M.S.

Over the past six years, analyses of the National Center for Education Statistics' High School and Beyond data have primarily focused on the differences in achievement between public and Catholic high school students. Valuable data on non-Catholic private school students have been virtually ignored. Based on a strategy proposed by Althauser and Rubin (1970), in this study non-Catholic private schools are matched with public schools similar in school average base year student achievement levels, school average base year student socioeconomic levels, geographic region and racial composition. T-test results show that, among students in the most similar matches, non-Catholic private school students score significantly higher on vocabulary, reading, and a test composite of vocabulary, reading and general math scores. Public/non-Catholic private differences in basic and advanced math, science and civics are not significant although all but the civics tests show a small non-Catholic private advantage. The multiple regression analyses suggest that, for the most closely matched pairs, non-Catholic private school students have a small statistically significant advantage over public students on the 1982 reading test and test composite. However, the non-Catholic private advantage on general math, science, vocabulary and writing tests, and the public advantage on the advanced math and civics tests, are not significant. Thus, the null hypothesis stating that there are no differences between the 1982 achievement test scores of students in public schools and the tests scores of students in non-Catholic private schools is generally refuted. Yet, the differences, primarily favoring non-Catholic private school students, are small and in many cases not significant. / Master of Science

M.S.

M.S.

The purpose of this study is to show the need for placing the teaching of accident prevention and first-aid into the curricula of all public schools of the State of Texas on a compulsory basis and to prescribe definite criteria for the work.

No description available.

The study was designed to investigate the intervention program, PEP-UP, in the Richmond Public Schools in Richmond, Virginia, and to determine if significant differences occurred in the academic achievement and self-concept of the program participants. Data for the study were obtained from SRA Achievement Test scores of the subjects participating in the study and from questionnaires given the participants. The subjects were 15 classes of PEP-UP students who were retained in the second grade on the basis of test scores, and 15 classes of control students composing the lower level reading groups of the third grade. Permission was granted by the Superintendent of Schools to utilize the test scores from school records and to administer the questionnaires to the subjects. The data were analyzed by use of the analysis of covariance with the signicance level set at .05. Major findings were: (1) There was a significant difference in the reading achievement after seven months of instruction between the experimental and control groups; (2) the mathematics achievement scores were similar for both groups and no significant differences were found; (3) the Self-Esteem Inventory (SEI) did not indicate a significant difference between the groups, even though a slight increase in scores was evident for the PEP-UP students; (4) a significant difference in teachers' ratings did occur between the experimental and control groups. / Ed. D.

The purpose of this study was to provide a descriptive analysis of cooperative purchasing in the public schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia with attention to any effects brought about by enactment of the Virginia Public Procurement Act. Questionnaires were sent to each division superintendent of public schools in Virginia with follow up done on those public school divisions who have or are utilizing cooperative purchasing. The majority (63 percent) of public school divisions in the Commonwealth of Virginia do not utilize cooperative purchasing. Public school divisions utilizing cooperative purchasing are almost universally involved with their local governmental body rather than other school divisions. Saving money is the rationale given for utilizing cooperative purchasing and it is the factor most often named as the major success attained in such an agreement. The bidding requirements and attendant need for specifications enumerated in the Virginia Public Procurement Act resulted in a minority of school divisions electing to employ cooperative purchasing and utilize the State Department of Purchasing and Supply as two means of ensuring compliance with the law. Enactment of the Virginia Public Procurement Act has had a marginal effect on procurement practices by public school divisions in Virginia. Public school superintendents reported that a concern about a potential loss in autonomy was the major reason for not purchasing cooperatively. This was consistent with other studies done on this topic. School divisions most likely to utilize cooperative purchasing are characterized by large enrollments and budgets, the employment of professional full-time purchasing agents, and a superintendent who has had prior experience with cooperative purchasing agreements as well as perceiving enactment of the Virginia Public Procurement Act as a concern. School divisions are utilizing cooperative purchasing despite the absence of the above characteristics cited in the literature as standard requirements. / Ed. D.

The purposes of this study were twofold: 1) to determine the predictability of the amount of county current expenditures for the North Carolina Public School System by using nineteen county characteristics, and 2) to determine the predictability of the amount of county current expenditures for the North Carolina Community College System by using these same nineteen county characteristics. All data were collected from the year 1985 with the exception of general population data, which were secured from the Census of 1980. Factor analysis was performed on the nineteen predictor variables in order to remove multicollinearity between the variables and to reduce the data to a manageable size for subsequent multiple regression I analysis. Stepwise regression was then utilized to determine which factors best predicted the amount of local revenues spent for educational current expenditures. Factors 2, 3, and 5 were significant predictors for per pupil local current expenditure for the public schools. Factor 2 included median years of education completed by the general population, high employment, and high income variables. Factor 3 described the relationship with per capita property value and per capita property tax. It also included the migration rate in the general population. Factor 5 included per pupil state current expenditure for the public schools, percent of high school juniors passing the North Carolina Competency Test, and percent of labor force in new and expanded industry. Factors 2 and 4 were significant predictors for per pupil local current expenditure for the community college. Factor 4 represented per pupil state expenditure for the community college and percent of white pupils in the community college. / Ed. D.

During the 1982-83 school year, public school districts in North Carolina were given the option of using clinical supervision as part of a state-wide performance appraisal process. This option resulted in considerable variation in the implementation and institutionalization of clinical supervision in schools and provided the opportunity to study variables associated with the institutionalization of change in school systems. Berman’s (1981) implementation paradigm was used to identify and categorize predictors of institutionalization. A set of five variables was selected as having the best potential for accounting for the variation in institutionalization of clinical supervision in the public schools of North Carolina. 1. Principal’s perception of the amount of time required to perform one clinical supervision cycle. 2. Amount of internal support for clinical supervision. 3. Amount of training in clinical supervision. 4. Principal’s belief in the effectiveness of clinical supervision. 5. Type of school administered. A <u>Principal’s Survey</u> was developed and mailed to a random sample of 450 public school principals in North Carolina. Information was received from 288 principals (64%). A follow-up survey of nonrespondents verified the representativeness of the original respondents. Principals responding to the follow-up survey were added to the original respondents for a total sample of 300 principals (67%). Multiple regression analysis was applied to the data with institutionalization as the dependent variable. The multiple R was .30 and R² was .09 (F = 4.03, p < .00). Internal support was the only significant predictor of institutionalization (b = .20, t = 3.62, p < .05). Two demographic variables, age and sex, were added to the multiple regression as a side analysis. With these 4 variables added, an R² of .10 was obtained (F = 3.37, p < .001). Age was determined to be a statistically significant predictor of institutionalization (b = -.06, t = -2.48, p < .05). / Ed. D. / incomplete_metadata