Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to identify the desired knowledge, skills, and attitudes of students exiting grade twelve in five selected high schools as determined by parents and certificated staff. The study compared the outcomes identified by these stakeholder groups. Further, the study determined the degree to which the identified knowledge, skills, and attitudes were addressed in the schools' written curricula in the areas of English/language arts and mathematics. Methodology. The research design was descriptive. Five comprehensive nine-through-twelve public high schools were selected to participate in this study. Twenty-five parents and certificated staff from each school used a Nominal Group Technique to identify desired student outcomes. Qualitative analysis was used to determine patterns and themes that emerged from the data. Conclusions. Parents and educators value a range of student outcomes. They envision well-rounded students who have academic knowledge and skills. The values of parents and staff are similar regarding the desired knowledge, skills, and attitudes for students. The student outcomes desired by parents and staff are typically not clearly addressed in schools' curricula. Recommendations. (1) The nonacademic curricula of schooling should be formalized; (2) local school curricula should be formally monitored; (3) stakeholders should be involved in the identification of student outcomes and the outcomes should be included in local curricula; and (4) curriculum documents should have a standard design format.