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A STUDY OF STUDENT CHOICE OF HIGH SCHOOLS UNDER A VOLUNTARY DESEGREGATION PROGRAM
Abstract
The primary purpose of the study was to determine the factors which influence a student's choice of high school, at what grade level the decision was made, who influenced the decision, and whether or not the factors governing the decision were equally important to Black students and non-Black students. It was determined that previous research concerning factors affecting students' choices was not available. Literature was reviewed regarding different court-approved desegregation plans. Different magnet plans were also investigated. The decision-making process of the Omaha Plan was presented. A structured interview was conducted with the administrators who wrote and monitored the Omaha Plan. This provided a conceptual base for the remainder of the study. The Omaha Public Schools Research Department constructed the questionnaire to be administered to the randomly selected students. One hundred and twenty students living in the Benson High School attendance area but who selected schools other than their neighborhood school were surveyed to answer the four research questions within the total study. The next step was to administer a follow-up interview with students randomly selected from the original sample. Analysis of the data revealed that two items were important in the students' selection of a school: (1) choosing the school because of a strong academic program which provides better preparation for college, and (2) unhappiness with the neighborhood school. The chi-square test indicated that two items were more important to Black students--free transportation and athletics. The one item more important to non-Black students was the magnet school. The research questions were clearly answered by the study: (1) Students do make the decision on high school selection at the ninth-grade level. (2) Other students are the most important audience that affects high school selection. (3) The racial composition of a school does not have a significant effect on selection. Two items were of greater importance to Black students and one item was of greater significance for non-Black students. The study will provide an administrator with a format from which to design a successful recruitment program under a voluntary desegregation plan.
Subject Area
School administration
Recommended Citation
GEORGE, LESLIE ROBERT, "A STUDY OF STUDENT CHOICE OF HIGH SCHOOLS UNDER A VOLUNTARY DESEGREGATION PROGRAM" (1985). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI8516870.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI8516870