The problem with which this study was concerned was that of determining which of the "Goals for Public School Education in Texas" were perceived as appropriate by local educators and students in smaller school districts and to determine the degree to which each of these goals was being implemented. This study had a two-fold purpose. The first was to compare the differences between appropriateness and implementation as perceived by senior students, teachers, administrators, and the composite group. A comparison between the three groups regarding both appropriateness and implementation was also made. The second purpose of the study was to determine if sex, ethnic background, and geographic location were factors when comparing perceptions concerning the appropriateness and implementation of the "Goals for Public School Education in Texas." The comparison between students, teachers, and administrators revealed a significant difference between the groups on each, of the eighteen goals regarding appropriateness. With regard to implementation, there was a significant difference between groups on eight of the goals. Differences were generally between students and teachers and students and administrators. The comparison between male and female students revealed that the female students perceived the goals to be more appropriate than did the male students. There …

The problem of this study was to compare schools that utilize individualized instruction with schools that utilize a traditional or group-oriented approach to instruction. Comparisons were made relative to student perceptions of the schools' environmental climates, expectancy for school success, and promotion and non-promotion practices. The sources of data included a review of the literature related to traditional elementary education, the history and development of individualized instruction, humanistic aspects of individualized instruction, and the role of school personnel expectancy in individualized instruction. The Elementary School Environment Survey was used to collect the perceptions of 1,600 fifth-grade students about their school environments. A teacher self-report questionnaire, as well as a principal self-report questionnaire, provided data pertaining to expectancy for school success and non-promotion practices. Sixty-two fifth-grade teachers and twenty elementary principals responded to the questionnaire. The data gathered in this study indicated that fifth-grade students have similar perceptions of their school climate related to involvement, independence, morale, equity, and resources. Students in the traditional or group-oriented schools perceived their schools as being more humanistic. Elementary principals and teachers in individualized instruction schools and in traditional group-oriented schools do not differ in their expectations for school success. Schools utilizing individualized instruction non-promote …

The problem of this study is that of discerning the board positions, the roles, and the perceptions of Black elected public school board members in Mississippi as perceptions relate to racial discrimination, interpersonal relationships, and primary education interests. Major problems in education as perceived ranged from "racism" to "finances." Major contributions to education in Mississippi in the last five years as perceived ranged from "court decisions" to "election of Blacks to education positions." General conclusions are that less racial discrimination exists in school systems with Blacks represented on school boards; however, some racism is still perceived by Black board members.

The purposes of the study were to (a) determine whether there was a significant difference in the mathematics achievement of students which may be attributed to any of the nine variations in trimester scheduling during the two-year period, and (b) to analyze the implications of trimester scheduling as they apply to teachers, counselors, and administrators in the middle school program. On the basis of careful treatment and analysis of data collected to ascertain the effect of time-lapse scheduling on mathematics achievement in arithmetic computation, arithmetic concepts, and arithmetic applications, the following conclusions, limited to the population studied, were drawn: 1. None of the nine time-lapse schedules had a significant differential effect on mathematics achievement. 2. The results of this study may be generalized to include the high, middle, and low achievement segments of the target population of students in all middle schools in the school district of this study. 3. Middle school administrators and counselors may schedule students into any convenient sequence of courses without fear of relative detrimental consequences to mathematics achievement. 4. Teachers need not be concerned that "learning loss" in mathematics due to different time-lapse schedules of the students will require different amounts of review prior to …