A SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS OF SIGNIFICANT RESEARCH FINDINGS ON SELECTED SCHOOL BOARD TOPICS

This study presents an organized review of research findings about selected school board topics from published and unpublished sources from 1959 to 1979. The study also identifies a body of data from which intelligent, informed action, and discussion about the topics can evolve. To determine which local school board topics were studied, a list of potential topics was reviewed with specialists in local school governance in the United States. The suggestions from these specialists were incorporated into the final list. An extensive review of the literature from 1959 to 1979 was undertaken with special attention given to the topics including selection of school board members, school members in-service development and school board organization, and school board functions. More than 150 studies were identified through the literature review. Of these studies, 68 met the criteria established to determine which would be included in this research. The data from these studies were summarized, analyzed, and interpreted in accordance with the purposes of the study. The results are presented in a fashion to compare and contrast studies, to report similarities and differences, to illustrate changes and trends in school boards and school board members, and to identify items that are true of local school boards. An important conclusion of this study is that future research on the topic of school boards should build upon these previous data by addressing the significance of the data as they are related to school board organization, structure, function, and effectiveness. More specific conclusions drawn were: (1) The information gathered concerning the length of service of local members (which was thought to be decreasing) and the length of residence in the community were inconclusive about what had happened to local school board members. There was nothing reported which clearly indicated that the length of service of board members had decreased. (2) The data reported about the elected and appointed methods of selecting school board members were almost exclusively of a status nature. Questions about the effect of elected and appointed methods upon the school system were not asked or they were asked infrequently with no follow through on the effect of the method of selection upon school board operation. (3) School board members reported a variety of reasons for seeking a school board position. One frequent reason given was "a sense of civic duty and interest in education." (4) No comprehensive research about the best methods of providing in-service development, instructors, or curricula based upon needs identified by school board members was found. (5) The research investigated revealed little about the size of school boards other than information relating to slight shifts in size of boards by region of the country. (6) Data about the organization of the local school board revealed little about the operation of an effective school board. (7) Many school board members in recent years reportedly spent more hours on school board businesss than their predecessors. During the past twenty years, not much has changed about the personal characteristics of local school board members. These characteristics have remained constant with occasional exceptions such as more women serving and an increase in minorities in some areas. Generally, much of the information requested in surveys about school boards and school board members has been of a status nature. Little has been reported concerning the significance of the facts reported. Without additional study on the significance of school board member characteristics, it is not possible to determine the effect of school board member characteristics upon the operation of local school boards. This should be remedied through future research.