Connecting Kids to Community with Survey Research

Abstract

Many school districts across the United States are experiencing negative reactions from the com munities they serve. The linkage between local real estate values and school taxes has created an environment where school bud gets are the focus of acrimonious debates. Besieged taxpayers, when given the option, have begun to reject school budgets at an alarming rate indicating their frustration with governmental expropriation of their earnings. Decimated, bare bones school budgets put many educational programs in jeopardy. Maintenance of facilities is deferred. Contract negotiations with employees become embittered. Respect for the school by parents and students dimin ishes. Some districts have been taken over by private business or simply shut down by authorities unable to adequately fund them. A downward spiral of distrust among all parties to the debate picks up a menacing momentum. How can this cycle be broken? Though the problem can be attacked from many angles, there is a role for class room teachers to play. A review of recent research indicates that there are some rea sonable ways for teachers to help forge a more symbiotic relationship between school and community. Versteeg (1993) has noted the efficacy of viewing the school as a com munity resource. He described helping schools in rural communities move from being a drain on community resources to being an asset for ensuring rural vitality. By using the community as a focus of study, we can improve the education of our students and contribute to the well being of the com munity at the same time (p. 54). Downs (1993) found survey and inter view techniques to be very useful in her sev enth grade social studies classes. When her classes were engaged in survey research a noticeable improvement in school/commu nity relations ensued. Additional research conducted by McNeil (1986) and Wagner (1993) indicated that structural school reforms must be based on authentic, ongo ing conversations about important educa tional questions. We wanted to confirm Down's experience to see if survey research could be useful in improving school/com munity relations by facilitating meaningful dialogue, between seventh graders and members of the community. Would 12 and 13 year olds be truly capable of this level of research?