Masters Theses

Date of Award

6-1982

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Communication

Major Professor

George A. Everett

Committee Members

James A. Cook, Malcolm C. McInnis

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine what sources Buncombe County, N.C., residents use to obtain public school information and to learn their opinions of the schools.

A stratified random sample of 121 residents was interviewed by telephone from February 16 to March 20, 1982. Parents and nonparents were interviewed if they were 18 years of age or older and lived in one of the six county school districts.

The survey questionnaire mostly contained questions from the 1979 study, The Origin of Ohio Households' Opinions About Public Education, jointly sponsored and conducted by the Appalachia Educational Laboratory and the Ohio Department of Education.

Findings, which were compared to the Ohio study's results, revealed that Buncombe County residents want more information about schools than they are now getting, and they rely heavily on the mass media to become informed. However, both parents and nonparents prefer to be informed by school-based sources. Respondents rate the quality of local education higher when judged on its own merit than when compared to the national average. The highest percentage of respondents graded the mass media with a C for its coverage of local schools.

Findings of the Buncombe County and Ohio studies were similar except, compared to Buncombe County people, Ohio respondents were more satisfied with the amount of school information they had received and with the quality of local education. Specific recommendations included:

1. Emphasize the positive results of this study to improve the image of the schools.

2. Publish a newsletter that would contain information from all levels in the school system-superintendent, school board, principals and teachers.

3. Make it clear to parents that they may call the schools to schedule an appointment with teachers, and they may visit the schools at any time.

4. Improve media coverage by noting what topics residents want to know more about; it was recommended the local newspaper publish a regular staff-written school page.

5. Publish the schools' annual report as a newspaper insert which reaches parents and nonparents.

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