous effort is given to moti- vate peOple to examine their environment and establish approaches which can be effectively implemented to bring about individual and community improvement. This com- ponent was constructed through a grant from U.S. Housing and Urban Development and operation funding is provided by the Flint Board of Education and COOperating com- munity agencies. 157 An administrative team works in concert with the Williams Community Advisory Council to plan, operate, and evaluate those services and activities which are considered most important for the improvement of the community. For more specific information concerning the center, contact The Flint Public Schools, Flint, Michigan. 158 WILLIAMS MUNITV EWTION CENTER A A ‘ v v v r 1' SHELTERED ICE RONK P00. necgenam A J A A A A. A _A V V V V V V .. ' neat 4*; w» COWUNH’Y SERVICES uncanny 3cm FAMILY EDUCA‘HON % ceuma J. '. 159 William coMMunnv EDUCATION cum Elementary School Component 3Q“) . I o o ‘ I ——. - _-~ - T .- x "ENE ' f ' " (IN I "ENE ' - - .. | $6 TEEACH E'RS Looms W% TASSISTANT PRINCIRAL' Rim STORAGE ”WE—II onus I l LEAR!!!” ,m____| Elementary Education Secotl RESOURCE cunts Number of Classrooms: 30 Learning Resource C t = 50' 50' ‘ __ °x.'r',5 en er X F- j . , .b’. Average Classroom -.% v. Size: 24'x36' '; t..?:- 6 na lum 47'x83' . ‘ ya a : ____.“ .__4‘ ffl,,u\xl f 3 160 el 82 as. 85.2% IL A 2...... L AL— :34 1..|||J « in roots... ‘ . a» .82. 2:5: 2.9.8.. “.5- . 9903 . PIG liLl 8b” 5an . p 28. In » .53 THE A 8.5 g 6393 n.5, . 8&0 GE .91 38:3 tau 3_— xcE mu. w \\\ \§\\ u NN' mg _ ha i 8 “8:828 9595 8. 2; .8“. £553.». 353 22283 >:==s.28 «23:3 5 wt :8 £55 (a: if — 161 WllllAMS OOMMUNITV EDUCATION CENTER Recreation Area Component w H A L E Y PARK’Sa. %% a??? ‘1' WA“ I 1c: RINK a Poor cm: AREA x: m: SNELYIIID RECREATIW ARIA 162 WILLIAMS WNIIV EDUCATION CENTER Community Services Component J a 4 l T r V .-¢ E54- 1 l 1 l f ' ' _.- —— -——- -—-—-o-i — SERVING KITCHEN ADULT eguamon CHILD CARE CENTER I urn-use AREA “L57 Home SKILLS 'c “m” JOB TRAINING mcneus use. a. oenm. REFERRAL nece Prion . - on. \ on. q— APPENDIX E COMMUNITY EDUCATION QUESTIONNAIRE FOR A STUDY OF AGENCY-SCHOOL COOPERATION AND COORDINATION (IDEAL) APPENDIX E COMMUNITY EDUCATION QUESTIONNAIRE FOR A STUDY OF AGENCY-SCHOOL COOPERATION AND COORDINATION General Information: 1. Your responses will be held in strict confidence. 2. You are encouraged to make any comments that will help in interpreting your data. 3. After completing the questionnaire, simply put it in the stamped, self-addressed return envelope and mail it to L. J. Tasse, 918 Wblcott St., Flint, Michigan, 48504. Marking Instructions: 1. PLEASE ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS. 2. CIRCLE ONLY ONE RESPONSE. 3. GIVE THE ANSWER WHICH BEST EXPRESSES YOUR PERCEPTION OF AN IDEAL SITUATION. Key: SA - Strongly Agree; A - Agree; N - Neutral; D — Disagree; SD - Strongly Disagree I. Community Involvement 1. Community Education should develop and encourage community involvement. SA A N D SD 2. Community Education should provide opportunity for many self-generat- ing activities. SA A N D SD 3. Community Education should estab— lish representative citizen's advisory groups in each school area. SA A N D SD 4. Community councils should be involved in the business of priority setting. SA A N D SD 5. Community Councils should recom- mend changes in agency policies or procedures. SA A N D SD 163 164 Community councils should include agency representatives. Agency—school projects ought to allow community groups to have a greater responsibility in meeting their own needs. Agency-school cooperation should provide for community involve- ment in the setting of priorities for service. Agency-school cooperation should produce projects which allow for community persons to participate in various action projects in their school area. Feasibility Analysis Community Education should develop a sense of pride in the community. Community Education should serve as a direct line of communication with all of the people. Community Education should identify community wants and needs. Community Education should be able to reduce juvenile delinquency in the community by working with agencies. Community Education should make maximum use of existing human and physical resources. Community Education should be able to reduce problems such as drug abuse, vandalism, truancy, etc. by working cooperatively with other agencies. Community Education should develop a climate for inno- vation and change. SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD 165 8. Community Education should offer opportunities for agencies to cooperate in a non-threatening atmosphere. SA A N D SD 9. Agencies should recommend changes in school programs. SA A N D SD 10. Agency-school coordination should produce greater support for agencies. . SA A N D SD 11. Agency-school COOperation should make the goals of agencies and schools more fully realized. SA A N D SD 12. Agency-school programs should provide a better system of communications between schools and agencies. SA A N D SD III. Community School Director 1. The Community school director should have responsibility for working with agencies, organi— zations and groups in each school area. SA A N D SD 2. Community education directors should provide leadership in coordinating joint-projects so that each participating agency can be responsible for achieving a part of the overall goal. SA A N D SD 3. A system of reporting on pro- jects involving the school and other agencies should be coordi- nated by the community school director. SA A N D SD 4. The community school director should be knowledgeable in the politics of Change. SA A N D SD 5. The community school director should be a leader in the com- munity. SA A N D SD 10. 11. IV. 166 The community school director should be a "change agent." The community school director should spend most of his time in community activities and organi- zations. The community school director ought to have broad knowledge of the educational problems outside of community and adult education. The community school director should attend conferences, and workshOps relevant to agency- school operations. The community school director should be essentially a "bridge" between agency, school, and community. The community school director ought to keep his office open to all members of the com- munity. Structure Formal agreements between agencies and schools should be developed. A definite set of procedures for working with agencies should be established. Specific guidelines showing steps to be followed in inter-agency projects should be developed. A general set of guidelines should be established for inter- agency cooperation. Agency-school cooperation should allow the fuller utilization of facilities. SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD 10. 11. 167 Agency-school cooperation should avoid unnecessary duplication of facilities. Agency-school cooperation should improve joint planning of school and community facilities. Agency—school cooperation ought to allow for sharing of staff. Agency-school COOperation ought to allow for joint inservice programs. Agency—school cooperation should increase the efficient use of ‘public and private funds. Agency-school cooperation should improve the expenditure of funds by both schools and agencies. Implementation Community Education should serve as a catalyst in the initiation of change in the community. Community Education should be used to decentralize community services. Community Education should serve to minimize burearcracy. Community Education should be the vehicle for establishing COOper- ative procedures with governmental service agencies. Community Education should pro- vide for maximum free use of facilities. Community Education should allow community agencies to be housed in school facilities. Community Education should attempt to coordinate school and agency staffs. SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD 10. 11. VI. 168 Agency-school projects should be initially relatively simple, short-term activities to develop communications and understanding. Agency-school coordination ought to effect changes within agencies. Agency-school coordination ought to effect changes within the community. Agency-school coordination ought to effect changes within the schools. Evaluation Community Education should work cooperatively with volunteer and Civic organizations. Community Education should work cooperatively with business and industry. Measurement of progress on joint- projects should include assessment by the agencies, schools, and community. Agency-school cooperation should noticeably improve services. Agency-school cooperation should provide services not ordinarily provided by the school. Agency-school cooperation should make agency services more accessible to residents. Agency-school projects should provide for an equal sharing of the recognition for joint efforts. Agency-school cooperation should make the public more aware of services provided by non-school agencies. Agency-school cooperation should allow continuous reassessment of community needs and goals. SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD APPENDIX F COMMUNITY EDUCATION QUESTIONNAIRE FOR A STUDY OF AGENCY-SCHOOL COOPERATION AND COORDINATION (REAL) APPENDIX F COMMUNITY EDUCATION QUESTIONNAIRE FOR A STUDY OF AGENCY-SCHOOL COOPERATION AND COORDINATION General Information: 1. Your responses will be held in strict confidence. 2. You are encouraged to make any comments that will help in interpreting your data. 3. After completing the questionnaire, simply put it in the stamped, self-addressed return envelope and mail it to L. J. Tasse, 918 WOlcott St., Flint, Michigan, 48504. Marking Instructions: 1. PLEASE ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS. 2. CIRCLE ONLY ONE RESPONSE. 3. GIVE THE ANSWER WHICH BEST EXPRESSES YOUR PER- CEPTION OF THE REAL (OR ACTUAL) SITUATION. Key: SA - Strongly Agree; A - Agree; N - Neutral; D - Disagree; SD - Strongly Disagree. I. Community Involvement 1. Community Education is developing and encouraging community involve- ment. SA A N D 2. Community Education is providing opportunity for many self— generating activities. SA A N D 3. Community Education is establishing representative citizenls advisory grOUps in each school area. SA A N D 4. Community Councils are involved in the business of priority setting. SA A N D 5. Community Councils do recommend changes in agency policies or procedures. SA A N D 169 SD SD SD SD SD 170 Community Councils do include agency representatives. Agency-school projects are allowing community groups to have a greater responsibility in meeting their own needs. Agency-school COOperation is pro- viding for community involvement in the setting of priorities for service. Agency—school cooperation is pro— ducing projects which allow for community persons to participate in various action projects in their school area. Feasibility Analysis Community Education is developing a sense of pride in the community. Community Education is serving as a direct line of communication with all of the people. Community Education is identifying community wants and needs. Community Education is reducing juvenile delinquency in the community by working with agencies. Community Education is making maximum use of existing human and physical resources. Community Education is reducing problems such as drug abuse, vandalism, truancy, etc. by working cooperatively with other agencies. Community Education is developing a climate for innovation and change. SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD 171 8. Community Education is offering opportunities for agencies to cooperate in a non-threatening _ atmOSphere. SA A N D SD 9. Agencies do recommend changes in school programs. SA A N D SD l0. Agency-school coordination is producing greater support for agencies. SA A N D SD ll. Agency-school COOperation is making the goals of agencies and schools more fully realized. SA A N D SD 12. Agency-school programs are pro- viding a better system of com- munications between schools and agencies. SA A N D SD III. Community School Director l. The community school director is responsible for working with agencies, organizations and groups in each school area. SA A N D SD 2. Community Education directors pro- vide leadership in coordinating joint-projects so that each par- ticipating agency can be respon— sible for achieving a part of the overall goal. SA A N D SD 3. A system of reporting on projects involving the school and other agencies is coordinated by the community school director. SA A N D SD 4. The community school director is knowledgeable in the politics of change. SA A N D SD 5. The community school director is a leader in the community. SA A N D SD 6. The community school director is a "Change agent." SA A N D SD 172 The community school director is Spending most of his time in com- munity activities and organi- The community school director has broad knowledge of the educational problems outside of community and The community school director attends conferences, and workshops relevant to agency-school oper- The community school director is essentially a "bridge" between agency, school, and community. The community school director keeps his office Open to all members of the community. Formal agreements between agencies and schools have been developed. A definite set of procedures for working with agencies has been Specific guidelines showing steps to be followed in inter-agency projects has been developed. A general set of guidelines are established for inter-agency Agency-school cooperation is allowing the fuller utilization Agency-school cooperation is avoiding unnecessary duplication 7. zations. 8. adult education. 9. ations. 10. ll. IV. Structure. 1. 2. established. 3. 4. cooperation. 5. of facilities. 6. of facilities. 7. Agency-school cooperation is improving joint planning of school and community facilities. SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD 173 Agency-school cooperation is allowing for sharing of staff. Agency—school cooperation is allowing for joint inservice Agency-school cooperation is increasing the efficient use of public and private funds. Agency-school cooperation is improving the expenditure of funds by both schools and Community Education is serving as a catalyst in the initiation of change in the community. Community Education is used to decentralize community services. Community Education is serving to Community Education is the vehicle for establishing COOperative pro- cedures with governmental service Community Education is providing for maximum free use of the Community Education is allowing community agencies to be housed in Community Education is attempting to coordinate school and agency Agency-school projects are initially relatively simple, short-term activities to develop communi— cations and understanding. 8. 9. programs. 10. ll. agencies. V. Implementation 10 2. 3O minimize bureaucracy. 4. agencies. 5. facilities. 6. school facilities. 70 staffs. 8e 9. Agency-school coordination is effecting changes within agencies. SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD 174 Agency—school coordination is effecting changes within the Agency-school coordination is effecting changes within the Community Education is working cooperatively with volunteer and civic organizations. Community Education is working cooperatively with business and Measurement of progress on joint- projects is including assessment by the agencies, schools, and Agency-school cooperation is noticeably improving services. Agency-school cooperation is providing services not ordinarily provided by the school. Agency-school cooperation is making agency services more accessible to residents. Agency-school projects are providing for an equal sharing of the recognition for joint Agency-school cooperation is making the public more aware of services provided by non-school 10. community. ll. schools. VI. Evaluation 1. 2. industry. 3. community. 4. 5. 6. 7. efforts. 8. agencies. 9. Agency-school cooperation is allowing for continuous reassess- ment of community needs and goals. SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD I’IICH G N LI R9 IES Iii/rimIii/111111111111111I 31293101418055