One purpose of this study was to identify the relationship, if any, that existed between method of scheduling and achievement in reading and mathematics. A second purpose of this study was to identify the relationship, if any, that existed between method of scheduling and student attitudes toward school and learning. A third purpose of the study was to identify what teachers using parallel block scheduling perceived as positive and negative aspects of parallel block scheduling.Data from ISTEP (Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress) scores, student questionnaires, and teacher interviews were used to compare the parallel block scheduled school and the surface scheduled school. ISTEP scores were compared using One Way Analyses of Variance to check equivalency of the two schools at the beginning and at the end of the study and Repeated Measures Analyses of Variance to test the hypotheses. Student questionnairesmeasuring student attitudes toward school and learning were compared for the two schools using Repeated Measures Analyses of Variance. Teachers at the parallel block scheduled school were interviewed to analyze their perceptions of parallel block scheduling.Statistically significant differences were found in mathematics achievement in favor of the parallel block scheduled school. No statistically significant differences were found in reading achievement between the parallel block scheduled school and the surface scheduled school. Statistically significant differences in students' attitudes toward school and learning between the two types of scheduling were found in three out of the four categories. Differences were found in students' beliefs about how well they were learning, students' attitudes toward themselves as learners, and students' beliefs about how others see them as learners in favor of the parallel block scheduled school. No difference was found in students' attitudes toward school. Responses from interviews of teachers using parallel block scheduling indicated that the teachers felt parallel block scheduling had benefitted students in terms of achievement, attitudes toward school and learning, and in their effectiveness as teachers. / Department of Educational Leadership

The purpose of the study was to determine the effectiveness central office administrators with systemwide responsibilities have in delivering services to building principals. The areas investigated included the degree to which central staff should have and actually did provide specific services as judged by building principals.The population of the study consisted of sixty-two principals and assistant principals in selected school corporations in central Indiana with an enrollment of 8,000 to 12,000 students. The questionnaires consisted of fortyfive items and two Likert-type response scales. Principals and assistant principals were asked to indicate on one scale the degree to which the item ideally should have been provided and on a second scale the degree to which the item actually was provided by central staff. Questionnaires were returned by fifty-eight or ninety-three percent of the principals and assistant principals.ConclusionsThe conclusions of the study were:Discrepancies exist between the ideal and actual classification in that principals were not provided with:Training in interviewing and staff selection procedures.An annual meeting between principals and maintenance to determine priorities.Maintenance service programs structured from a preventative standpoint.Discrepancies do not exist between the ideal and actual classification in that:Principals were given the final authority in the selection processes.Regularly scheduled meetings were provided to discuss concerns of building level administrators.Principals and staff received support when dealing with parents or community.Principals were provided assistance and support when difficult decisions needed to be made.Principals were provided information regarding interpretations of master contract.Principals were provided opportunities for meaningful input into curriculum development.Perceptions and reactions are discernible in the ideal and actual classification in that:Principals being included in establishing priorities in negotiations were perceivable. In-service programs for teachers and principals to develop curriculum ideas were perceivable.RecommendationsFollowing are recommendations of the study:1. Central staff maintenance should give consideration to discussion of maintenance service programs.2. Central staff should give consideration to developing in-service programs for principals in interviewing and staff selection procedures.

The purpose of the study was to determine the effects tort and actual litigation and the possible increase in the cost of errors and omissions insurance have had as reported by public school officials. The populations consisted of 138 public school corporations and 136 public school board members.The data collection instruments used in the study consisted of a 16 item instrument for the public school corporations which included a demographic section and questions regarding the availability of insurance and incidence of litigation and for the public school board members at 15 item Likert style questionnaire regarding the threat of being sued. Six null hypotheses were tested for statistical significance using an analysis of variance, Spearman Rho Correlations coefficient, and chi-square. The .05 level of significance was established as the critical probability level for the non-acceptance of hypotheses.FindingsPublic School Corporations1. There was no significant difference among the four enrollment groups when a Spearman Rho Correlation was applied as a statistical test. There was statistically significant difference; however, when the Analysis of Variance and Chi-Square statistical tests were applied.2. School corporations of 8,001 or more students paid significantly more for errors and omissions insurance school corporations of less than 1500 students paid significantly less for insurance.3. A statistically significant difference could not be established based upon the school corporation's assessed valuation for either an analysis of variance or Spearman Rho Correlation statistical test.4. In the period 1982-1987, the cost for errors and omissions insurance was significantly higher in 1987 than any of the other years. Also in 1986 the premiums were significantly higher than in 1984.5. School corporations with enrollments up to 1500 students experienced significantly fewer cases of litigation, while school corporations with 8,001 or more students experienced a significantly higher number of cases of litigation.6. Urban school corporations had significantly more cases of litigation than did rural/small town school corporations. Rural/small town school corporations had and significantly fewer cases of litigation.7. Seventy four and a half percent of the public school superintendents felt that the new state pool for liability insurance did not prevent the insurance companies form charging unusually higher premiums.8. Forty eight and two tenths percent of the superintendents felt that the new state pool for liability insurance did not encourage insurance companies to reinsure public school corporations. Thirty three and six tenths percent of the superintendents were undecided, while eighteen and one tenths percent felt the pool had a effect.9. Eighty and three tenths percent of the superintendents surveyed felt that there had been a significant increase in the cost of errors and omissions insurance.Public School Board Members1. Board members in the age category of 40-49 were significantly different from board members in the age categories of 0-39 and 50+ in that they did not feel it necessary to obtain or retain personal errors and omissions insurance because of the threat of being sued.2. The 50+ age category was significantly different than the other age categories in that they were significantly less threatened and had stronger conviction positive regarding decisions even though the threat of being sued was present.3. Age categories 40-49 and 50+ were significantly different than category 0-39 in that they were not effected by the threat of being sued for allowing corporal punishment in their school corporations.4. Male school board members agreed more than female board members that the corporation policy handbook had been updated as a result of the threat of being sued.5. College educated public school board members had stronger conviction in making difficult decisions and were less threatened by the threat of being sued than high school educated public school board members.6. The high school educated public school board members felt a significantly greater need to be familiar knowledgeable regarding the corporation policy than did college educated public school board members.7. The more formal education a public school board had the less he agreed corporal punishment should be disallowed because of the threat of being sued.8. Urban public school board members were significantly less knowledgeable regarding the newly created Indiana risk management commission than rural/small town and suburban public school board members. / Department of Educational Administration and Supervision

The study concerned the identification of administrative practices relative to secondary reading programs in selected comprehensive high schools in Indiana and the status of certain aspects of secondary reading programs. The overall educational plan for the instruction of reading in selected high schools and administrative procedures to implement the plan were also studied.The review of related literature and research revealed a paucity of studies relative to secondary reading programs and management. The general message taken from the review of literature emphasized the need for active administrative leadership and involvement in the many phases of developing and managing secondary reading programs.Five purposes were developed consistent with the statement of the problem. The purposes were: (1) to identify the activities of the superintendent of schools or appropriate central office staff person in the management and development of secondary reading programs, (2) to ascertain the role of the high school principal in the various phases of managing and assisting the development of the secondary reading program, (3) to collect data relative to certain elements of the status of the secondary reading program in selected Indiana schools and to identify the activities of the high school reading person in the development and implementation of the reading program, (4) to ascertain positive or negative factors relative to the extension and improvement of the high school reading program, and (5) to identify the academic and experiential background of the high school principal and reading person in selected schools.The population for the study was taken from school corporations with a student enrollment of over 7,500. Superintendents of the selected schools were invited to participate in the research and seven of 30 superintendents accepted. The final population sample involved seven school corporations containing 28 high schools. Findings were drawn from collected data and expressed in percentages. Findings were:1. The superintendent of schools in selected Indiana school corporations participates little in facilities planning, program planning, and evaluation relative to secondary reading programs.2. Communication relative to the status and effectiveness of the secondary reading program to the school board and superintendent was limited.

The purpose of the study was to obtain, report and compare the judgments of selected public school administrators regarding Management By Objectives programs. The participating administrators were asked to make judgments related to expected benefits in the following management areas: (1) work expectations, (2) communication, (3) decision-making, (4) problem-solving, and (5) evaluation. Judgments were compared on the basis of management level of the administrators and size of the school district.The review of research and literature was conducted to determine the developmental evolution of the management by objectives movement in both the private and educational sectors. The research and literature review was reported in the following categories: (1) the historical development, (2) rationales for formulating and developing management by objectives programs, (3) expected benefits and liabilities of management by objectives programs, and (4) findings from research studies that have been conducted regarding management by objectives programs.Two specific research questions were developed regarding the judgments of administrators in relationship to management by objectives. Five null hypotheses were developed to examine each of the research questions. The statistical comparisons were made by using the chi square test of independence, with .05 determined as the level of significance.The population selected to be included in the study consisted of one hundred fifty-three administrators from eleven school districts in the State of Pennsylvania. A management by objectives program had been developed and implemented in each school district included in the study. One hundred and two, or 67%, of the selected administrators choose to participate in the study.The School Management Questionnaire was developed to collect the judgments of administrators regarding management by objectives programs. The School Management Questionnaire was developed from the review of related literature and from the materials used in a management by objectives workshop that had been conducted in each of the eleven school districts prior to the implementation of the management by objectives workshop.Significant findings developed from the study included the following:1. There was a significant difference between the combined judgments of superintendents vs. central office administrators vs. principals vs. other administrators concerning the following management areas: (1) work expectations, (2) communications, (3) decision-making, (4) problem-solving, and (5) evaluation.2. There was a significant difference between the combined judgments of administrators from small school districts (8,249 or less students) and the combined judgments of administrators from large school districts (8,250 or more students) in the management areas of work expectations and evaluation.3. There was not a significant difference between the combined judgments of administrators from small school districts (8,249 or less students) and the combined judgments of administrators from large school districts (8,250 or more students) in the management areas of communication, decision-making and problem-solving.The following conclusions were developed from the findings:1. The findings suggest that the implementation of a management by objectives program does not insure that the problem of evaluating administrative performance will be solved.2. The findings indicate that central office administrators were more supportive of management by objectives programs than were principals, assistant principals and other non-central office administrators.3. The findings suggest that the overall expected benefits of a management by objectives program, when measured by the responses to the School Management Questionnaire, did exist in the eleven school districts included in the study.

The general purpose of the study was to describe the present status of personnel administrators in selected Ohio school districts.

The purpose of the study was to compare the perceptions of directors of special education cooperatives and superintendents in determining the actual and ideal role of the special education director in-the State of Indiana. The population consisted of fifty-seven directors and forty-two superintendents.A twenty-five item questionnaire containing statements pertaining to the role of the director of special education was utilized. Two null hypotheses were tested by using Chi-square. The .05 level of significance was established as the critical probability level for the nonacceptance of hypotheses.Findings1. Directors of special education and superintendents indicated agreement in perception on fifteen of the twenty-five items of the questionnaire regarding the director having actual responsibility and authority and ideal--having responsibility and authority.2. Of the sixteen significant findings, ten were in the authority dimension of the questionnaire.3. Directors of special education perceived the role of special education director as ideally having more authority to prepare the special education budget, approve expenditures, assign and supervise special education personnel, determine types of programing alternatives to be offered in the instructional program, keep staff informed of current trends, methods, procedures, rules and regulations, and allocate existing physical space for special education programs.4. Superintendents perceived the role of special education director as having more actual responsibility to determine transportation needs for the program, receive, initiate and process psychological diagnostic services, conduct procedures for reviewing handicapped student's program, and develop, implement and supervise curriculum for special education programs.Conclusions1. A conflict in role perception between directors of special education and superintendents generally does not exist.2. Differences in role perception will more often result from conflict over authority.3. Determining transportation needs for the special education program will probably result in role conflict between directors of special education and superintendents.

The purpose of the study was to determine the perception of educators on managing change in schools of Lichtenburg Area Project Office. A questionnaire with four-licket scale was used. The questionnaire incl~ded the questions on some factors that may result \ '· in poor management of change in schools, the promoting management of change in education, the development of human resource through training and the change in curriculwn. Two open-ended questions\ were also asked to the respondents to cite if change in :education causes frustration, anxiety and depression. j The questionnaire was administered to 30 educators, 120 schools management team (SMT's). Out of the total sample size 150 (n=l50), 30 (n=30) were drawn from the educators and 120 (n::;:;120) were from the school management teams. A total of 133 (88,6%) usable questionnaires were returned. Respondents were asked to express their perceptions by strongly disagreeing, disagreeing, agreeing or strongly agreeing on various aspects. Data were analysed statistically by the use of SPSS - Programme. Frequent distributions, percentages mean and standard deviations were computed. To determine ~hether the perceptions of the two groups were significant, the Spearman's Rank .Correlation was computed. The fmdings revealed that respondents perceived positively to the various number of aspects of managing change in schools. Respondents strongly agreed that enough workshops for educators will enhance the knowledge and skills to implement change effectively. The involvement of all stakeholders in macro planning will improve the quality of education. Development of physical and human resources to all schools to ensure that the implementers are equipped with information to manage change effectively. It was concluded that for the effective implementation and management of change, schools need the support of all stakeholders concern. / Thesis (M. Ed.) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2004

The purpose of the study was to construct and test a theoretical model for measuring degrees of organizational effectiveness, efficiency, and integration. The model, the administrative grid, patterned after the quadrant scheme used by Halpin and the managerial grid by Blake and Mouton, provided a system of accommodating the effectiveness and efficiency measures established by Barnard and a visual interpretation of the administrative technique utilized by administrators in integrating the two basic elements of an organization, the goals and the people.In designing the pilot study to test the model, specific attention was given to a) establishing minimal levels of organizational accomplishment; b) the nature of the orthogonal relationship between goals and people; and c) the psychological constructs of the classroom teacher as a means of measuring administrative activity. The review of the literature included psychological theory and leadership theory as applied to the model.A general hypothesis was made at the beginning of the study that administrators in "good" schools provide leadership differently from administrators in "poor" schools, and the perceptions of teachers could distinguish the difference. A panel of 10 professional educators rated 275 Indiana high schools to facilitate separating higher quality or "good" schools from lower quality or "poor" schools. The ratings were screened for consistency, and the mean scores were placed on a continuum from one to six. Schools were selected for inclusion in the project based upon the mean scores of the ratings at extreme ends of the continuum. Administrators from schools clearly categorized as "good" or "poor" were invited to participate. Eleven randomly selected faculty members from each of 20 "good" and 20 "poor" schools completed an adaptation of the Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire-Form XII measuring the amount of structure and production emphasis provided by administrators and the tolerance of freedom and uncertainty among teachers as perceived by the teachers.Seven null hypotheses were established to determine whether differences existed between "good" and "poor" schools on 1) Initiating Structure, 2) Production Emphasis, 3) Goals dimension, 4) Tolerance of Uncertainty, 5) Tolerance of Freedom, 6) People dimension, and 7) Integration. Hypotheses 1, 3, 5, and 6 were rejected beyond the .10 level of significance while 2, 4, and 7 were held as tenable at the .10 level. The data were analyzed by using two-way analyses of variance with the second factor (School) nested. The two-way ANOVA provided the capability of testing for the unique effects associated with the quality of the school classification separately from the unique effects associated with sample schools nested within the "good" and "poor" categories respectively.Mean scores were plotted on the administrative grid and determined to be of assistance in providing school administrators graphic interpretations in how the administrative effort is perceived by teachers. The grid also provides the administrator with direction necessary for corrective action.The study was a pilot project to determine if the method of investigation and application of results warrant further study. The results indicated that perceptions of individuals inside the organization as to the "goal" and "people" orientation of the administration, may provide insight in problem situations. Further research is recommended to sharpen the instrumentation with schools, and replicating the study in various types of organizations was recommended.

The purposes of this study were to investigate the type and extent of control exercised by local boards of education in Indiana school districts, determine whether selected discriminatory criteria used to identify the extent of local control in Colorado school districts were applicable to Indiana school districts, and compare the extent of local control exercised by school boards in large, medium, and small Indiana school districts.