Organization and Administration

Abstract

There was no chapter on organization and administration in the October 1962 REVIEW which last summarized research in vocational, technical, and practical arts education, although two studies of this type were reported in an introductory chapter. Many of the studies of educational organization, administration, and finance reported in the October 1967 issue of the REVIEW have implications for vocaticnal education, but few dealt wiih the problems peculiar to vocational education. During the six years since research in vocational education was last reviewed, it has probably been given more attention than it had received during all the years preceding 1962. Funds, personnel, and facilities for research have become available from federal, state, and private sources. Research in the field, long undernourished, developed almost explosively. The period should therefore be treated in an unusual way. Several significant new agencies for research in vocational education have not had time to complete very many projects, but attention will be given to their potential. Public policy decisions condition what can be done in providing organization, administration, finance, personnel, and facilities; hence, studies of policy and planning, organization and administration, public information, and public relationships will be included in this review. Several investigations, including some which have had great impact, are not reviewed in this chapter because they have not been reported in standard publications and are not generally available. These are the studies which have preceded the organization or reorganization of vocational education by school districts, larger areas within states, and states. For example, comprehensive state surveys were made in at least 30 states, most of them contributing to changed state policies relating to organization, administration, finance, personnel, and facilities for vocational education. Many of the state surveys dealt with the organization of area schools to provide vocational and technical education: junior and community colleges, vocational schools, technical institutes, branches of universities, and high schools serving students from a number of local districts. Many other studies were made in areas within states that were planning or replanning schools of these types. In addition, there were a number of significant local studies. About 33 doctoral theses were completed on subjects related to this chapter, and 17 of them dealt with problems of organization and administration.