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Xerox University Microfilms 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 75-2959 AL-SALLOCM, Ihmd I., 1939- A STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIP OF SCHOOL DISTRICT SIZE AND ADMINISTRATIVE PRACTICES IN SCHOOLS IN SAUDI ARABIA. The Ihiiversity of Oklahoma, Ph.D., 1974 Education, administration Xerox University Microfiims, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 THIS DISSERTATION HAS BEEN MICROFILMED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED. THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA GRADUATE COLLEGE A STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIP OF SCHOOL DISTRICT SIZE AND ADMINISTRATIVE PRACTICES IN SCHOOLS IN SAUDI ARABIA A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE COLLEGE in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY BY HAMAD I. AL-SALLOOM Norman, Oklahoma 1974 A STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIP OF SCHOOL DISTRICT SIZE AND ADMINISTRATIVE PRACTICES IN SCHOOLS IN SAUDI ARABIA APPROVED BY K \V E DISSERTATIONERTATION COMMITTEE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This study was initiated and conducted under the direction and the supervision of Dr. Jack F. Parker, the author's major professor and committee chairman, to whom a deeply felt gratitude is expressed for his wise and sympa­ thetic counsel. He has so generously given his advice, time, and suggestions to the direction of this work. His kindly guidance, patience, help and encouragement during the last few years of study at Oklahoma University and during the preparation and writing of this study were the greatest stimu­ lation in the completion of my doctoral program and this work. He has read, edited, and corrected the manuscripts several times and has made many helpful suggestions in its preparation. Whatever value this study may contribute in the field in which it is made should, in no small measure, be credited to him. A special thanks and appreciation are extended to Dr. Chipman G. Stuart, Dr. Gerald D. Kidd, and Dr. Robert F. Bibens, members of the committee, for their scholarly guidance and encouragement during my course of study and for their assistance and understanding during the preparation of this manuscript. Dr. William Graves and Dr. Kenneth J . Peterson both deserve grateful acknowledgment for their assistance. iii The writer desires to acknowledge his appreciation to all those who have helped, in any way, in the preparation of this thesis, especially the participants of this study who took the time and effort to fill out the questionnaire and provide auxiliary material as well. The writer also wishes to express his gratitude to his wife and his children without whose sacrifices, under­ standing, and patience this study would not have been possible, and to his father and brothers, Abdullah, Mohammed, and Yousif, for their help and encouragement. The typing of the dissertation was done by Mrs. Emily Parker and to her I extend a very special thanks. IV TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ......................................... iii LIST OF T A B L E S ......................................... vii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS................................... x Chapter I. INTRODUCTION ................................... 1 The Development of the School District System in Arabia ......................... 2 Administrative Organization ................ 4 Geography and Demography .................. 7 The School Districts ....................... 9 Statement of the P r o b l e m .................. 21 The Need for the S t u d y ..................... 22 Definition of Terms ......................... 23 Conceptual Model and Assumptions ......... 27 Delimitation of the St u d y .................. 29 Organization of the Study .................. 32 II. REVIEW OF RESEARCH AND RELATED LITERATURE . 34 Administration in Saudi Arabia ........... 34 Educational Administration in Saudi A r a b i a ..................................... 45 School District Size in the United States . 51 III. DESIGN OF THE STUDY ............................ 65 Sampling ........................... 65 Research Instrument ......................... 70 Method of Collecting D a t a .................. 76 Treatment of D a t a ........................... 79 IV. PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF D A T A ............ 84 Demographic Information ..................... 84 Qualifications .............................. 85 Income ............................ ..... 93 School District S i z e ....................... 95 Administrative and Supervisory Services . 97 V Chapter Page Authority in the School Districts ......... 105 Professional Qualifications ................ 110 Road Condit i o n s.............................. 112 Communication System ....................... 114 Financial Condition and Procedures .... 118 Location of School District Superintendent's Office .................. 123 Topography and Climate of School D i s t r i c t s .................................. 133 Population of School Districts ........... 139 Social Responsiveness and Unity ........... 142 Changing the Existing School District's S i z e s ....................................... 145 V. FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS . 153 Problem Statement ............................ 153 Summary of Findings ......................... 154 Conclusions.................................. 158 Recommendations .............................. 150 General Recommendations .................. 161 Proposed Plan of Reorganization of School District S i z e .................. 166 A Model School District Size for Saudi Arabia ............................ 172 Boundaries of Proposed School Districts . 173 Size of Suggested School Districts . 175 Major Considerations of the Proposed P l a n ............................ 175 Limitations of the Proposed Plan .... 188 Recommendations for Further Study .... 190 BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................ 191 APPENDIX ................................................ 197 A. The Questionnaire in E n g l i s h ................. 197 B. The Questionnaire in A r a b i c ................... '222 C . The Letter in E n g l i s h .......................... 248 D. The Letter in Arabic . ..................... 250 E. Map of Proposed School Districts in Large Scale .................................. 252 VI LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Growth of Pre-College Education in Saudi A r a b i a .................................. 3 2. Size of School Districts in Saudi Arabia as They Existed in 1972-73 .................. 15 3. Number of School District Supervisory Officers Who Were Selected and Completed the Survey ......................... 58 4. Total Number of Selected Schools and R e s p o n s e s .................................... 59 5. The Distribution of Returned Questionnaires According to School Levels in Each D i s t r i c t....................................... 71 6. Total Percentage of Responses Received from the Three Sample G r o u p s ................ 72 7. Geographic Size of School D i s t r i c t s ......... 81 8. Number of Schools, Teachers, and Students . 82 9. Size Classifications of School Districts . 83 10. Distribution of the Total Respondents According to the Four Categories of School District S i z e ......................... 85 11. Position of the Participants.................. 85 12. Categories of the School Principals Position . 87 13. Previous Professional Positions 89 14. Distribution of the Participants According to Highest Degree Received .................. 89 15. Qualifications of People Working in the Twenty-three School District Superin­ tendents' Offices in 1972-73 ................ 92 Vll Table Page 16. Salary and Salary Grade for the Participants . 94 17. Distribution of Responses Concerning the Availability of School Materials in Terms of Size Categories ......... 99 18. Distribution