An assessment of parents' perceptions toward selected aspects of the Extended School Program in the Murfreesboro City Schools

Gloria Lee Bonner, Tennessee State University

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate parents' perceptions of the relative importance of Murfreesboro City Schools' Extended School Program objectives and its effectiveness in meeting its stated objectives. Data for this study were collected using a questionnaire, designed by the researcher, which was distributed to 520 parents with children participating in the Extended School Program during the 1987-88 academic year. Two hundred eighty-four parents completed the questionnaire for a 55 percent return. The chi-square (X$\sp2$) statistic and the one-way analysis of variance were utilized for treatment of data. Analyses of all responses to the objective categories were used to determine the parents' perceptions toward program objectives and how well the objectives are being fulfilled. In order to analyze the data on the relative importance of program objectives, as perceived by parents, the condescriptive statistical treatment was applied to all categories. The mean scores indicated that the respondents had a positive perception of the program's objectives and that parents perceived program objectives were being fulfilled. The composite mean scores indicate that providing for the safety and health of children category was ranked by parents as the highest program objective. When data were analyzed by race, there were no significant differences in parents' perceptions of importance of program objectives. The results indicate that both black and white respondents perceive the Extended School Program as being effective. The analyses of data revealed a significant difference between the highest total household income group and the lowest total household income group on the importance of cultural experiences objective. In addition, there was a significant difference between the $20,000 to \$34,999 per year income group and the $60,000 and over per year group on how well the enriched and flexible curriculum objectives categories are being fulfilled.

Subject Area

Elementary education

Recommended Citation

Gloria Lee Bonner, "An assessment of parents' perceptions toward selected aspects of the Extended School Program in the Murfreesboro City Schools" (1988). ETD Collection for Tennessee State University. Paper AAI9017215.
https://digitalscholarship.tnstate.edu/dissertations/AAI9017215

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