Degree Name

Education Specialist (EdS)

Semester of Degree Completion

1980

Thesis Director

Gerhard C. Matzner

Abstract

The Needs Assessment Survey for Parent Involvement in Ina Community Consolidated District No. 8, Ina, Illinois was created to: 1) provide for parent involvement in program planning as mandated by state law, and 2) give the local board and administrator help in setting goals consistent with public needs and expectations.

To address initial needs assessment, teachers were asked to list a maximum of eight needs under each of five areas. The five areas were staff, building, equipment, grounds, and curriculum. The administrator also prepared a similar list based on his personal observations and past discussions with board members. From these initial lists, the administrator grouped the areas most frequently mentioned into groups of ten under two headings: staff and curriculum or building, grounds and equipment. The questionnaire was then prepared based on these two lists. Each list of ten included an extra blank if reaspondents wished to voice a major concern that was not listed on the questionnaire. In such cases, respondents were asked to omit one item from the initial ten.

The administrator selected four parents from each grade level in levels one through eight. The only control used in the selection process was based on the idea that responsible people would be selected. No selections were made at the kindergarten level due to the fact that many parents of incoming kindergarten students were not familiar with the school.

One form was mailed to each set of parents for a total of thirty-two forms. Forms were accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope.

Each board member and teacher was provided the same packet as sent to parents. Each was requested to complete his assessment and return it to the school.

All participants were requested to return their assessments within one week of receipt. If responses were not received within two weeks of the initial mailing, follow-up letters were mailed. These letters stressed the extreme need to each person's participation in making the survey a success.

Each group polled was tabulated separately and then all were tabulated collectively. Placement was decided by averaging the average rank numbers for each item and arriving at a group average rank number for each item. Averages were tabulated to the nearest hundredth. An overall ranking of the ten items under each category was reached by placing the items in order from smallest group average rank score to largest score respectively.

The ten needs were addressed in a four-year plan. This plan included a timetable, estimated monetary needs, and exact material needs where applicable.

At the Ina Board's discretion, needs set forth in the four-year plan will become a part of each year's budget.

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