Date of Award

6-1997

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

Dr. Robert O. Brinkerhoff

Second Advisor

Dr. Uldis Smidchens

Third Advisor

Dr. Peter Kobrak

Abstract

Data for this study were gathered by survey from public school districts in the state of Michigan that employed more than one central office administrator. The survey was sent to human resource administrators as well as assistant superintendents and other central office administrators in 339 school districts. A total of 188 valid responses were received for a response rate of 55.8 percent.

The study tested five relational hypotheses. Ha1 through Ha4 were tested to determine if a relationship existed between the category of school district readiness to implement Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA Readiness) and such school district structural considerations as the presence of a fulltime human resource administrator, student enrollment, size of general fund budget, and geographic location. Resulting data supported the existence of a relationship between the category ADA Readiness and size of general fund budget. A relationship was also established between Readiness and the presence of a fulltime human resource administrator. Relationships were not established between Readiness and student enrollment or district geographic location.

A positive, though small, relationship was found to exist between public school central office administrators’ perceptions of how their superintendents support change and ADA Readiness (the coefficient of determination in the study was less than 6 percent). This relationship was strong enough to support Has, "there is a relationship between public school central office administrators’ perceptions of top school management (superintendent) support for change and school district ADA Readiness".

Access Setting

Dissertation-Open Access

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