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An investigation of the public’s attitudes toward the DeSoto School District
Sebanc, James
Sebanc, James
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Abstract
During the 1970's there was a steady decline in the attitudes the public had toward the public schools. Few studies have evaluated how these attitudes varied among different subsets of the population and what relationship existed between attitudes and specific variables. Therefore, this investigation tested a questionnaire designed to ascertain the relationship between attitudes and 36 variables.
A questionnaire was mailed to 25 percent of the patrons in the DeSoto School District, located mid-way between Kansas City and Lawrence, Kansas. There were 348 respondents.
There was significant positive correlation between how one rates the schools and: perceived job performance of school personnel, age, longevity in the district, perceived reliability of information, adequacy of amount of information, degree of interest, and number of school functions attended. A significant negative correlation existed between the variables how one rates the schools and family income and educational attainment.
Parents had a more positive attitude than did non-parents as did elementary parents over secondary parents. Attitudes varied significantly between geographic areas.
Parents perceived one's child as the most preferred, most reliable, and most used source of information. Non-parents viewed a friend with a child in school as the most used source of information.
Secretaries received the highest ratings regarding job performance followed by teachers, superintendent and principals. Certified personnel were perceived as the most reliable sources of information.
There was a significant correlation between one's attitude and what one perceived as the most favorable aspects of the schools, but not with what one perceived as the most serious problems facing the schools.
There was no significant correlation between one's attitude and one's voting intention on bond referendums.
Description
Ph.D. University of Kansas, Educational Policy and Administration 1983
Date
1983-05-31
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University of Kansas
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Keywords
DeSoto, Kansas, Education