ERIC ED440040: Parent/Guardian Attitudes on Year-Round Schools, Scotland County, North Carolina, 1998.

294 Pages·2000·2.7 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
ED 440 040
SO 031 711
AUTHOR Vadenais, Kim Rocha
Parent/Guardian Attitudes on Year-Round Schools, Scotland
TITLE
County, North Carolina, 1998.
2000-00-00
PUB DATE
NOTE
291p.; Ed.D. Dissertation, North Carolina State University.
PUB TYPE
Dissertations/Theses
Doctoral Dissertations (041)
Numerical /Quantitative Data (110)
EDRS PRICE
MF01/PC12 Plus Postage.
DESCRIPTORS
Grade 4; Grade 5; *Parent Attitudes; Parent Participation;
Parent School Relationship; Primary Education; *Statistical
Data; *Statistical Surveys; *Year Round Schools
ABSTRACT
This study determined the attitudes of parents and/or
guardians toward year-round schools in Scotland County, North Carolina for
students enrolled during the 1998-1999 school year in one of the six K-5
year-round school programs. Data were analyzed using several statistical
procedures that included mean scores, standard deviation, standard error,
correlation, frequency, percentages and Cronbach's coefficient alpha. The
survey results indicate that the parents and/or guardians in this study have
a positive attitude toward year-round school; are active in their child's
education; and believe that the year-round schools communicate with them very
well. Chapter titles include:
"Introduction";
"Review of the
(1)
(2)
Literature";
"Methodology";
"Results"; and (5)
"Summary, Conclusions,
(3)
(4)
Discussion, and Recommendations." Includes extensive tables and references.
Appendices include a school and family partnerships survey; a permission to
use survey; a principals instructional cover letter; a teachers instructional
cover letter; a parent/guardian informational cover letter; a parent/guardian
instructional survey cover letter; an NCSU (North Carolina State University)
Instructional Review Board Approval Letter; Year-Round school summary
reports; and an action team preliminary checklist.
(LB)
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from the original document.
1998 Parent/Guardian Attitudes On Year-Round Schools,
Scotland County, North Carolina.
by
Kim Rocha Vadenais
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
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Vadenais, Kim Rocha. 1998 Parent/Guardian Attitudes On Year-Round Schools
Scotland County, North Carolina. (Under the direction of North Carolina State
University Graduate Faculty).
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine the attitudes of parents and/or
guardians toward year-round schools in Scotland County, North Carolina. The
study sample consisted of parents and/or guardians of students who were presently
enrolled for the 1998-1999 school year in one of the six K-5 year-round school
programs. The survey authors established utilizing the School & Family
Partnership Survey, content validity and reliability of the instrument. Data were
analyzed using several statistical procedures, which included mean scores, standard
deviation, standard error, correlation, frequency, percentages and Cronbach's
coefficient alpha. The data from this survey was summarized using SAS software.
The survey results indicate parents and/or guardians have a positive attitude toward
year-round schools in Scotland County, North Carolina; 63% of the respondents
agreed strongly the school their child attends is a very good year-round school and
the teachers in the year-round school care about their child. Seventy percent of the
respondents agreed strongly to feeling welcomed at their child's year-round school,
50% of the respondents agreed strongly that the community supports the school,
and 49% of the respondents agreed strongly the school their child attends is one of
the best schools for students and for parents. The respondents' involvement with
their child's year-round school can be seen as active; 87% of the respondents have
talked to their child many times this year about school, 87% of the respondents have
helped their child with homework many times this year, 90% of the respondents
have checked many times this year to see if their child has done his/her homework,
and 88% of the respondents have talked to their child many times this year about
how important school is.
3
The respondents' responses show their child's school communicates with the parent
or guardian very well; 67% of the respondents agree the school does very well in
telling the parent and/or guardian how their child is doing in school, 76% of the
respondents agree the school does very well in sending home news about things
happening at school, 71% of the respondents agree the school does very well in
sending clear notices home for the parent and/or guardian to read, and 68% of the
respondents agree the school does very well in contacting the parent and/or
guardian if their child is having problems. Although it has been shown that parental
attitudes toward education have a significant effect on a child's educational
viewpoint, my research only identified the attitude of the parent and/or guardian
toward year-round schools in Scotland County, North Carolina. The researcher
concludes the attitudes of the respondents toward K - 5 year-round schools in
Scotland County, North Carolina is positive, the respondents are active in their
child's education and the year-round schools communicate very well with the
respondents.
4
1998 Parent/Guardian Attitudes
On
Year-Round Schools
Scotland County, North Carolina
by
KIM ROCHA VADENAIS
A Dissertation presented to the Graduate Faculty of
North Carolina State University in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the
Degree of Doctor of Education
Occupational Education
Raleigh
2000
5
ii
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Almighty Father, to You I dedicate everything!
With You nothing is impossible,
for You are the Alpha and Omega.
Thank You for granting me The Gift of Faith.
May all of my writings, endeavors and degrees
be for Your Honor and Glory!
AMEN.
iii
Table of Contents
Page
v
LIST OF TABLES
Chapter I: INTRODUCTION
1
Need for the Study
5
Purpose of the Study
8
Research Question
9
Definition of Terms
9
Assumptions of the Study
10
Limitations of the Study
10
Chapter Summary
11
Chapter II: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
14
Theoretical Rationale - Time and School Learning
14
History of Year-Round Education
17
Advantages and Disadvantages of Year-Round Education
20
Rationale for Year-Round Education
22
Student Achievement & Parent Attitudes & Parent Involvement
24
Attitudes of Parents Toward Education & Year-Round Education
26
Year-Round Education in North Carolina
30
Chapter Summary
32
Chapter III: METHODOLOGY
35
35
Research Design
36
Sample
Instrumentation
36
40
Data Collection
43
Analysis of the Data
44
Chapter Summary
7
iv
Page
Chapter IV: RESULTS
45
Preliminary Data Analysis
45
48
Research Findings
Chapter V: SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, DISCUSSION,
67
and RECOMMENDATIONS
67
Summary of Procedures
68
Summary of the Findings
72
Conclusions
72
Discussion
Recommendations of Practice
75
Recommendations for Future Research
80
83
References
Appendices
A: School & Family Partnerships Survey
96
Appendix
99
B: Permission To Use Survey
Appendix
C: Principals Instructional Cover Letter
102
Appendix
D: Teachers Instructional Cover Letter
104
Appendix
E: Parent/Guardian Informational Cover Letter
106
Appendix
F: Parent/Guardian Instructional Survey Cover Letter
108
Appendix
G: NCSU Instructional Review Board Approval Letter
110
Appendix
H: Year-Round School Summary Reports
112
Appendix
I: Action Team Preliminary Checklist
278
Appendix
8
v
LIST OF TABLES
Page
Year-Round Education Growth Rate
Table 1.
6
Student Achievement
Table 2.
Year-Round Schools compared to Traditional Schools
24
Previous Parental Attitudes on Year-Round Education
Table 3.
29
School & Family Partnerships Survey
Table 4.
Demographic Characteristics of Respondents
46
School & Family Partnerships Survey
Table 5.
Additional Demographic Characteristics of Respondents
47
School & Family Partnerships Survey
Table 6.
Results of Analysis of Parent/Guardian Attitudes
Ql. Statements a-q.
48
School & Family Partnerships Survey
Table 7.
Results of Parent/Guardian Attitudes
Ql. Statements a-j.
50
School & Family Partnerships Survey
Table 8.
Results of Parent/Guardian Attitudes
Ql. Statements k-q.
52
School & Family Partnerships Survey
Table 9.
Results of Analysis of Parent/Guardian Involvement
Q3. Statements a-r.
53
School & Family Partnerships Survey
Table 10.
Results of Parent/Guardian Involvement
Q3. Statements a-h.
55
School & Family Partnerships Survey
Table 11.
Results of Parent/Guardian Involvement
57
Q3. Statements i-r.
School & Family Partnerships Survey
Table 12.
Results of Analysis of School-Family Communication
59
Q 4. - Statements a-q.
9
LIST OF TABLES
vi
continued
Page
School & Family Partnerships Survey
Table 13.
Results of School-Family Communication
Q4. Statements a-g.
60
School & Family Partnerships Survey
Table 14.
62
Results of School-Family Communication
Q4. Statements h-l.
School & Family Partnerships Survey
Table 15.
Results of School-Family Communication
64
Q4. Statements m-q.
School & Family Partnerships Survey
Table 16.
Q9a. Academic Rating Of Year-Round School Students
65
School & Family Partnerships Survey
Table 17.
Q9b. Rating Results Of Children Liking
66
Year-Round School
School & Family Partnerships Survey
Table 18.
Mean (1M) Summary of Parent/Guardian Attitude
Q1. Statements a-q.
69
School & Family Partnerships Survey
Table 19.
Mean (j) Summary of Parent/Guardian Involvement
70
Q3. Statements a-r.
School & Family Partnerships Survey
Table 20.
Mean (M) Summary School-Family Communication
71
Q4. Statements a-q.
JO