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Administrator Perceptions of the Individually Guided Education Staff Development Process
The problem with which this investigation is concerned is that of analyzing elementary school principals' perceptions of the Individually Guided Education process of staff development. A survey is made of 100 randomly selected principals from 18 states of the United States with regard to the problems of implementing the process in their schools.
An Analysis of Administrative Competence Needs in Selected Texas Public School Districts
The problem of this study was to determine the perceived needs of selected Texas public school administrators in the areas of competence addressed in the PEEL (Performance Evaluation of the Educational Leader) definition of administrative competence. The conclusions included the following: 1. Between levels of administrative activity, differences were indicated in the high indexes of perceived need on the competency statements between the superintendency-level staff members (superintendent and his advisory staff who hold "line" positions) and the building-level administrators (elementary principals, junior high principals, and senior high principals). 2. Superintendency-level staff members tend to exhibit higher perceived needs on the competency statements relating to instruction and student-oriented responsibilities than do building-level administrators. 3. The size of a school district in which an administrator is employed, the number of years that an administrator has in educational administration, and the highest degree earned by an administrator cause no significant differences to appear in the manner in which an administrator assesses his perceived need on a particular competency statement.
An Analysis of Current Teacher Orientation Programs and Practices in Selected Texas Secondary Schools with Implications for Program Planning and Assessment
The problem with which this study deals is that of describing and analyzing current new teacher orientation programs and practices in selected Texas secondary schools.
An Analysis of Inter-Rater Reliability in Selection of Beginning Teachers
The problem with which this investigation is concerned is that of achieving reliability of administrative judgment in the selection of beginning teachers. This study has a threefold purpose. The first is to determine the type and extent of investigation necessary to achieve reliability of judgment in the ratings of teacher applicants. The second is to investigate the feasibility of a Regional Education Service Center's providing personnel selection services to independent school districts. The final purpose is to develop recommendations relating to reliability in teacher selection.
An Analysis of Teacher Performance Evaluation Policies and Criteria in Texas Public Schools
The purposes of this study were to identify the procedures and criteria used for conducting teacher performance evaluation in Texas public schools, to determine the degree to which teacher performance evaluation procedures and instruments reflect the stated evaluation policies of Texas public schools, and to determine the degree to which teacher performance evaluation instruments used in Texas public schools reflect presage criteria (teacher characteristics) as opposed to process criteria (teacher behavior) as opposed to product criteria (student change or gain) as opposed to general job performance requirements (job expectations). The main findings include the following. (1) Teacher performance evaluation is required in all Texas public school districts and is often performed several times a year by more than one observer. The building principal is the key person involved in this process. (2) Although all school districts stated the supervisory function of the improvement of instruction as the major purpose of their teacher performance evaluation policy, a large number of school districts utilize teacher performance evaluation for the administration functions of serving as a basis for retention or dismissal. (3) If in reality teacher performance evaluation were construed as the improvement of instruction or teaching performance, it should be predictable that process criteria (teacher behavior) would account for the majority of items in the evaluation instruments. However, these items accounted for only about one-fourth of the total number. At the same time, items relating to general job requirements accounted for over 50 percent of the items. This exhibits a maintenance rather than teaching thrust. (4) The data gathered on current teacher performance evaluation instruments appear to be highly pertinent to maintaining the school as an organization and appear to be helpful in making personnel decisions. (5) Teacher performance evaluation instruments in Texas public schools are much more heavily weighted toward assessing …
An Analysis of the Current Texas School Finance System to Determine to What Extent it Meets Criteria for Equity Concerning School Finances
The main purpose of this study was to determine the effect of Texas House Bill 72 on equalization of finances in the public school districts of Texas. House Bill 72 is a finance reform bill which was passed by the Texas Legislature during the Summer of 1984. This study involves basically three steps. First, current criteria for equity as defined by school finance "experts" and recent definitive court decisions were determined. Second, financial data from the Texas Education Agency were statistically analyzed for the 1984-1985 school year. Third, the statistical analysis was used to determine if the current Texas school finance plan meets the current criteria for equity. The population used in the study was 1,068 school districts. Based on the findings of this study the following conclusions were drawn. 1. The use of a per capita flat grant by the Texas Public School Finance System contributes to the unequalizing of financial resources available to school districts. 2. School districts with greater property index values are required to exercise very little effort toward the support of their public schools. 3. School districts with high property index values tend to have lower effective tax rates and high per-pupil expenditures. 4. School districts of least wealth exercised substantially more local tax effort in support of educational programs in their schools than more wealthy school districts. 5. School districts with low property index values are almost entirely dependent upon the Foundation School Program monies to provide the educational opportunities available within the school district. 6. The disparities in local tax effort, per-pupil expenditures, and revenues are attributable primarily to the school district's heavy reliance on local property wealth. 7. A completely perfect system of equalization would be full state funding with monies distributed to districts on an educational needs basis.
An Analysis of the Per-Pupil Cost of a Nine-Month School Program vs. the 45-15 Continuous School Year Plan
The purposes of this investigation were (1) to examine the nine-month program and calculate a per-pupil cost, and (2) to evaluate a continuous-school-year program and calculate its per-pupil cost.
An Assessment of Attitudes, Self-Concept, and Mathematical Achievement Resulting from the Use of Minicalculators
The findings of this investigation support the following conclusions. 1. The review of published research reports yielded conflicting conclusions as to the value of using minicalculators in teaching mathematics to students. 2. The use of minicalculators does not improve a student's mathematical achievement as measured by the Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills. 3. The use of minicalculators does not improve a student's attitude as measured by the Likert-Tye Attitude Scale. 4. The use of minicalculators does not improve a student's self-esteem as measured by the Self-Esteem Inventory. 5. There is no significant difference in attitude, selfesteem or mathematical achievement between boys and girls in the area of mathematics.
An Assessment of the Effect of a School-Wide Positive Approach to Discipline and Classroom Management in a Suburban Junior High School
The findings of this investigation support the following conclusions concerning junior high schools. 1. A positive approach to discipline can be expected to have a significant positive impact on students' opinions of school. 2. A positive approach to discipline can be expected to have a significant positive impact on teachers' opinions of school. 3. A positive approach to discipline can be expected to have a significant positive effect on school atmosphere as evidenced by fewer discipline cases and increased student involvement. 4. A positive approach to discipline will result in increased teacher participation in areas such as sponsorship of student clubs, mini-courses and other extracurricular activities. 5. A school-wide positive approach to discipline will result in increased direct teacher involvement with students. 6. A school-wide positive approach to discipline will result in increased parent-school communication. 7. A school-wide positive approach to discipline will result in fewer truancy problems. 8. A school-wide positive approach to discipline will result in fewer serious behavior problems resulting in Reassignment School or suspension.
Attitudes and Other Concerns Related to Women Being Employed as Public School Administrators in Texas
Interest in this study was evoked by concern over the small percentage of women employed as school administrators. Despite recent legislation, this situation has not changed markedly. This study was needed to determine the current status, attitudes, and concerns of women certified as administrators in Texas with those of the superintendents of Texas public school districts? and to compare the differences of the two concerning this situation. It was concluded that not only did a larger percentage of the women prefer to be employed as elementary school administrators, but also the superintendents felt they would be more likely to be employed at that level. It was further concluded that a majority of the superintendents were likely to give women substantial consideration for employment as elementary school administrators, but were unlikely to hire them as chief administrators of their secondary schools. Many of the women also perceived that Texas school districts are still "in effect" participating in sexually discriminatory hiring practices whether or not the superintendents are aware of the situation. The attitudes of the women and the superintendents very clearly differed concerning opportunities available for female administrators in Texas.
The Attitudes of Classroom Teachers in Selected North Texas School Districts Relative to Collective Bargaining
The problem with which this study is concerned was that of developing an understanding of teacher attitudes toward collective bargaining. The investigation was initiated so that members of school boards, administrators, and those associated with professional organizations could have the needed knowledge to permit them to deal realistically with employer-employee relations. There were two purposes for conducting this study. First, an effort was made to determine the specific attitudes these teachers possess toward collective bargaining. The second purpose was to analyze the teachers' background characteristics to determine whether classifications such as sex, academic degree, experience, assignment level, professional memberships, or age have an impact on these attitudes.
Authoritarianism and Selected Trait Patterns of School Administrators: Seventeen Case Studies
This study was concerned with analyzing selected Texas school administrators in an attempt to locate intrapersonal patterns of (1) values, (2) leadership traits, (3) personality traits, (4) critical thinking ability, (5) perception, and authoritarianism. A second aspect was correlating these profiles with each other. The study had a threefold purpose. The first was to perform a detailed analysis of school administrators to determine selected intrapersonal patterns. The second was to determine possible relationships between these selected profiles. The third was to generate plausible hypotheses for testing the intrapersonal patterns found and for determining the magnitude of any existing relationships. The case studies revealed the uniqueness of each participant in this study. With the possible exception of one individual, certain weaknesses were evident in each of the participants. Canonical correlation and the Pearson correlation of D matrices determined that a relationship existed between many of the profiles. Eight hypotheses were presented at the close of the study as guides for additional research. The results of this study indicated that further research was justified in these particular areas. The results of this study indicated that intrapersonal patterns existed within school administrators and that these patterns or profiles are related. However, the determination of the magnitude of these relationships was left to additional research.
Bureaucracy and Social Interaction: A Study in the Perceived Interaction Between a Superintendent and Campus Principals
Effective relationships among the levels of educational administrators will support the emphasis on academic excellence at national, state, and local levels. Recognizing the factors involved and understanding the interactions of those factors is a complex process. This study examined the bureaucratic leadership style of a superintendent in the organizational structure and the social interaction between the superintendent and campus principals in that organization as perceived by the principals. Quantitative data were collected by using two instruments: (1) the Administration Organi zationa1 Inventory to define the superintendent's bureaucratic leadership style and (2) the Perceived Social Interaction Questionnaire to determine the degree of social interaction between the superintendent and the campus principals. The study included the superintendent and the forty-three principals of a Texas suburban public school. Data analysis examined the leadership style and its relationship to the social interaction and both style and social interaction in relationship to age, sex, elementary or secondary level, and years of experience as a principal. Results of the study did not clearly define the superintendent's leadership style in a bureaucratic organization and indicated no significant difference between the style and social interaction and the four biographical variables. However, analysis of the data revealed that more principals perceived the superintendent as a Professional with a high degree of expertise and low degree of authority when biographical data were considered. Principals who perceived the superintendent as having a high degree of expertise also indicated they had a warm and friendly social relationship with the superintendent. Further analysis revealed that older, male, secondary principals with more than ten years of experience had a warm and friendly social interaction with the superintendent. This study attempted to provide greater knowledge of the organizational structures and the inward workings of a school system so that other administrators might better understand essential …
Bureaucratic Orientations as Related to the Need Fulfillment Deficiencies of Teachers in a Medium Size School District in Texas
The purpose of this study was to determine the direction and strength of the relationships that exist among teachers between bureaucratic orientation (the criterion) and each of the five human need variables that include security, social, esteem, autonomy, self—actualization, and four demographic factors that include sex, experience, educational level, and age. This study was also concerned with determining if the bureaucratic orientation of teachers is affected by deficiencies in their human needs and by their demographic differences. Determination of these relationships was accomplished by using an intercorrelation matrix of product-moment correlations and stepwise multiple regression.
Career Path Patterns of Public School District Superintendents in the State of Texas and Perceptions of Superintendents and a Panel of Experts Regarding Desirable Professional Development and Experience for the Superintendency
The purposes of this study were to determine the predominant career paths of superintendents within the State of Texas and to determine the most important professional positions and areas of professional development as perceived by superintendents and educational experts. The study also compares actual experience and professional development of superintendents with those perceived as most important.
The Characteristics of Successful and Unsuccessful School Bond Election Campaigns in Texas, 1976-1977
The purposes of this study were to 1) compare the characteristics between the elections that were successful and unsuccessful; 2) identify the purpose of the school bond issue (demographic characteristics); 3) identify the financial resources and structure of the school districts (economic characteristics); 4) analyze the public relations and publicity techniques used in the school bond campaign (communications variables); 5) determine the degree of responsibility assumed by individuals and groups for the educational, building, and bond needs of the school districts (group involvement); 6) ascertain personal and professional information about the district superintendent as it related to voter influence in the bond campaign; 7) determine prior bond election experience. The major conclusions were that the trend of large or small eligible voter turnout was inconclusive, urban districts had more difficulty than rural or suburban districts in passing bond issues, and bond issues were passed mainly for new facilities. School districts with large assessed valuation per resident student had better results than others. The newspaper, "general talking it up," speakers, public meetings, and telephone committees were effective means of communication. The superintendent, board of education, faculty, principals, P.T.A., and lay groups assumed the most responsibility in the elections.
The Comparative Relationship of Adequate Attendance and Inadequate Attendance to Grade Point Average
This study was concerned with the comparative relationship of attendance to grade point average. The first of five purposes was to determine if there was a relationship between adequate attendance and grade point average. The second and third purposes concerned the relationship between attendance and grade point average among students from different localities. The fourth and fifth purposes were to determine if there was a relationship between attendance and grade point average among students of different sex.
A Comparison of Academic Performance and Selected School-Related Attitudes of Bused and Non-Bused White Students in Urban Elementary Schools
This study reports on an investigation of the effects of busing on the academic performance and selected school-related attitudes of white fourth- and fifth-grade students in urban elementary schools. The 900 subjects of this study included 169 fourth-grade bused white students, 298 fourth-grade non-bused white students, 189 fifth-grade bused white students, and 264 fifth-grade non-bused white students, all assigned to desegregated schools. Based on the findings of this study, the following conclusions were drawn. 1) When middle-class, white fourth-grade students are bused to desegregated schools similar to their neighborhood schools, they can be expected to sustain positive attitudes about school and self. 2) The achievement made by fourth-grade bused white students in desegregated schools can be anticipated to be equivalent to the achievement of non-bused white students in desegregated neighborhood schools. 3) When middle-class, white fifth-grade students are bused to desegregated schools similar to their neighborhood schools, they can be expected to sustain positive attitudes about school and self. 4) The achievement made by fifth-grade bused white students in desegregated schools can be anticipated to be equivalent to the achievement of non-bused white students in desegregated neighborhood schools. 5) The effects of busing on middle-class, white fourth- and fifth-grade students transported to environments similar to their former schools appear unrelated to school achievement and attitudinal factors toward school.
A Comparison of Environmental Climates in Elementary Schools
The problem of this study was to compare schools that utilize individualized instruction with schools that utilize a traditional or group-oriented approach to instruction. Comparisons were made relative to student perceptions of the schools' environmental climates, expectancy for school success, and promotion and non-promotion practices. The sources of data included a review of the literature related to traditional elementary education, the history and development of individualized instruction, humanistic aspects of individualized instruction, and the role of school personnel expectancy in individualized instruction. The Elementary School Environment Survey was used to collect the perceptions of 1,600 fifth-grade students about their school environments. A teacher self-report questionnaire, as well as a principal self-report questionnaire, provided data pertaining to expectancy for school success and non-promotion practices. Sixty-two fifth-grade teachers and twenty elementary principals responded to the questionnaire. The data gathered in this study indicated that fifth-grade students have similar perceptions of their school climate related to involvement, independence, morale, equity, and resources. Students in the traditional or group-oriented schools perceived their schools as being more humanistic. Elementary principals and teachers in individualized instruction schools and in traditional group-oriented schools do not differ in their expectations for school success. Schools utilizing individualized instruction non-promote a much lower percentage of their students.
A Comparison of Stress as Measured by Heartbeat Rate of Sixth-Grade Students During Teaching-Learning Activities in Solving Verbal Problems in a Classroom Setting
The problem of this study was to measure, to compare, and to analyze the amount of stress, as indicated by heartbeat rate, experienced by students during teaching-learning activities in sixth-grade mathematics in a regular classroom. The bases for comparison were the heartbeat rates of selected students as recorded by a cardiotachometer and achievement scores on pretests and posttests dealing with verbal problems. All data were analyzed using the t-tests for the significance of the difference between the means. Findings of the study showed that students did experience increased heartbeat rates while solving verbal problems in sixth-grade mathematics. Also, during the teaching-learning activities, students who solved verbal problems using the realistic approach did not experience more stress than students who solved problems using the standard approach. The standard group did not perform significantly better than the realistic group on the standard pretest-posttest. However, students who were involved in the realistic method achieved better on all types of problems than did students who were taught by the standard method.
A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Inservice Education Programs for Members of Local Boards of Trustees in Selected Texas School Districts: A Descriptive Study
The problem of this study was to describe inservice education programs for members of local boards of trustees and to assess the knowledge and attitude toward inservice of participating and non-participating board members. The major purposes of this study were to describe training programs carried on in selected school districts, and to assess and compare the knowledge and attitudes toward inservice education of board members who do and do not participate in those training programs. The project involved the identification of skill areas necessary for board members, the development of instruments to measure knowledge and attitudes toward inservice, the selection of boards of trustees from six school districts for an experimental and a control group, the description of inservice education programs in operation in districts comprising the experimental group, and the assessment of knowledge and attitudes of members of the experimental and control groups.
A Comparison of Two Approaches Designed to Improve the Computational Skills of Pupils in Grades Five and Seven
The purposes of this study were 1) to determine the effect upon the arithmetic computation, concepts, and application skills of pupils when the regular instructional program in arithmetic at the fifth- and seventh-grade levels was supplemented with the Cyclo-Teacher (2) programmed materials; 2) to determine the effect upon the arithmetic computation, concepts, and application skills of pupils when the regular instructional program in arithmetic at the fifth- and seventh-grade levels was supplemented with the Mental Computation (6) materials.
A Comparison of Two Methods of Teacher Evaluation
This study reports on an investigation of the effects of two methods of teacher evaluation on the attitudes of teachers and principals concerning the method of teacher evaluation in which each subject participated. The data indicate several broad implications. Teachers who were evaluated by the CT method had a significantly more positive feeling that teacher evaluation is more likely to be used for the improvement of instruction than teachers who were evaluated by the ADT method. CT teachers also had a more positive attitude toward their evaluation as a professional process. CT teachers had a generally more positive attitude toward evaluation, Department Chairpersons/Lead Teachers, and the principal as an instructional leader than did the ADT teachers. However, these latter differences were not significant and represented only a general attitude. Principals showed no significant difference in their attitudes as affected by the two methods of teacher evaluation. Principals who had used both methods felt that the CT method provided them more opportunity to provide instructional leadership for their teachers. The findings indicate that, although the method of teacher evaluation may have no major impact on teacher attitudes, administrators who believe that teacher evaluation should be used to improve instruction need to consider using a team approach to the establishing of instructional goals for the purpose of evaluating teachers. Administrators who want their teachers to feel that teacher evaluation is a professional process would be better served by the Collegial Technique.
A Comparison of Two Models for Training Personnel for Teaching the Moderately and Severely Retarded
The problem of this study is the effect of two training models on personnel who teach moderately and severely retarded children. The subjects of this study were sixty-two staff members who work with the moderately and severely retarded pupils in two large metropolitan school systems. Eighteen teachers, eighteen aides, and twenty-six volunteers participated in the study. Two observation instruments administered by trained observers were used as pre- and post-tests to measure the trainees' competencies in applying operant conditioning techniques in both group and one-to-one instructional situations. The purposes of this study were (1) to compare the effectiveness of an experiential model and a didactic model in preparing personnel to deliver cues and reinforcers when working with moderately and severely retarded children; (2) to compare the costs of equipment and supervisory personnel; and (3) to examine the relationship between the trainees' effectiveness of delivering cues and reinforcers to a group of moderately and severely retarded youngsters and the on-task behavior of those students. This report concludes that the trainees' self-evaluation of the training models indicated that they prefer simulated techniques and feedback, which denotes that the Experiential Model may foster certain kinds of incidental learning such as physical mannerisms and visual cues. The Experiential Model was superior in teaching trainees to cue in a one-to one teaching situation.
Competencies Necessary for the Public School Superintendency as Perceived by Texas Superintendents
This study was concerned with which competencies are considered necessary for success as a Texas public school superintendent, and the results were derived from responses to a questionnaire by practicing school superintendents in Texas during the spring of 1975. Summary of Findings: The literature reviewed and the data obtained from the survey instrument appeared to indicate that school superintendents in Texas do need certain competencies in order to adequately fulfill their role in the educational setting. This study was limited to seventy-five school superintendents in Texas. There were variations in their responses depending on: 1. Size according to pupil population. 2. Wealth according to the amount of taxable value located in the school district subject to taxation backing each pupil enrolled. 3. Experience of the superintendent surveyed. There was no effort to develop historically the concepts related to the competencies necessary for success as a school superintendent in Texas. Only opinions of writers and school superintendents of schools serving in Texas schools were used in this study.
Crime Prevention and Drug Education: The Legislative Mandate and its Implementation by the Texas Education Agency and Nineteen Texas School Districts
The problem of this study is to determine the extent to which the Texas Education Agency and selected school districts have implemented the legislative provisions of House Bill 467, enacted by the Sixty-First Texas Legislature. No hypothesis is advanced. The purpose of the study is twofold: first, it describes the sequential development of the crime prevention and drug education program by the Texas Education Agency as mandated through House Bill 467; and second, it determines the current status of the crime prevention and drug education program in selected school districts through the use of a semi-structured personal interview with the individual assigned primary responsibility for coordination of the program in each of the nineteen school districts included in the study. It is the further purpose of this study to determine principal and teacher perceptions toward twenty-two factors related to drug abuse among students. This was accomplished through the use of a perception survey mailed to a random sample of 1,184 teachers and all 149 principals within the nineteen school districts participating in the study. This procedure resulted in the return of usable surveys by 804 teachers and 119 principals.
The Curricular Impact of the Texas Assessment of Basic Skills Competency Testing Program as Perceived by Superintendents
The Texas Assessment of Basic Skills (TABS) student competency testing program was instituted in Texas in 1980. This study determined the impact that test has had on the curricula of participating districts as was perceived by superintendents. A survey instrument was developed, validated, and tested for reliability and was then presented to a random sample of superintendents in five size categories.
A Description of the Secondary School Principalship as Perceived by Selected Principals and Teachers in Bangkok, Thailand
The problem with which this investigation is concerned is that of describing the secondary school principalship as perceived by selected principals and teachers in Bangkok, Thailand. The purposes of this study are (1) to collect selected demographic data about the secondary school principals and teachers in government and private schools, and (2) to measure and determine the relative effectiveness of principals of government and private secondary schools in Bangkok, Thailand, as perceived by secondary school principals and teachers. The conclusions of this study are as follows: (1) principals in government and private secondary schools appear equivalent in professional preparation as measured by highest degree held, (2) principals in government and private secondary schools earn equivalent salaries, (3) teachers in private secondary schools have less professional preparation than teachers in government secondary schools, (4) teachers in government schools are better paid than teachers in private schools, (5) principals in both government and private secondary schools perceived their effectiveness as higher than did the teachers in those schools.
The Development and Implementation of a Campus Level Information System to Assist Administrators in Planning and Decision-Making
The problem with which this investigation was concerned was the development and implementation of a school-community informational system useful to administrators in planning and decision-making. From the data gathered it can be seen that: (1) Parent, teacher, and student groups were not unified in their perceptions and attitudes toward themselves, each other, and the school. (2) Teachers and the administration must share the responsibility for the learning program. (3) The administrative staff must promote faculty unity, teamwork, and teacher-administrative relationships. (4) The Administrative Team agreed that the data indicated the necessity of the principal, teachers, parents, and students participating in improving the school program. Ultimately the study concluded that: (1) the Campus Level Information System assists administrators in securing information to identify areas needing improvement, and (2) the Campus Level Information System assisted the Administrative Team in identifying and defining their role. This system promises to be useful in the assessment of student, parent, and teacher attitudes and perceptions.
The Development of a Rating Scale for Use by Texas School Board Members to Evaluate a Superintendent's Performance
The problem with which this investigation is concerned is that of developing a scale for rating a public school superintendent in Texas in terms of his adherence to selected characteristics of administrative leadership. A secondary problem is to verify the hypothesis that very few schools in Texas, if any, use a rating scale to evaluate the performance of the superintendent. The purpose of this study will be to identify a set of administrative leadership characteristics which are accepted by members of Boards of Trustees, professors of educational leadership, and superintendents.
Development of a System for Reporting Disciplinary Problems by Utilizing Data Processing
The problem of this study was to develop and prepare a data processing system that would report, catalog, and file information pertaining to discipline of students referred to the principal. The purposes of the study were to develop a systematic approach to the reporting of disciplinary incidents, to develop a system of reports that could show what actions were being taken in specified areas and that could provide a cross reference of this information with other data, and to provide a system whereby information concerning disciplinary problems and actions taken could be compiled for a future longitudinal study.
The Development of an Instrument for Assessing State High School Interscholastic Activities Associations
The purpose of this study was to develop a valid and reliable assessment instrument. This instrument is to be used by school administrators to assess the organizational structure and administrative effectiveness of state high school interscholastic activities associations. This study proceeded through four phases. The first phase was for developing criteria items and included a review of the literature. The second phase was for the purpose of item validation and consisted of submitting a questionnaire to an advisory panel of five persons. The third phase of the study was for the purpose of validation by content validity. The questionnaire was submitted to a randomly selected group of state interscholastic activities associations' directors and presidents of the state superintendents associations and the state high school principals associations. In the fourth phase of the study the reliability of the instrument was established through a questionnaire survey using a similar population as the validity survey.
Differences in School Districts' Decision-Making Processes Before and After Tax Limitation Elections: A Case Study
Using a case study approach, this investigation focused on the decision-making processes involved in developing budgets in two Texas school districts following a tax limitation, or rollback, election. Factors influencing the decision-making processes included the rollback election's outcome in each district, the participants, the perceptions participants held of themselves, the perceptions participants held of others in the district and community, the decisions made, and the factors influencing participants' decisions. Two Texas school districts were selected as subjects of this study which used qualitative data collection methods. In one school district, the rollback election passed. In the other, it failed. Data collection included observations of school board meetings and budget workshops. Structured interviews of school board members and administrators, pro- and antirollback proponents, and newspaper editors were conducted. Questions focused on the budgetary decision-making processes before and after the rollback elections. They also solicited information fromsubjects regarding rollback elections, the factors precipitating the rollback elections and the impact of the rollback election campaign upon each school district. Document analyses were triangulated with the observations and interviews to identify the factors influencing the budgetary decision-making process. Following the rollback elections, school officials in both districts adopted a conservative approach to budgetary decision-making. In both districts, school board members and administrators listened more carefully to citizens' concerns. Citizen finance committees were formed in both districts following the rollback elections to receive community input into the 1989-90 budgets. The decision-making processes in both districts were influenced by school board members' and administrators' personal philosophies, the presence or absence of long-range district goals, and pressures to finance unfunded and underfunded state mandates. The budget documents produced in both districts following the rollback elections reflected a commitment to funding curricular rather than extracurricular programs. School officials protected teachers' and support staffers' salaries, recognizing the importance of …
The Educational Opportunity Act of 1984: A Study of Legislative Politics
The problem with which this investigation is concerned is that of identifying and assessing degrees of influence of environmental conditions and actors which influenced the passage of House Bill 72 by the Texas legislature. The two methods used to collect this data were personal interviews of key actors in the legislative process and a questionnaire administered to all members of the 68th Texas legislature.
The Effect of an Instructional Program on the Creative Thinking Skills, Self-Concept, and Leadership of Intellectually and Academically Gifted Elementary Students
This study sought to determine the effectiveness of an instructional program for developing creative thinking, a positive self-concept, and leadership among intellectually and academically gifted elementary students in grades four, five, and six. The purposes of the study were to determine the effect of experimental treatment on test scores measuring creativity, self-concept, and leadership; to compare the performance of the moderately intellectually gifted with that of the highly intellectually gifted; to determine whether boys or girls benefited more from instruction; and to determine whether fourth-, fifth-, or sixth-grade students achieved greater test gains after experimental treatment.
The Effect of Chisanbop Mathematics Calculation on the Achievement of Fourth Grade Students
The purposes of this study were (1) to determine if 4th grade students improve in computation efficiency being taught Chisanbop; (2) to determine if 4th grade students show an increase in application skill efficiency being taught Chisanbop; (3) to determine if 4th grade students show an increase in concept skill efficiency being taught Chisanbop; (4) to determine if 4th grade students show an increase in problem solving skill efficiency being taught Chisanbop; and (5) to determine if 4th grade students show an increase in composite skill efficiency being taught Chisanbop. The conclusions drawn from the findings of this study were that Chisanbop instruction assisted students in the experimental group in scoring significantly higher than students in the control group in application skill efficiency, concept skill efficiency, problem solving skill efficiency, and composite skill efficiency. Other indications are that Chisanbop instruction did not significantly affect students in the experimental group in regard to computational skills. In regard to the composite skills of the students in the upper one-third and the lower one-third of the experimental group, there were no statistically significant differences from their counterparts in the control group. In light of these findings, it is recommended that school districts utilize Chisanbop as a supplement to their regular mathematics program at the 4th grade level. It is also recommended that additional studies be conducted at the 4th grade level for extended periods of time to determine any delayed dimension of Chisanbop.
The Effect of Music and Sound Effects on the Listening Comprehension of Fourth Grade Students
The purpose of this study was to determine if the addition of music and sound effects to recorded stories increased the comprehension and retention of information for fourth grade students. The data were analyzed by a two-factor analysis of variance, with repeated measures for both comprehension and retention tests, for the total population. Each reading level group was analyzed separately by an analysis of variance. Of eight hypotheses tested, six showed a significant difference. The conclusions drawn from this study indicated that the addition of music and sound effects 1) Increases the listening comprehension and retention of fourth grade students; 2) Is more effective for retention for students with a high reading level; and 3) Is more effective for initial listening comprehension for students with low reading level but the effect is not significant for retention.
The Effect of the Multiple Talent Approach to Teaching on the Creative Thinking Performance of Elementary Students
The purposes of this study were to ascertain the relationship between the treatment and creativity post-test gains with independent variables of sex, grade, group, and Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills total battery scores. Major conclusions include the following. 1. Girls appear to benefit more than boys from the Multiple Talent Approach to Teaching. 2. Fifth grade students appear to benefit more than third grade students from the Multiple Talent Approach to Teaching. 3. The creativity test score gains favoring the experimental students seem to justify the conclusion that it is potentially possible to enhance creative thinking through a teaching process.
Effect of Time-Lapse Scheduling on Mathematics Achievement
The purposes of the study were to (a) determine whether there was a significant difference in the mathematics achievement of students which may be attributed to any of the nine variations in trimester scheduling during the two-year period, and (b) to analyze the implications of trimester scheduling as they apply to teachers, counselors, and administrators in the middle school program. On the basis of careful treatment and analysis of data collected to ascertain the effect of time-lapse scheduling on mathematics achievement in arithmetic computation, arithmetic concepts, and arithmetic applications, the following conclusions, limited to the population studied, were drawn: 1. None of the nine time-lapse schedules had a significant differential effect on mathematics achievement. 2. The results of this study may be generalized to include the high, middle, and low achievement segments of the target population of students in all middle schools in the school district of this study. 3. Middle school administrators and counselors may schedule students into any convenient sequence of courses without fear of relative detrimental consequences to mathematics achievement. 4. Teachers need not be concerned that "learning loss" in mathematics due to different time-lapse schedules of the students will require different amounts of review prior to beginning work in a new trimester. 5. The Intensified Learning Plan is a viable program in mathematics in the school district's middle school plan of organization and scheduling.
The Effects of an Achievement Motivation Program on the Self-Concepts of Selected Ninth-Grade Students Representing Three Ethnic Groups
The problem with which this investigation was concerned was that of determining the effects that an achievement motivation program had on changing the self-concepts and academic achievement among ninth-grade students in a triethnically mixed junior high school. The subjects for this study were ninth-grade students from a large southwestern city. The experimental program was conducted in a junior high school composed of Anglo, Mexican-American, and Negro students of approximately 30 per cent, 40 per cent, and 30 per cent ratios, respectively. The comparison school was an adjoining area with approximately the same ethnic mixture. In measuring changes in self-concept, the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale was used. Teacher-assigned grades converted to numerical equivalents were used in measuring changes in academic achievement. All hypotheses were tested at the .05 level of confidence by using two by three analysis of covariance. All data were entered on computer cards, using computer services of North Texas State University.
The Effects of Chisanbop on the Mathematics Achievement of Selected Elementary School Students
The problem of this study was to determine if the mathematics achievement of selected second and third grade students is significantly improved by having had instruction in the Chisanbop technique. The purposes of this study were as follows: 1. To determine if the Chisanbop technique, when used in conjunction with a regular program of instruction, can significantly improve the mathematics performance of selected second and third grade students. 2. To determine if instruction by the Chisanbop technique is more effective with above average academic, average academic, or below average academic second and third grade students in improving mathematics performance. 3. To extend the body of knowledge with regard to the teaching of mathematics at the elementary school level.
Effects of Citizenship Curriculum Training on Ninth-Grade Discipline-Problem Students
This study was conducted to measure the effects of classroom instruction entitled Citizenship curriculum Training on high school discipline. Data for this study were collected and analyzed for fifty-eight ninth-grade students who had been referred to the principal's office three or more times the semester prior to the experimental treatment. An experimental group of twenty-nine students received citizenship curriculum instruction. The control group of twenty-nine students received only the school's traditional curriculum during second period class. Two teachers presented the citizenship curriculum training which included instructional units on beliefs, attitudes, emotions, anger, decision-making, communications, confrontation, positive attention, stress, peer pressure, authority figures, getting along in school, and the society game. Data were collected relative to grade-point average, absences, discipline referrals, and attitude toward high school as measured by the Remitters High School Attitude Scale. T-tests for correlated samples and analysis of covariance examined the effects of the Citizenship Curriculum Training on the four variables measured. The .05 level of significance was used to test the four hypotheses. The results of the study indicate that Citizenship Curriculum Training does not improve the students' gradepoint averages, absentee rate, lower the number of discipline referrals, and does not improve students' attitude as measured by the Remitters High School Attitude Scale. It is recommended that similar studies be conducted to address the problems of grade-point average, number of discipline referrals to the office, high absentee rate, and attitudes toward high school by teaching discipline students in small classes with a curriculum that aims at improving these specific problems. Future studies should collect the posttest data the first grading period following the experimental treatment to test for immediate results.
The Effects of Collective Bargaining on the Powers of Principals: An Analysis of Teacher Contracts
This study analyzed a random sample of thirty-six collective bargaining contracts between teachers and their respective boards of education in Wisconsin, New York, Tennessee, and California. The contracts were studied to assess the effect that collective bargaining has had upon the powers of principals over time. This was done by comparing each contract to a comprehensive list of traditional powers that were available to principals prior to collective bargaining (Pre-Collective Bargaining Power Profile of Principals). This analysis of contracts was a two-phase process. The first step was to identify whether or not the profile statements in the Pre-Collective Bargaining Power Profile were referred to in each contract. The second step was to describe how the presence of references to these statements affected the Power Profile of Principals. The principal's power was reported as being affected in three ways: deleted, constrained, or authorized. The general conclusion of this study was that the effect of teacher collective bargaining upon the powers of principals has been marginal. The data from the analysis of the contracts revealed that the majority (66 percent) of the statements in the Pre-Collective Bargaining Power Profile were not referred to in the collective bargaining contracts. The effects of the references to the statements that were identified were mixed. In the role areas of personnel management, pupil personnel management, and instructional leadership, the negotiation process authorized more power to principals than it deleted. In the role area of business and plant management, the principals' powers were deleted much more than authorized. This was due solely to the inclusion into the contracts of two items (i.e., the power to control building space and the power to control who may and may not enter the building). In the role area of community relations, the frequency of references was so small that the …
The Effects of Grade Retention on the Academic Achievement of Elementary School Pupils
This study was undertaken in order to assess the effects of elementary school grade retention on the academic achievement of pupils. For each analysis in the study, norm-referenced standardized achievement tests were used as the dependent variable. Percentile rank score means in reading, language, and mathematics served as achievement indicators.
The Effects of Two Extrinsic Incentives on the Classroom Success of Disadvantaged Middle-School Students
This study tests the effectiveness of a program designed to use extrinsic incentives in improving the motivation of disadvantaged students to achieve academic success. This study seeks to determine whether the specific extrinsic rewards provided in the program actually improve the success of students on classroom tests. A secondary purpose of the study is to assess the extent to which that success, if achieved, becomes itself a reinforcement sufficient to maintain continued success in the classroom. Ignoring age and grade, students from the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades were grouped by their skill level in mathematics and assigned to an individual teacher. The study was conducted during four consecutive two-week periods. Base-line data were obtained during the first two-week period of both experimental and control students under regular classroom conditions. Extrinsic incentives were applied to the experimental group during each of the following two-week periods and identical measures were taken during the same period of both the experimental and control groups. The analysis-of-covariance statistical treatment was used to compare changes on test success. The .05 level of confidence was held as the standard for statistical significance. Two extrinsic incentives, a free movie and a monetary reward, were employed to bring about improved performance on mathematical tests. Separate and combined effects of the incentives were examined for the total group and for subgroups based on sex, ethnicity, and initial mathematics ability.
An Experimental Investigation into the Interaction Between Modality Preference and Instruction Mode in the Learning of Spelling Words by Upper-Elementary Learning Disabled Students
This study investigated the effects of selected spelling teaching methods on spelling mastery of upper-elementary, learning disabled students. It also examined the value of assessing learning disabled students' modality preferences for diagnostic/prescriptive purposes.The study's significance is that it sought to (a) determine whether students classified as learning disabled can identify their preferred learning modes; (b) determine whether matching modes of instruction to students' modality reference(s) results in greater achievement; and (c) identify a systematic way of prescribing instruction for learning disabled students.
An Exploratory Study of the Perceptions of Texas Public School Superintendents on Occupational Sources of Stress
The purpose of this study was to determine the stress factors which create the most difficulty for the superintendent; to determine which, if any, groups are most responsible for generating these stress factors? to determine if variables in the personal life of the individual superintendent are related to the amount of stress felt by him; and to suggest ways in which the amount of stress may be reduced. The population of this study was the school superintendents in Texas. The instrument used in this study was a two-part questionnaire consisting of thirty-five items designed to elicit perceptions of superintendents toward those situations that were most bothersome on their job.
A History of Public Education in the Town of Islip, New York
The purposes of this study were, 1. To develop a documented history of the founding of the town of Islip. 2. To trace the development of public education within the town and to parallel this development with state-wide developments in the field.
Impact of Funding Changes on Selected Education Service Centers Considerations for Programming and Staffing for Continued Effectiveness in Equlizaing Educational Opportunities
The purpose of this study was three-fold: 1. To determine the amount and direction of changes in sources of funding for the Regional Education Service Centers from 1979 to 1984. 2. To determine the percent of change in programming expenditures of the Regional Education Service Centers from 1979 to 1984. 3. To rate the changes in quality of programming as perceived by the superintendents of the local school districts receiving services from 1979 to 1984. A review of the literature and a brief history of the Regional Education Service Centers of Texas were followed by tabular and narrative descriptions of the findings. Deflated data, to account for inflation, were derived by applying Bureau of Labor statistics formulas to dollar amounts supplied by the Regional Education Service Centers. Each of the five Education Service Centers included in the study experienced a decrease in total funds, due chiefly to a cut in federal and state support. Although local contributions increased in four out of five of the Regions during the five-year period, the net result to the Centers was a decrease in funding ranging from 23.2 percent to 51.8 percent. The impact on programming was severe. Of the nine major services on which data was gathered—media services, data processing, counseling/guidance, special education, migrant education, bus driver training, staff development, drug education/crime prevention, and bilingual education— two had been eliminated in all of the Regions included in the study by 19 84, and some of the Regions had discontinued services in other areas as well. Surveys for rating the services of the Education Service Centers were sent to 126 current superintendents who held the same position in 1979. The results indicated that although fewer dollars had been expended and some services had been eliminated, the quality of programming had not diminished from 1979 …
The Impact of the Texas Cooperative Student Teaching Program, 1970-72
The problem of this study is to analyze the effectiveness of the cooperative agreement section of Senate Bill 8 and its impact on the student teaching program in Texas. The purposes of the study are (1) to analyze the data available from the Texas Education Agency concerning the cooperatively developed in-service improvement program for supervising teachers, (2) to survey the public school personnel charged with the responsibility of developing and implementing section three of Senate Bill 8 in order to determine the effectiveness of this bill, and (3) to interview college personnel who are involved in developing and implementing section three of Senate Bill 8.
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