The status of the director of curriculum in rural California county school offices

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THE STATUS OP THE DIRECTOR OP CURRICULUM IN RURAL CALIFORNIA COUNTY SCHOOL OFFICES

A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the School of Education The University of Southern California

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science in Education

by Oden W. Hansen August

1950

UMI Number: EP56183

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1. Representing the superintendent at professional meetings

12

10

4

5

Supervisor 3 Asst* Supft 1 Sup1t 2

2. Representing the superintendent at lay meetings

8

12

4

6

Admini stra tive Asst. 1 Supervisors 3 Sup1t 2

Note: This table should be read as follows: .12 respondents have major responsibility for item 1, 10 have minor responsibility for item 1, 4 have no responsibility for item 1, and 5 have shared responsibility for item 1. They share this responsibility as follows: 3 share it with the supervisors, 1 shares it with the assistant superintendent, 2 share it with the superintendent, and 1 shares it with the administrative assistant.

90 director has had responsibility for representing the superin­ tendent at lay meetings, but in the main, this activity has been minor* Table XII has indicated that the job of the director of curriculum has been tied frequently in with other major responsibilities in the county offices, such as audio-visual direction, with the direction of the county service fund budget, with guidance, and with teacher placement in addition to other responsibilities of the regular job. This review of the findings from the questionnaire has shown that most curriculum directors have had six years of collegiate education; that they hold Master’s Degrees; that they have earned general secondary and elementary teaching credentials; that a sizeable group has earned general administration credentials; that most curriculum directors have had experience in elementary teaching and supervision, and in secondary teaching; that their position is usually called, **Director of Curriculum; ” that most curriculum directors are line officers; that they spend a majority of their time in elementary education; that their duties and responsibilities vary considerably within the different county offices; that in a number of cases their jobs have been partly in the field of curriculum direction, and partly in some specialized field such as guidance, physical education, audio-visual education, or teacher placement*

91 TABLE XII OTHER ACTIVITIES OP DIRECTORS OP CURRICULUM

Activities

Number of responses

Audio-visual director

2

Director of county service fund budget

2

Administer the educational service center

1

Guidance

2

High school library

1

Evaluation

1

Supervisor of Music

1

Director of physical education

1

Administrative consultant

1

Teacher placement

2

Long term planning with administrators

1

Office routine

1

Purchase instructional materials for audio-visual and library departments

1

Note: This table should be read as follows: In addition to serving in the position of director of curriculum, 2 people indicated that they also had responsibility for the position of audio-visual director in their counties.

The final chapter of this study has presented the conclusions and recommendations.

CHAPTER V CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Conclusions >

The findings of this survey have been

reported in Chapter II in the survey of the literature and in Chapter IV in the interpretation of the responses to the questionnaire.

Based upon these findings, the following

conclusions have been made: 1.

Superintendents cannot carry the load of adminis^

tration, clerk, and supervisor and perform all these services efficiently. 2.

For supervision to take place most effectively,

administrative relations must be clear and non-restrictive. 3.

As members have been added to county staffs, it

has become necessary for some person to bring about coordination--either the superintendent or some person appointed by him.

Unless the work of the various supervisors is coordina­

ted, much overlapping will result. 4.

County office curriculum services to districts are

so interwoven that good administration would indicate one person directing all those activities and responsible for the entire educational program in the county from kindergarten through high school.

The whole problem of the coordination

of supervisory activities is a matter of effective direction of supervisors.

Clear cut assignments and checking of duties

94

are needed, but flexibility of operation should be encouraged. 5.

No reputable authority has denied the necessity of

fixing responsibility for the educational program in one individual*

Duties must be specified to eliminate confusion

and lack or organization in the work of that person* 6*

There is a need for increased and more effective

leadership in dealing with course of study problems, in securing curriculum consultants, and in evaluating supervi­ sory services. 7.

Since the Education Code provides for the coordina­

tion and preparation of elementary and secondary courses of study, superintendents who cannot take care of this job themselves should hire some person to do the job.

Funds are

provided through the County School Service Fund for this position or service.

The superintendent may, with the

consent of the county board of education, create the position of director of curriculum. 8.

No agreement was found in the literature as to

what the person who has the responsibility of county staff coordination should be called. 9.

There is a need for uniformity of job titles

among the counties of California so that a directory could be printed which would indicate what a person does on the home front.

Twenty-two variations were found in the title

for the position of director of curriculum.

95 10*

It should be the function of the director of

curriculum (1) to encourage individual activity that is consistent with the ideals of the county supervision staff, (2) to appraise the activities of the individual members of that staff, and (3) effect a maximum of cooperation-among the members in order that efficiency results* 11*

The director of curriculum needs his own points

of view, convictions, and attitudes.

He is merely a steward,

and needs a sound philosophy of education bulwarked by fact and experience* 12.

There is need for a clear-cut statement of those

functions which should be expected of various classes of supervisors, including the director of curriculum* 13.

Qualities of democratic leadership needed by

directors of curriculum are cooperative, sympathetic under­ standing; provision for freedom of actions and ideas; encouragement in experimentation; and a spirit of willing­ ness to adjust or subordinate personal judgments to those determined by the group* 14*

Leadership must provide for cooperative planning*

One of the major functions of the administration Is to keep channels of communication open and to see that all persons concerned with a given situation participate in its considera­ tion. 15.

A director of curriculum should be a talent scout

96 and a coach*

He should deliberately foster the development

of leadership relations in which one and another of his colleagues seeks to become leaders of the group. be an ^idea11 man.

He should

H© should seek to achieve leadership

through the contributions he makes to the success of the efforts of the entire supervision staff. Recommendations.

The recommendations listed here

are based upon the findings in the literature and from the questionnaire. 1.

Superintendents who are unable to coordinate the

various staff activities due to an increase in their own duties and responsibilities should appoint a director of curriculum to bring about the necessary coordination. 2.

The effective direction of supervisors is needed

if there is to be coordination of supervisory activities. 3.

County staff organization is needed with flexible

leadership and followership roles clearly defined. 4.

There is a need for centralization of executive

authority with delegated powers and channels for the flow'of authority down to all workers of the system. 5.

Standardization on county supervision titles

should be encouraged by those on the state and county levels, so that in looking at a directory, the reader would have some idea of what each person1s responsibility is in the

97 many counties of California. 6.

The curriculum development program should be

headed by a director of curriculum. 7.

Curriculum directors should have six or more

years of college training. 8.

Curriculum directors should be holders of Master's

Degrees. 9.

Curriculum directors should hold elementary and

secondary teaching and administration credentials, and they should have several years of experience in teaching and supervisory positions in both levels prior to becoming directors of curriculum. 10.

Curriculum directors should be line officers with

responsibility over other members of the supervision staff to bring about needed coordination. 11.

Curriculum directors should be divorced from ad­

ministrative responsibilities concerning school districts in their county office work. 12.

There should not be a separation of job time

between elementary and secondary levels for curriculum directors. 13.

The director of curriculum should be a trained

educator employed by the county superintendent to take general responsibility for the organization and reorganization of curriculums in the school system and to arrange for and

98 supervise the work of committees of teachers, supervisors, and individual experts in developing and installing courses of study in the various grades and subject fields of education.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

BIBLIOGRAPHY A.

BOOKS

Barr, A* S., William H. Burton, and Leo J. Brueckner, Supervision. Hew York: D. Appleton-Century Company, 1938. 981 pp. This book stressed the need of general participa­ tion in the leadership program by all members of the county staff. It further brought out the point that there should be an integration of curriculum work and supervision through a department of instruction. Benjamin, Harold, Emergent Conceptions of the School Administrator1s Task. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1942. 26 pp. This booklet presented a valuable statement on the ways in which an administrator should work entitled. ”Articles of faith as an educational administrator.” Brink, William G., Direction and Coordination of Supervision Bloomington, Illinois: Public School Publishing Company 1930. 117 pp. This book provided much helpful information on the need for coordination on the county staff. Many of the points covered in other books were repeated by Brink, so this was a valuable source in the present study. Cooke, Dennis H., Administering the Teaching Personnel. Chicago: Benj. H. Sanborn & Company, 1939. 348 pp. This source pointed to the fact that the majority of persons who have the title, ”superintendent,” are in small school systems. It further stressed the fact that superintendents work as organizers, administrators supervisors, and in some eases as teachers. Crow, Lester D., and Alice Crow, Introduction to Education. San Francisco: American Book Company, 1947. 564 pp. This book stressed the point that coordination of staff activities is needed, and indicated the functions of the coordinator.

100 Good, Carter V., Dictionary of Education. New York: McGrawHill Book Company, Inc*, 1945* 495 pp. This book provided helpful definitions of terms used in the present study, and also gave a good indica­ tion as to what the title for the job under investiga­ tion in the present study should be. Graves, Prank Pierrepont, The Administration of American Education. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1932. 631 pp. This source gave an indication of the duties of the curriculum director, and a clue as to what the title of the job should be. Methods of organizing a county staff were also described. Jaggers, Richard E., Administering the Countv School System. New York: American Book Company, 1934. 232 pp. This book expressed the need for additional help for county superintendents, since the responsibilities of county superintendents have increased greatly in the last few years. Krug, Edward A., Curriculum Planning. Brothers, 1950. 306 pp.

New York: Harper &

7 Helpful information on the role of the local leader­ ship group was secured from this source. Reeder, Ward G., A First Course in Education. Macmillan Company, 1948. 656 pp.

New York:

The

This source provided some good information on the organization of the county superintendent’s staff. State of California, Education Code. Sacramento: Printing Division, Documents Section, State of California, 1949. 941 pp. The legal aspects of the position of director of curriculum were secured from this valuable source. Stratemeyer, Florence B., Hamden L. Forkner, and Margaret G. McKim, et al, Developing a Curriculum for Modern Living. New York: Bureau of Publications, Columbia University, 1947. 558 pp.

101 This book provided helpful information on leader­ ship for the county staff. It stressed the necessity for the administration to keep channels of communication open for all members of the staff. It further expressed the need for all members of the staff to participate in curriculum development. Weber, Samuel E., Cooperative Administration and Supervision of the Teaching Personnel. New York: Thomas Nelson and Sons, 1937. 375 pp. This source indicated the need for coordination on the county staff, and the need for a definition of responsibilities and duties for all members of the staff. B.

PERIODICAL ARTICLES

Cooperative Curriculum Development: A Symposium, “The Role of Professional Personnel in Curriculum Development,11 Teachers College Record, 50:318-26, February, 1949. This article proved to be of considerable value in pointing out the need for a director of curriculum, or for some person to coordinate the supervision program of the county superintendents office. Fowlkes, John Guy, “The Meaning of Leadership for the Adminis­ tration of County and Rural Areas,11 Nations Schools, 42:25-27, November, 1948. This article provided information on certain . aspects of leadership in the county educational program. It stressed the need for leaders in education to have definite convictions which have their genesis in a sound philosophy and which are bulwarked by fact and experience. National Conference of Professors of Educational Administra­ tion, “Educational Leaders--Their Function and Prepara­ tion,” School Executive, 68:61-70, March, 1949. This article stressed the need for the superintend­ ent to identify himself with the interests and purposes of the staff. It pointed to the fact that the superin­ tendent must foster a favorable climate to develop sound leadership among the members of his county staff.

102 Reeder, Edwin H., HTips for Small School Supervisors,,! Nations Schools. 26:66-68, September, 1940. This article proved quite helpful in identifying some needs',for a director of curriculum and some aspects of good leadership. It listed a number of supervisory functions, with which the curriculum direc­ tor needs to be familiar. Williams, J. H., aThe County Super intendency Grows Up,11 Nations Schools, 42:47-49, December, 1948. This fine article was most helpful in identifying the need for a curriculum director, as well as for other supervisors on the county superintendent1s staff. It stressed the fact that certain services need to be brought to schools. C.

PUBLICATIONS OF LEARNED ORGANIZATIONS

Bureau of Education Research, Directory of Administrative And Supervisory Personnel of California Public Schools7 1949-50. Sacramento: California State Department of Education, Yol. XVIII, No. 9, December, 1949. 177 pp. This new directory proved to be most helpful in checking upon the different titles of county office personnel, and gave definite information as to the existence of certain jobs, especially that of the director of curriculum, in the many counties of California. California Society of Secondary Education, California School DirectoryT (Berkeley: December, 1948), 489 pp. This book proved helpful in determining the limita­ tions of the present study. Special reference was made to the county school departments, pages 21-42. MFostering Mental Health in Our Schools,” Yearbook^ Associa­ tion for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Washington: National Education Association of the United States, 1950. 320 pp. This new yearbook provided some very useful informa­ tion on the general topic of understanding group proces­ ses, with particular emphasis for the present study upon attitudes of the group leader.

103 Harvie, Gertrude and Arthur Carmel, “What Procedures are Effective?11 Eighteenth Yearbook, California Elementary School Principals1 Association, 1946. 175 pp. This article indicated the need for a plan whereby representatives from each school should share in curricu­ lum construction, and stressed the fact that such a plan should be promoted by the administration. ‘leadership Through Supervision,11 Yearbook, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Washington: National Education Association of the United States, 1946. 163 pp. This was one of the most helpful sources for the present study. Points found helpful in this reference were those concerned with leadership aspects of the county superintendents staff, organizational arrangement of the staff, functions of the staff, and some general points on democratic leadership. nThe Rural Supervisor at Work,11 Yearbook, The Department of Rural Education. Washington: National Education Associa­ tion of the United States, 1949. 242 pp. This new yearbook listed services performed by different departments of the county superintendents staff, the need for certain specialists upon the county staff, the urgency of coordination of staff activities, the fact that county offices have the chief responsibili­ ty for improvement of instruction in rural areas, duties of the county superintendent, and relationships of various staff members. Simpson, Roy E., A p portionment of the California State School Fund for the Fiscal Year Ending June 50, 1949. Sacramen­ to: California State Department of Education, November, 1948. 101 pp. This book provided help in the present study in justifying the need for additional help in county superin' tendentrs offiees due to statistical information on average daily attendance in the several counties, and in limiting the present study to fifty-four counties of the State of California. f1Toward a New Curriculum,11 Yearbook, Department of Supervision and Curriculum Development. Washington: National Educa­ tion Association of the United States, 1944. 192 pp.

104 This source stressed the point that leadership of the kind needed in a democracy must he cultivated. It pointed the way to the leadership-service concept from the old leaders and followers concept. D.

UNPUBLISHED MATERIALS

California State Department of Education, Preliminary Final Budgetj County School Service Fund. Sacramento: California State Department of Education, Form No. J-72, March, 1950. This budget form provided proof of the existence of . the position of director of curriculum, and indicated that it was legal to pay for services of this kind being investigated in the present study. Heisner, Fred H., ”A Critical Study of the History, Develop­ ment, Use and Future of the Unapportioned County Elemen­ tary School Fund and the Unapportioned County High School Fund.” Unpublished Doctor1s dissertation, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 1946. 220 pp. This is one of several dissertations on various phases of the County Unit in California education. It was very helpful in planning this investigation. McGovern, Elcy, ”A Critical Evaluation of California General Elementary County School Supervisors.” Unpublished Doctor’s dissertation, The University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 1948. 255 pp. A survey and analysis of opinions concerning the value of many activities of county general elementary supervisors as given by closely related professional groups. Metts, Albert C., ”An Evaluation of the County School Organi­ sation in California as it Functions in Los Angeles County.” Unpublished Doctor’s dissertation, The University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 1932. 291 pp. This dissertation provided some helpful information on the topic of need for a curriculum director.

105 Stoops, Emery, uThe Organization and Administration of Certain Major Supervisory Services at the Secondary Level in Large City School Systems.” Unpublished Doctor1s dissertation, The University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 1941. 303 pp. This study contained a helpful list of principles for the organization and administration of supervisory services for the large city system. Illustrative figures depicting the administrative organization were included. Responsibilities and relationships of supervisory per­ sonnel were discussed at some length. Trillingham, C. C., Annual Report of the Superintendent of SchoolsT County of Los Angeles, (Los Angeles: County Superintendent of Schools Office, June, 1948), 97 pp. This publication was most helpful in indicating the duties performed by the various departments in a large county office staff. Williams, Daniel T., 11A Critical Study of the Organization and Functions of County Departments of Education in California.” Unpublished Doctor*s dissertation, The University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 1943. 369 pp. This study gave an excellent overview of county units, especially of the county board of education. The need for curriculum coordination and the legal aspects of the position were discussed at length.

APPENDIX

APPENDIX A LETTER OP TRANSMITTAL

Office of COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS P. F. Woodcock Superintendent Eureka, California April 8, 1950

With the rapid growth of California1s school population during the past few years, many of our county school offices have found it necessary to expand their professional staffs and reorganize their operational set-up* Along this line, the positions of director of curriculum or director of education or assistant superintendent in charge of the educational program of the county have been established. Very little has been written on the duties of this person who usually takes general responsibility for the organization or reorganization of curriculum,in the school system and ar­ ranges for and supervises the work of committees of teachers, supervisors, and individual experts in developing and instal­ ling courses of study in the various grade and subject levels* To help us determine current practice as well as profes­ sional training of the curriculum directors in the California county school offices, will you please refer the enclosed brief questionnaire to the person on your county staff who has the duties outlined in the paragraph above? We will greatly appreciate your assistance in this study and an early return of the questionnaire in the enclosed selfaddressed, stamped envelope. Cordially yours, P. F. WOODCOCK (SIGNED) P. F. Woodcock County Supt* of Schools ,ODEN W. HANSEN (SIGNED) Oden W* Hansen Director of Curriculum OWH/cw Enclosures

APPENDIX B QUESTIONNAIRE

THE STATUS OP DIRECTORS OP CURRICULUM IN THE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT’S OFFICE Educational Status Years of College Work Completed Highest Degree Earned Credentials Held: ________________

Experience Status (List years spent in each situation to date) Elementary Teaching________ _____Elementary Supervision Secondary Teaching _____Secondary Supervision Elementary Principal ship E lementary Superintendent Secondary Principalship Secondary Superintendent Other: ______________ _ (Please indicate) 1Title of Present Position Assistant Superintendent Curriculum Consultant D eputy Superintendent ____ Director of Curriculum Curriculum Coordinator__________ Director of Education 0 ther:_____________ _____ (Please indicate) Present Status In your county, which of the following describes your status? (Please check) Line officer — responsibility over other members of the staff and under the direction of the county superintendent* Staff officer — on an equal basis with other staff members with no responsibility over them — all equally responsible to county superintendent Other: (Please d e s c r i b e ) _______________________________ Job Time (Percentage of time spent serving elementary or secondary education) -Percent spent in elementary educational services* Percent spent in secondary educational services* Your name:____________________ (Optional)

County:_____ (Please indicate)

Would you like a copy of the findings of this study? Yes

, No*

.

I. ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE OFFICE 1. Directing the over-all super­ visory program of the county, under the superintendent* s guidance. 2. Organizing and editing course of study materials., 3. Recommending materials to the county board of education for adop­ tion. 4. Organizing and directing county office staff meetings. 5. Planning and organizing teachers i institute. 6. Planning and organizing trustees i institutes. 7. Compiling, editing, and distri­ buting the superintendent *s news­ letter or bulletin. 8. Assisting in the selection of personnel for the professional staff of the county office. 9. Inducting new members to the county office professional staff. II. ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE DISTRICTS 1. Organizing demonstrations, work­ shops, and in-service training meetings. 2. Improving county staff-school relationships through conference with principals and teachers. 3. Providing leadership or speakers for parent study-groups. 4. Planning for the interpretation of the school program to lay groups 5. Compiling community resources available for classroom use. 6. Supervising schools. 7. Assisting trustees with budgets or other problems. III. ACTIVITIES IN GENERAL 1. Representing the superintendent at professional meetings. 2. Representing the superintendent at lay meetings. IV. OTHER ACTIVITIES (Please list)

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PRESENT RESPONSIBILITIES OF DIRECTORS OF CURRICULUM (Please indicate the present status of coordinator-responsibilities in your county by checking in the appropriate column.)

With Whom Shared (Title)

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