School completion to the end of Year 12 in rural, regional, and disadvantaged communities is an acknowledged challenge in Australia and internationally. This research reports the beliefs of 86 rural and regional community leaders in the Australian state of Tasmania. A survey on issues associated with students' school completion was designed…

Investigates how attitudes toward the mentally ill affect their involvement in the community and what can be done to enhance such involvement. Draws conclusions from research on these issues and makes recommendations for policy based on the findings. (Author)

The manner in which the United States courts have attempted to establish the validity of remedies and gain public acceptance of court orders in desegregation issues has encouraged public resistance to desegregation laws. In education related matters, the courts usually call on the expertise of lawyers and university professionals who have little…

The purpose of this study was to determine attitudinal differentiations within the Mexican American community's leadership in the implementation of effective programs to incorporate Mexican Americans into the general planning process and, more specifically, into governmental planning offices. The thesis tested was that Mexican American involvement…

During the months of November 1987 through February 1988, the Colorado Springs Public Schools, District 11, designed and implemented a community survey. The survey was conducted to determine community perceptions of public education in the district, assess community expectations for the schools, determine community attitudes toward current…

Disturbed by the community's negative attitude toward its prospects for progress, the Hannibal (Missouri) Chamber of Commerce initiated a community self-survey to improve the situation. The questionnaire survey concentrated on felt needs relationg to city government, retail facilities and services, recreation, religion, education, industrial…

This report presents the findings and recommendations of a study to determine the attitudes of taxpayers toward the performance of School District 4J in Eugene, Oregon. Data revealed that only 32 percent of the taxpayers considered the district schools to be meeting community needs. Since the constituent opinions toward appropriate school…

The purpose of this Personalized Activity Kit is to help the participant develop the skills necessary to collect facts related to concerns already gathered. Specifically, these skills are methods for collecting a full range of facts and a means for sifting out the statements that are not true or valid. Guidelines and exercises for distinguishing…

By focusing on the entire community as stakeholders in the public schools, the school board, the superintendent, and principals are forced to identify and cultivate the diverse groups in the community. Eight essential steps to developing an effective stakeholder management strategy are listed. (Author/DCS)

To help educators improve their school public relations (PR) programs, this handbook tells them how to identify and communicate with "special publics" and how to evaluate their communication efforts. An introductory overview points out that two-thirds to three-quarters of the adult population have no children in school and that schools need to…

A survey of 100 principals known for their successful programs for obtaining community support brought many effective techniques to light. These methods fall into four categories: written and oral communications, community involvement in decision making, use of school volunteers, and encouragement of parent-faculty organizations. (PGD)

This document consists of two guides that were developed to assist small rural communities in northern Alberta (Canada) in conducting surveys. A community survey can be used to develop long- and short-range plans, define and solve problems, establish priorities, confirm public opinion, develop community support and stimulate action, and reveal new…

This Personalized Activity Kit describes various ways to gather school/community concerns--questionnaires, student speak-outs, community concerns conferences, and interviews. A variety of methods should be used in gathering concerns. Concerns gathering usually begins with an identification of current district goals. From the list of goals, a…

It is essential that school board members understand the important role that public sentiment plays both in the management of the public schools and in the determination of legislated powers of local school boards. The 14 articles from the "Illinois School Board Journal" presented here were chosen for the light they shed on public…