Weppner, Daniel B.

This study was designed to determine which prototype of bilingual education parents would most favor and which prototype parents would least favor. Subjects were randomly selected from a population of English language dominant parents and Hispanic non-English dominant parents taken from eighteen schools which had a bilingual center as well as a regular program and eighteen schools which were similar but did not have a bilingual center. Ninety parents were chosen at random from grade levels three, six and nine in twenty-four sample elementary, middle and high schools. The parents were divided into three groups: (1) those who were Spanish dominant and who had children in bilingual centers, (2) those who were English dominant and who had children who attended schools with a bilingual center and who did not participate in the bilingual program, and (3) those who were English dominant and whose children attended schools which did not have a bilingual center. The assessment instrument was a questionnaire which asked parents to rank order five bilingual prototypes with one being the most favored program and five being the least favored program. Statistical treatment of the data included an examination of frequency percentages and chi-square analyses. Analysis of data revealed that group membership had no relationship to the three levels of parents' choices of the most favored program, yet there was a significant difference revealed in the chi-square analysis of the least favored program at the .05 alpha level. The variable which proved to be significant was language dominance. Although there was no statistical significance, the study showed that 49 percent of the combined English speaking parent groups would agree to have their children involved in a Bilingual/Second Language program. The research also indicated that although English dominant parents disagreed on the type of program which should be offered to limited English proficient students, 89 percent agreed that some program should be available in the public school system.

This study was undertaken to determine the status of school-based management in ten Florida school districts that received School Management Improvement Grants. A literature search was conducted to determine those characteristics indicative of school-based management, fifteen hypotheses were formulated, and two questionnaires were developed. One questionnaire was a guide for interviews, and the second was sent to school-based administrators, teachers, and advisory committee members in the districts studied. A total of 400 persons participated. Analyses of the data received indicated significant differences in the degree to which the characteristics' presence were observed when responses were grouped according to the respondents' districts. This was noted in all areas except the principal's flexibility to transfer funds. When responses were grouped according to the positions of the respondents, significant differences were observed in all areas except support services, determination of staff needs, establishment of school advisory committees, and their participation in making periodic reports. Differences in perceptions were noted in the areas of support services, staff needs, staff recommendations, staff development, school advisory committees, and the staff's ability to requisition materials. The research led to these recommendations: (1) The lack of research available concerning tangible results from implementation of school-based management indicates a need for studies in this area. (2) Education should be provided for all groups involved to improve their understanding of the concept. (3) Education, in preparation for the delegation and assumption of responsibility, should be provided. (4) The district staff should be more sensitive to the support services required by the schools. (5) More authority should be given to the principal in determining his staff needs and selecting his staff, with in-service training as needed. (6) Principals, with their staffs, should be given assistance in determining their staff development needs. (7) The establishment of advisory committees at each school should be mandated by the State Legislature. (8) Education should be provided to help members understand their roles and meet their responsibilities. (9) Present budgeting procedures should be reexamined and more research undertaken. If changes are indicated, an educational program to prepare those involved should be initiated. (10) Further research, using a control group, should be conducted.

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence, sources, and symptoms of teacher stress among public school teachers in Florida. Procedure. Stress was defined as a response syndrome of negative affects resulting from aspects of the teacher's job and mediated by the perception that the demands constitute a threat to self-esteem and by coping mechanisms activated to reduce the perceived threat. The instrument used in collecting the data for this study was a mail questionnaire, with a scale ranging from zero to four, for assessing the intensity of each item. The questionnaire consisted of biographical and school environmental characteristics, fifty possible sources of teacher stress, a general stress question, and sixteen possible symptoms of teacher stress. As a pilot study, the questionnaire was administered to a group of public school teachers in Palm Beach County for the purpose of examining each item for clarity. Items found to be ambiguous were revised or deleted. The 325 sample population was randomly selected from the Florida Teaching Profession/National Education Association membership. The mail questionnaire had a 78 percent response for a total of 248 respondents. The data were transformed to computer cards and submitted for statistical analysis through the Florida Atlantic University Computer Center, Boca Raton, Florida. Means, rank-order, T-tests, analysis of variance, and factor analysis were applied to the data for the purpose of determining the level of significance in deciding to reject or accept the research hypotheses at the .05 level. Conclusions and Recommendations. It is concluded from the results of the analysis that teacher stress is prevalent in Florida. Forty-one percent of the respondents reported being a teacher was either very stressful or extremely stressful. Self-reported teacher stress appeared to be similarly distributed for the biographical and school environmental characteristics. Pupil misbehavior accounted for the largest percentage of sources of stress with high means. The priority source of stress as perceived by the teachers was inadequate teaching salaries. Teachers, regardless of biographical or environmental characteristics, appear to share common perceptions concerning the sources and symptoms of teacher stress. Recommendations for reducing and/or dealing with stress are presented with suggestions ranging from inservice programs, a teacher social support system to administrative consistency and teacher bargaining unit concerns.

It was the purpose of this study to determine whether support for public education differed among members of the 1977 Florida House of Representatives. Fourteen education roll-call votes were identified as measures of support for public education. Roll-calls were classified into five legislation dimensions based on common subject content. Dimension and number of votes in each were: aggregate (14), tax (3), appropriations (3), compensatory education (2), and collective bargaining (4). Scores were calculated for each Representative on each dimension. Scores were sums of positive votes within a dimension. Subjects for this study were the members of Florida's 1977 House of Representatives. Representatives were categorically grouped by school attendance classification, party affiliation, and school attendance classification with party affiliation. School attendance classifications were: "public," having one or more children attending public school(s) exclusively; "non-public," having one or more children attending non-public school(s); and "non-attending," having no children attending school. Categoric group scores were computed. Data were analyzed by one way analyses of variance. The .05 level of significance was employed. Upon analysis of results, the following conclusions and implications were formulated. (1) Representatives' support for public education was shaped by an interplay of political self-interests with personal self-interests. (2) Having children attending school mediated political party affects on legislators' roll-call votes. (3) School attendance classification with party affiliation had mixed results in differentiating support for public education. (4) By itself, party affiliation differentiated Representatives' support for public education. (5) By itself, school attendance classification did not differentiate Representatives' support for public education.

This study proposes a school based management model for Florida
schools based on the role of the principal as principals perceive that
role.
The reviewed literature indicated little information was available
concerning principals'· views on school based management, yet the
role ascribed to them seems to make their opinions vital, The crucial
nature of the principal's role seemed to justify designing a school based
management model centered on his role as decision- maker.
The literature established prominent characteristics of school
based management, and defined the principal's role,
The principal's management role is three-fold. He is manager of
finance, instruction, and personnel. Under school based management his
role is characterized by more responsibility for decisions and greater
latitude in planning.
School based management entails colleague-type decision- making,
The principal is examined for this characteristic as he relates to faculty,
parents, students, and district personnel. The results of this survey are recommended to the Department
of Education and the Legislature f or consideration during the formative
stage of the school based management program.
The results of this survey indicate a need to reexamine plans for
participation of parents in school decision-making . It is recommended
that the Department of Education and the Legislature do this.
The results of this survey indicate a need to reexamine the value
of the school advisory committee as a vehicle for parental input into
school management. This reexamination is recommended.