Equal Treatment to Equals: a New Structure for Public Schools in the Kansas City and St. Louis Metropolitan Areas
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
DOCUMENT RESGME ED 042 233 EA 002 966 AUTHOR Hooker, Clifford P.; Mueller, Van D. TITLE Equal Treatment to Equals: A New structure for Public Schools in the Kansas City and St. Louis Metropolitan Areas. INSTITUTION Missouri School District Reorganization C ,nmission, Jefferson City. PUB DATE Jun 69 NOTE 72p. EDRS PRICE EDRS Price MF-T0.50 HC-$3.70 DESCRIPTORS Administrative Organization, Bibliographies, Economic Factors, Educational Finance, *Educational Opportunities, *Fgual Education, Governmental Structure, Political Influences, Resource Allocations, *School Redistricting, Social Influences, Supreme Court Litigation, Urban Culture, *Urban Education, Urban Environment, *Urban Schools ABSTRACT This study of school districts in th,:: Kansas City and St. Louis metropolitan areas is part of a larger study entitled, "School District Organization for Missouri" (ED 026 171). After a discussion of political, social, and economic factors affecting schools in most metropolitan areas, the paper focuses on Kansas City and St. Louis, where gross inequalities of educational opportunity are seen to exist. A new structure for public education in Missouri is then described as a regional school district with limited powers for each of the Kansas City and St. Louis metropolitan areas. (Maps on pp. 70-71 may reproduce poorly). (DE) EQUAL TREATMENT TO EQUALS A NEW STRUCTURE I 'A PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE KANSAS CITY AND ST. _OUIS METROPOLITAN AREAS A Report to the Missouri School District Reorganization Commission by Dr. Clifford P. Hooker, Professor of Education and Chairman, DepartmentcfEducationalAdministration,Universityof Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota Dr. Wm D. Mueller, Associate Professor of Education and Execulve secretary, Educationa; Research and Devc.)pment Council of the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area, Inc. CD CD CT) June, 1969 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. EDUCATION WELFARE OFFICE OF EDUCATION THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRODUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIGINATING IT. POINTS OF VIEW OR OPINION! STATED DO NOT NECES sAnive REPRESENT 0,FICIAL OFFICE OF LOU CATION POSITION OR POLICY MISSOURI SCHOOL DISTRICT RECAGANIZATION COMMISSION James I. Spainhower, Chairman Marshall state Representative and Chairman, House Education Committee Charles Dayton Kelley, Vice Chairman Gower Elementary. Prink ipal, St. Joseph Mrs. Glenn Moller, Secretary Glendale Co-Chairman, 1966 Governor's Conference on Education Willis Conner, Member Dexter Real Estate Broker Scott J. Conway, Member Monroe City Merchant James E. Hurt, Jr., Member St. Louis President, St. Louis Board of Education Lawrence Miner, Member Wet!) City Superintendent, Webb City Public Schools A. Basey Vanlandingham, Member Columbia State Senator and Chairman, Senzte Education Committee Paul Van Osdol, Jr., Member Kansas City Attorney-at-Law, Terrell, Van Osdol, and Magruder, Attorneys MEMBERS OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE Edwin R. Bailey, Proles. William C. Kott:yer University of Missouri at Kansas City Superintendent of Schools St. Louis City Dr. Paul H. Bowman, Executive Director Galen E. Lankford Institute for Community Studies Superintendent of Schools Kansas City Monroe City Warren M. Brown, Superintendent Daniel U. Levine, Professor Ferguson-Florrisant School District University of Missouri at Kansas City St. Louis County Mrs. Elizabeth Burnett Arthur L. Mallory, President Superintendent of schools, Chariton County Southwest Missouri State College Keytesville Spri tgfield Joseph P. Cosand, President John It Neal, President, Board of Education Metropolitan Junior College District Chillicothe St. Louis Merrimon Cuningglm, President Herbert Schooling, Dean of Faculties Danforth Foundation University of Missouri St. Louis Columbia John Ervin, Professor Ralph Scott Washington University Superintendent of Schools St. Louis Monett Thurston Hill Robert Wheeler Superintendent of Schools Assistant Superintendent of Schools Dexter Kansas City Everett Keitt:, Executive Secretary Missouri State Teachers Association Columbia H. TELEPHONE 635.3630 Misekuvii School .2d4.4sict ReM914241$4401% project ROOM B.36 STATE CAPITOL JEFFERSON CITY. MISSOURI Gam PROJECT rolarcron OTTO E. DOM IAN SCHOOL D!SRICT REORGANIZATION BUREAU OF F LD STUDIES COMMISSION AND SURV''.Y11 UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA CHAIRMAN SPAIN4OWER. JAMES I. June 15,1969 51,1 SOUTH ORPOE. MARSHALL. MO. 63340 HOME AND OFFICE, GA 6.2436 AREA CODE 816 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL VICE CHAIRMAN KELLEY. CHARLES DAYTON GOWER, MO. HOME, 424.6315 The Honorable Warren E. Hearnes OFFICI'l MO 7.5316 (ST. JOSEPH) AREA CODE 1316 Governor of Missouri SECRYTARY The Members of the Seventy-Fifth General Assembly MOLLER. M. GLENN 206 ELM AVE.. GLENDALE, MO. 63122 The Members of the State Board of Education HOME, TO 6.4167 AREA CODE 314 Gentlemen: ZONNER. WILLIS DEXTER, MO. HOME. MA A-4027 OFFICE, 4.3235 The Missouri School District Reorganization Commission is pleased AREA CODE 214 to present for your consideration its detailed study of the school CONWAY. SCOTT J. MONROE CITY. MO. district situation in the Greater Kansas City and St. Louis Metro- HOME. RE 8.2633 OFFICE, RE 5.4885 AREA CODE 214 politan areas. This report, prepared by Dr.Clifford Hooker and Dr. HURT. JAMES E. JR. Van Mueller of the University of Minnesota College of Education 3000 EASTON AVE., ST. LOUIS, MO. HOME: 40 2.04118 faculty, goes into some detail relative to the problems which face OFFICE, 01 2.5633 ARIA. CODE 214 public education in these two growing areas of our state. MINER. LAWRENCE NORTH COLLEGE, WEBB CITY, MO. HOME, OR 3.40641 In the letter of transmittal of the full report of the Commission OFFICE, OR 34130 AREA CODE 417 entitled, "School District Organization for Missouri," I wrote: VANLANDINGHAM. A. BASES "Because of the special problems of the two large metropolitan areas, BOX 711, COLUMBIA, 140. HOME: 442.4368 the Commission has prepared a more detailed outline of its recom- OFIFICEe 442.3451 AREA CODE 244 mendations relative to the educational structure for the public schools VANOSOOL. PAUL JR. in the Kansas Cily and St. Louis areas. This information will be 1212 FAIRFAX BLDG., KANSAS CITY, MO. HOME, OE 3.4014 furnished to the State Department of Education and will be available OFFICE, HA 1.0042 ABBA CODE 816 for distribution." We trust that this expanded study will be helpful to public officials, educational authorities, and school patrons of Missouri as they seek to find constructive solutions to the problems which persist in plaguing the functioning of the public schools in Missouri's two major metropolitan areas. ncerely, C444.44,0 es I. Spainhower, Chman souri School District organization Commission MS:GS TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Pam INTRODUCTION I. CRISIS IN METROPOLITAN EDUCATIONTHE CONDITIONS 5 Political Factors and School Governance 6 Social Forces and the Schools 9 Economic Forces and Education 11 Consequences and Implications for the Organization of Education 16 THE ENVIRONMENT FOR EDUCATION IN THE KANSAS CITY AND ST. LOUIS METROPOLITAN AREASDIMENSIONS OF THE PROBLEM 19 Characteristics of Metropolitan Missouri 21 Educational Governance and Resource Allocation 27 Metropolitan Area Fiscal Disparities 29 Itt. EQUAL PROTECTION UNDER THE LAW 37 Equality and Liberty 37 The Public Schools as Brokers of Opportunity 38 Equal Protection and Educational Opportunity 00 Similar Treatment to Those Similarly Situated 42 Achieving Equality of Educational Opportunity 43 IV. A NEW STRUCTURE FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION 47 Alternatives 48 The Governance of Schools 49 The Establishment of Local School Units 50 The Financing of Public Schools 55 Conclusion 58 V. SUMMARY/CONCLUSIONSA TIME TO LISTEN...A TIME TO ACT.... 59 BIBLIOGRAPHY 64 ENLARGED MAPS 71 w. LIST OF TABLES Number Page 1. Population Change in Kansas City and St. Louis SMSA's Central City and 21 Outside Central City. 1950.1960 II. Population Changes in St. Louis and Kansas City Standard Metropolitan 22 Statisticai Areas, April 1960-July, 1965 111. Selected Economic Factors Based on 1965 Individual Income Tax Returns 23 for Kansas City and St. Louis SMSA's IV. Percent of Families With Income More Than $10,000 and Under $3,000 in 23 the Kansas City and St. Louis Areas V. Median Family Income in 1959 in Kansas City and St. Louis Areas 24 VI. Educational Attainment of Persons 25 Years and Older in St. Louis and 24 Kansas City SMSA's Based on Percen',. with Four Years of High School or More Education VII. Educational Attainment for Kansas City and St. Louis Areas Based on Median 25 Years of S4.00l Completed, 1960 VIII. Non-White Population Contrasted With Non-White school Enrollment 26 IX. Current Expenditure Per Pupil, T%;tal Expenditure Per Capita, and Total 27 Non-Aided (Lo,,a1) Educational Expenditures Per Capita, for St. Louis and Kansas City, Central City and Outside Central City Areas, 1962 X. Number of School Districts in Kansas City and St. Louis Areas, .11,,re, 1968 XI. Enrollment (Grades 1-12), Assessed Valuation, Bonded Indebtedness, and 29-30.31 Percent Bonded Indebtedness/Assessed Valuation for High School Districts of Kansas City Metropolitan and East-West Gateway (St. Louis) Regions XII. Rank Order (By Counties) of Kansas City Metropolitan Region School 33 District:Assessed Valuation Per Pupil Enrolled (Grades 1.12), Current Expenditure Per Pupil in Average Daily Attendance, and School Tax Levy, 1966-19 )7 XIII. Rank Order (By Countios) of East-West Gateway Region (St. Louis) School 34 Districts: Assessed Valuation Per Pupil Enrolled (Grades 1.12), Current Expenditures Per Pupil in Average Daily Attendance, and School Tax Levy, 1966.1967 XIV. Recommended Local School Units in the Kansas City Area 53 XV. Recommended Local School Units in the East-West Gateway-St. Louis Area 54 iv. INTRODUCTION Public education in the Kansas City and St. Louis metropolitan areas hurts. Its pain is caused in part by a district structure which was created to serve a previous era. While a sensible school district pattern alone will not cure all of the afflictions of the educational system, little progress can be expected without it. A major reorganization of school districts is called for. The need fo; such reorganization is examined here and a new structure for education is recommended.