INSTITUTION SPONS AGENCY BUREAU NO PUB DATE EDRS PRICE DESCRIPTORS ABSTRACT a Study of Lay Participation in the Public Southwest
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ED 056 401 24 EA 003 841 .AUTHOR Coy, Roger L. TITLE A study of Lay Participation in the Public Schools. INSTITUTION Southwestern Ohio Educational Research Council, Inc. Middletown. SPONS AGENCY National Center for Educational Research and Development (DHE4/CE); Washington; D.C. BUREAU NO BR-6-2393 PUB DATE hug 69 GRANT DEG-0-9-452393-4506 NOTE 97p.; Submitted in partial fulfillment of research internship, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio EDRS PRICE ME-$0.65 HC-t3.29 DESCRIPTORS *Board of Education Policy; Boards of Education; _ase Studies (Education); *Citizen Participation; Community Organizations; *Community Role; Guidelines; *Laymen; *Parent Participation; School Community Programs; School Community Relat.i.onship IDENTIFIERS Community School Councils ABSTRACT This thesis focuses on the feasibility of using community school councils as-tools for increasing lay partLcipation in school planning. The report describes community school councils as either those lay groups recognized and encouraged by the school, or the independent committees 3pawned by conditions in the community. Guidelines are provided fot establishing community schooI councils on either a permanent or an ad.hoc basis and for assuring that participation in such councils is effective. Included are case studies of citizen participation in Baltimore, Maryland and in Dayton, Ohio. (JF) U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION & WELFARE OFFICE OF EDUCATION THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRO- DUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIG- INATING IT. POINTS OF VIEW OR OPIN- IONS STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT OFFICIAL OFFICL OF EDU- CATION POSITION OR POLICY A STUDY OF LAY PARTICIPATION IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS Presented to Dr. Robert J. Simpson Miami University in partial fulfillment c a research int-nship: Miami U_ v- -sity Southwestern Ohio Educational Research Coun i_ Inc. An Ohio Corporation Not For ProfL, 1212 Oxford State Road IMiddletown-_ Ohio 45042 Area CJde'523 422-7663 by Roger L. Coy August 1969 The work presented herein.was performed pursuant to a grant from the U. S. Office of Education Department of Health, Education and Welfare ACKNUAE EMENTS Individuals and their contributions to this study are Dr. Eldon Wiley, SWOERC Director9 for personalencourage- ment and guidance plus supervision of this proj et; Dr. James Giedts, Associate Professor of EducauionAdministration, agd Universit, for the opportunity to vi it the Flint, Mi higan community schJols; Dr0 Jeptha Carrell,Director of Community Research, Inc., Dayton, Ohio,for the opportunity to participate in the "Charette" in BaltimoreMaryland; James Polley, Professor of Education Administration, ami University, for providing opportunitiss to work with Dayton Model Cities personnel; Mr. Charles Rivers, Edison Elementary School Pri cipal, for informationabout community- school council election procedures; Hr. Joel PosnerEValua- tion Sup3rvieor9 City of Dayton9 for providing thebackground information in the Dayton Case Study throughthe report by the Department of Housing and Urban Development;Mr. Bernard Qubeck and Mr Richard Stri kland, two SWOERCResearch Associates frcrn Miami University, whoe sincere friendship and sharing of educational ideas have provided the author with motivation and new educational insights. TABLE OF CONTENTS PART I GENERAL BACKGROUND AND BASIS FOR COMMUNITY SCHOOL COUNCILS Chapter Page in INTRODUCTIONonaogaecioosos se wawa 2 II. RATIONALE FOR THE STUDY.. orimaa ..erso. a* 3 The Prob1em0000000090000000 0009 3 Problem Focus.eommoowe 00000190, Term Definition0....0000000.4 .....0.00 0 .0 0....4 4 .....0 . 6 Objectives00000 004 00000000000000006 00 0 I 9000 0000 00 0 0000 7 Review of Related Literatur3e11000000 9 III. GUIDELINES FOR ORGAUIZATION...... 00 c00 o010 *0040010 15 Repre entative Membership......0.000...... .0... 15 Types of Community School Councils 18 Lines of Authority Clarified...000 0 000 0009 0 00001,00 00 19 Cowtitution and By-Laws00.......................0....0. 19 IV. PARTICIPATION......0 00 00000 0000000 00000000 23 Why Have Community School Councils?olooloolooliseeosecisooses How Can Community School Councils Participate?.acticoosseeetiosiod000. O wooraisesesiol000rmadielow 26 Typical First Year Activities of Community School Councils0 0006100010Of 004100 29 PART II CASE sTuraEs OF BALTIMORE IL AND DAYTON OHIO CASE STUDY NO. 1. BALTIMORE D. iv Chipter Page Background Tifo 33 The Churet-Ge in eration0000000000000000000008017,0 36 SUMMarY00110000000000 000000000000000059100900 39 VI. CASE STUDY NO. 29 DAYTON, OHIO....... 42 BaCkgraando to0 00 0000000000000000000 00000100000 42 Progress of Citizen Participation 0000000000000100099000 46 Achievement 0000.000009000000000000000000000090 OO 00000000 46 Function of Community School Councils.011...... 47 How Will the Project be Conducted... 100000000,00000000110 48 Nomination Procedures000000000 00000000000000900908000009 49 Election Procedures000100.0000000010e100000000000000000 49 Installation of Members.000000e0009000000000000001000000 50 LeadzI'ship Training Program0000000000000001000000000000 50 Surn1iar3r00 0000000000000000000000000000900000090 900000 I 60 BIBLIOGRAPHY...0_0000000000000005000000000500m000000000005001 62 REFRENCES 0 0 U 0 0 0 0 00000 U*0000000000 0 0 0 66 APPENDIXES0v000000000 0 0000000009900 000000000000 0 0000000 69 A. SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL RELATING TO CASE STUDY NO. 0 70 Bo EVALUATIVE INSTRUMENTS FOR CASE SLUDY NO. 2.. 81 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1 SAMPLE CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS.0000000000 0000 0 21 2,, PHASES OF COUNCIL TASK DEVELOPMENT.08.00000000000000 27 vi PAW I GENERAL BACKGROUND AND BASIS FOR COMITUNITY SCHOOLcouNans CHAPTER INTRODUCTION This research project on community school councils is under sponsorhsip cf the Southwestern Ohio Educational Research Council (SWOERC ) which is operating in the third year of a federal grant. Trainees under the supervision of SWOERC Directory Dr. Eldon Wiley, may study a topic submitted by one or more of thu thirty-one member schools or select a topic of their own choosing, The latter prerogative was taken in this study of community school councils. Three related research projects developed during the 1968-69 academic year were spawned by needs expressed in the Dayton Model Cities Project.The intent of this tripartite approach is that each will compliment the other and provide rmation beneficial to school systems in search of con- cepts to iprove educational opportunities to the students and c mmunaties they serve. 2 CHAPTER II RAT IONALE FOR THE STUDY The Problem The public school scene in America today is indica- tive of the rapid changes taking place during the post World War II era. Technological development population increase and migration, economic growth, transportation and communica- tion syste s have all mushroomed and public education has been a benefactor of these developments. For instance; 10 Technological development has mechanized the classroom. In order to meet the challenge of operating mec- hanical devices and adaptinE, the curricular materials for presentation teachers tend to specialize. This tendency toward specialization in a particular field has broght about new langugg s, pertinent only to that field, and created a communications gap between the professional and the laymen of the community. 2. The population increase, tr.ggered by the "baby boom" follo.ng World War II, teamed with rising costs of material and human resources has placed financial stress iHaroldHowe, Jr. "Educator, Layman Must Be A Team, American School Board journal, 153:65-67; July, 1966. upon the educa ional system to provide facilities for a growing number of students 30 Transportation has provided the means for a popu- lation to become exceedingly mobile. This provision allows a person to live in the suburbs with its less crowded condi- tions, and yet enjoy the cultural and vocational offerings of the city0 Naking people feel a loyalty to a particular com- municy and involving them meaningfully in the decision Naking process of the public school presents problems to boards of education and educators. 4. The cu rent tendency is toward larger school districts with the intent of providing better servic s more economically to ail the students. Increacd size compounds the problem of communication. A two-way communications syk.;- tem is a must for any school distri t to keep the lay uommunity alei'ed to activities of the school, and in turn, to stay tuned to the wishes of its lay community. Problem Focus Formalorganizationse.g., boards of education, exist within school districts and have statuatory powers a d respon- sibilities. They formulate policies that s rve as guidelines for the total educational program of the schools in their district. Based upon evidence from the lay counminity and p fessional educators they must reque t tax monies to p vide adequate implementation of the educational program. There are also informal types of organizations that exist within s3hool districts such as parent-t acher associa- tions9 athletic booster clubs, music parents, oornrnnity school councils9 etc. This papsr will focus upon the commun- ity school council which is one of the informalorgan zations that functions within a school community. -riffiths views the informal organization ystem of interpersonal relations which forms wtthinan organization to affect deci- sions of the formal organization and this system is omitted from the formal scheme or is in opposition to it."2It is probably fortunate that the majority of informalorganiza- tions operating in the