DOCUMENT RESUME ED 231 861 TM 830 411 AUTHOR Smith, Helen TITLE Law Related Education Project: Evaluation Report, 1980-1982. INSTITUTION - Memphis City'School System, Tenn. SPONS AGENCY Department of Education, Washington, DC. PUB DATE Nov 82 NOTE 254p. PUB TYPE ileports Evalliative/Feasibility (142) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC11 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Citizenship Education; *Curriculum Development; *Curriculum.Evaluation; Elementary Secondary Education; *Evaluation Methods;yormative Evaluation; Inservice .Teacher Education; *Legal Education; *Program Evaluation IDENTIFIERS *Memphis City Schools TN ABSTRACT Since 1980 the Memphis City Schools Law-Related Education Curriculum Project (IRE) has identified And organized concepts in law content into curriculum guides suitable for elementary and.secondary education teachers. Lesson plans include instructional activities and suggestions to teachers for infusing the law-related materials into the standard curricurum subjects. The project goal is to equip students with knowledge and skills pertaining to the law, the legal process and legal system, and the fundamental principles and values on which these are based. Eight tasks to be accomplished are descnibed, with formative evaluation reports. The tasks include: (1) building support in the community and among professional educator groups; (2) identifying law-related content for the kindergarten through grade 12 curriculum; (3) training teachers in law-related content and the curriculum infusion process; (4) curriculum writing; (5) curriculum pilot testing; (6) curriculum revising; (7) developing a resource center for LRE Materials; and (8) developing instruments suitable for evaluation of the,project's overall objective. Involvement of the project in the state mock-trial compeiition, a summary of test results for the Teaching Law Training Course, and the results of the assessments of student achievement in LRE and attitudes toward lak in the pilot classes are described. (CM) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** , U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER IERICI LAW RELATED EDUCATION PROJECT Tfus document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quahty, EVALUATION REPORT Points of wew or opinions stated in this doctn. ment do nOt necessanIy represent officiat NIE position Or poky, 180-1982 "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS , MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY H.C. S4 TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)." O. Z. STEPHENS, EMIL, DIRECTOR DIVISION OF RESEARCH,SERVICES JOHNNIE B. WATSONASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT, 4= DEPARTMENT OF PUPIL SERVICES NOVEMBER 1982 DIVISION.OF RESEARCH PREPARED BY. MEMPHIS cin SCHOOLS HELEN SMITH, ED.D, MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE 38112 RESEARCH CONSULTANT EVALUATIONREPORT LAW RELATED EDUCATIONCURRICLUUM PROJECT 1980-1982 MEMPHIS CITY SCHOOLS BOARD OF EDUCATION Dr. Tom Stern, President Dr. J. C. Williams, Vice President Mr. James Blackburn Mr. George Brawn, Jr. Mr..Carl Johnson Mrs. Bert Prosterman Dr. Mal Mauney Mrs. Maxine Smith 0 Dr. W. W. Herenton, Superintendent Mrs. Callie Stevens, Asst. Superintendent Department of Curriculum and Instrudtion Dr. David M. Mbore, Director Division of. Elementary-Secondary Education Mks., Barbara Williams, birector Division'of Curriculum Development Project Coordinator Mrs; Catherine Pickle Consultant, Social Studies Mrs. Carlee Whipple Consultant, Elementary Mr. Harry H. Raney Editor/Writer Ridgeway High School f.) ADVISORY COUNCIL 1980-1982 Chairman WillieVare, Secondary Teacher Dr. Nicholas White, Dean 1807 State Street Memphis State University Law School Memphis, TN 38114 Arthur T. Bennett, Judge Patricia DeBardeleben Criminal Court, Shelby County Elementary Teacher 157 Poplar Avenue 5520 kason Memphis, TN38163 Memphis, TV38117 'Nancy ,Sorak, Judge Veronica Coleman,-Attorney Municipal Court 100 North.Main Building 160 Adams Memphis, TN38103 Memphis, TN38103 Mrs.. Janice Calhoun Newton P. Allen, Attorney ' Parent Teacher Association 1 Commerce Square Tower 4446 Crescent Park Drive Memphis, TN38103 Memphis, TN -38138 Jean Taylor, Human Services A. C. Wharton Commerce Title Building Public Defender 12 S. Main 1339A 147 Jefferson Street Memphis, TN38103 Memphis, TN .38103 William Ingram, Referee John Fowlkes, Attorney Juvenile Court 157 Poplar Avenue 616 Adams, P.O. Box 13. Memphit, TN38103 Memphis, TN 38101 M. 1. Pinkston, Charles F. Gray Social Studies Specialist Chief Probation Officer State Department of Education Juvenile Court Memphis State University 616 Adams, P.O. Box 13, Memphis, TN 38152 Carol Calane, Junior League Charlotte Collins, Attorney 198 Picardy Pl. 146 N. Third Striet Memphis, TN38111 Dermon Building Memphis, TN 18103 Dr. Thomas Hickey, Psychologist Memphis Police Department Dr.liose'Yvonne Hooks ,160 Adams Street Shelby State Community College Memphis, TN38103 P.O. Box 40568. Memphis,'TN38101 Dr. John T. Rutland Memphis Assoc. of Independent Schools Fred Thompson, President _2100 N. Germantown Road Student Councils Co.dova, TN 38106 2414 Alcy Memphis, TN 38114 Virgil E. Lawrence Chapter-I-Guidance Prospect Guidance Center 2300 Hernando Rd. Memphis, TN38106 cj Table of Contents S. Page Introduction 1 Needs Addressed by the Project 1 Task Analysis Relative to the,Project Goal 2 Formative Evaluation Relative to Eight Tasks Identified As.Essefitial Steps in AcOomplishing the Project's - -Major Goal 4 Task 4l - Building Support for the Project in the ' 6.mmanity and Among Professional Groups , 4 i Involvement of the LRE Project in tile State I Mock-Trial Competition . .... 6 . Task 1/2 2 - Identificatvion of Law-Related Content for the K-12 Curriculum 8 Task #3 - Training of Teachers, 37 ISummary of Test Results for the Teaching Law Training Course Condlipted by Shelby State Community College and Mamphis Area Legal Services 41 Revisions im the'Teacher Training Process 49 Task #4 - Curriculum Writing . 51 Task #5 - Curriculum Pilot .. '1.ask #6 - Curiliculum Revision v 68 , Task 117 - Development of a Resource Center for LRE Curiiculum,Materials . 81 Task 118 - Development of Instruments for Evaluatidn of Project s Overall Objective Regarding Student Achievement and Attitude' 81 (Evaluation of Pilot Classes ative to AccomplishMent of the ;--Project's Major Goal to Increa mmwledge and Skill Pertaining to-Law-and-to-Increase StudentsAppr ciation of our Legal Systems 136 Results of Assessment of Student Achievement in LRE Curriculum Materials 136 1, Tablehcf Contents (Continued) Page Results of Assessment of Student Attitude Toward Law in Pilot Classes 145 Evaluation Activities Planned for the Next Reporting' Period 152 I Summary 152 Appendix 1 156 r 0 Introduction The Memphis City Schools Law-aelated EduCation*rridulum Project has been operating with funds obtained from the United States Office of Education since the fall of 130. The work of,the project has been to identify concepts in law content from practical areas such as consumer law, family law, individual rights and criminal law, and to organize these *concepts ihto curriculum guides for kindergarten through grade 12 teachers. These guides present the concepts in lesson plans which include instructional activities suitable for the age and gra(471evel of the students. The guides provide suggeStions to'teachers for infusing the-law-related cur- riculum materials into the standard curriculum subjects.Although at the secondary level there is a one-semester course offered on the'aaw-velated content, the curriculum is primarily to be used along with thesubjects in the'standard curriculum. Needs Addressed b'V the Project _There are two specific problems which the lawrelated curriculum pur- . ports to address. One is the need for students, especially in low-income groups, to halle practical information and skills related to consumerlaw, housing law; family law, criminal law and indiVidual rights law.Another is the high rate of involvement of youngsters with the juvenile justice system and school related disciplinary actions.As to the first need, ) Memphis Area Legal Services, Inc. reported 4,426 requests for legalaid 19_8_0_._I_t_Ras able to serve 1,804 of that number leaving 2,622 without , _ services. Many of the legal problems arising might .have beenavoided had the individuals been more informed of the law and its processes.AS tO the second problem, data supporting the request for funds from the United States Office of Education in198b showed.thSt there were 7,748 referral; for juvenile offenses,for the previous year and that Memphis CityScbools 2 area suspensions totaled 7,229. Noting the significant overlap, the number of repeaters,'and the number probably not caught, it was estimated.that at least 8,000 youngsters surface as juvenile court referrals or as potential juvenile court referra4 each year. Surveys made of teachers in the schoois and in pilot classes at the high sChools in law-related education indicated that a kobahle SOlution to thesesproblems would be,a law-related curriculum for students. 'Imaddition, it was felt that students need to begin early to build the background necessary to understand and appreciate our govern- ment and the justice system.A K-12 curriculum could vovide continuous opportunities for application of the important concepts related