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AN ANALYSIS OF INSERVICE PROGRAMS FOR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS IN SELECTED CLASS II AND CLASS III PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN NEBRASKA
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to set forth recommendations concerning the content and delivery methods for school board inservice programs based upon the perceptions of these programs by board members and superintendents. The data were secured from a questionnaire mailed to 120 randomly selected board members and 60 superintendents in Nebraska school districts. The response rate was 55.8 percent for board members and 68.3 percent for superintendents. Respondents rated the levels of importance of thirty-eight content items from both the "Current" and "Should Have" perspectives along with the delivery methods used to conduct school board inservice programs. Findings. (1) School board members had a mean of 7.4 years of continuous service on the school board, while the mean of total service on a school board was 8.6 years. (2) Individual content items in the category of "Board Policy" received the highest ratings from the "Current" and "Should Have" perspectives by board members. Superintendents rated items in the "Legal" category highest from the "Current" and "Should Have" perspectives. (3) A satisfactory board inservice program was reported by a majority of board members. However, the majority of superintendents reported either no program offered or an unsatisfactory program. (4) The most common method used to conduct school board inservice programs was "briefings with the superintendent," and "reading materials" was the second most commonly used method. (5) Superintendents and school board members did not always agree on whether a given method used to conduct board inservice programs was effective. (6) The superintendent received the highest overall rating of the four groups for involvement in board inservice programs. Conclusions. (1) School board inservice should be provided on a continuous basis given the relatively short tenure of most board members. (2) Superintendents had a higher level of expectation for the success of board inservice programs than did school board members. (3) Board members were more satisfied with the effectiveness of the methods "Currently" used to conduct board inservice than were superintendents. (4) Superintendents had a high degree of concern about the items related to the role of individual board members. (5) The current content of school board inservice should be continued. (6) Board members and superintendents were not in agreement regarding the effectiveness of delivery methods used to conduct school board inservice programs. (7) Superintendents were using methods to conduct inservice programs for school boards which were not consistent with the effectiveness superintendents felt these methods had. (8) The perceptions of board members and superintendents were similar regarding the involvement of the contributions to inservice programs. (9) Inservice programs should be expanded. Recommendations. (1) Specific items that should be given particular emphasis in developing content for school board inservice programs are: the financial position of the district, the legal responsibilities and constraints of the individual board member and of the board as a whole, the ethics of functioning as a member of the school board, the legal aspects of school board operation, the role and duties of district personnel, particularly the superintendent, and the current negotiated agreement. (2) Superintendents should consult with their school board members regarding the delivery methods they plan to use for board inservice programs. (3) Serious consideration should be given to increasing the financial support for board inservice programs. (4) Superintendents should recognize that they should assume an active role in initiating school board inservice programs.
Subject Area
School administration|Education
Recommended Citation
JINKS, MICHAEL WALTER, "AN ANALYSIS OF INSERVICE PROGRAMS FOR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS IN SELECTED CLASS II AND CLASS III PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN NEBRASKA" (1979). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI8015186.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI8015186