AN ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION OF

George LaRue Patmor II, for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Curriculum and Instruction, presented on April 1, 1998, at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

TITLE: Student and School Council Member Views of Student Involvement in Decision Making in Kentucky High Schools

MAJOR PROFESSOR: D. John McIntyre

The purpose of this study was to compare views of students and members of councils in Kentucky high schools concerning the extent and desirability of student involvement in school decision making. Kentucky's school-based decision making (SBDM) councils are composed of a principal, 3 teachers, and 2 parents. Fourteen areas of council responsibility were compared.

A survey instrument was devised to obtain respondent views of current and desired student involvement. Of 125 randomly selected public high schools in Kentucky, 25 responded with 310 surveys.

About one third of participant responses indicated students are currently involved in decision making. Chi-square analysis (alpha = .05) revealed no significant difference between student and council member responses concerning current involvement, x2(2, 310) = 5.84, p > .05. However, concerning desired involvement, there was a significant difference [x2(2, 310) = 346.61, p < .001] between student responses (77%) and council member responses (55%). Principals, primary leaders in SBDM schools, favored student involvement by 70%.

A sequence for implementation of student involvement in the 14 responsibility areas is recommended. Areas of strong agreement for involvement, listed first, include decisions concerning extracurricular issues, which classes students take, how time is used during the day, and discipline and classroom management policies. Areas with strong agreement for noninvolvement, given last, include determining the number of employees in each job, planning professional development, and filling job vacancies.

Current national education reforms seek to strengthen curriculum and instruction standards while including parents and teachers in school decision making. This study revealed areas of decision making which participants agreed should also include students. It can be an incentive to schools to examine involvement of their own students in decision making. Further, it can provide encouragement to students and councils to incorporate students as full partners in the educational process.