Date of Award

1990

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Curriculum, Instruction, and Media Technology

Abstract

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the control of education in the state of Indiana and to determine what state legislation provided greater or lesser discretion to local school boards for the period 1973-1988. Method. The study involved historical research. A review of the literature was conducted on the following topics: historical background, social issues which affect control of public schools, federal and state legislation which has effected control of public schools, teachers' organizations and their effect on control of public schools, and finance and its effect on control of public schools. Public Laws enacted by the Indiana State Legislature for the period 1973-1988 were then analyzed using the seven categories of interaction scale of state versus local control developed by Fredrick M. Wirt. Conclusions. The Indiana State Legislature has not provided greater discretion to local school boards. Of the fifteen (15) areas examined which were affected by laws enacted by the Indiana State Legislature, only two (2), transportation and miscellaneous, were found to provide greater discretion to local school boards. Of the remaining thirteen (13) areas, all were found to provide less discretion to local school boards. The areas examined and the ranking from high to low, with high indicating less discretion to local school boards, were as follows: teacher retirement, collective bargaining, State Department of Education, students, unemployment compensation, curriculum, administrative agencies, personnel/staff, finance, teachers, business management, school programs/operations, school boards, miscellaneous and transportation.

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