Abstract
Purpose of the Study. Because AB 65 requires community-based participation in the development of student graduation requirements, it is of primary interest to examine the factors which form community-based input in order to determine if any are influential in the development of the content of such specifications. For the purpose of this study, the term community-based participation is defined as a single entity composed of two factors: parent or other community-member involvement in the process of the development of student graduation requirements, and demographic characteristics of a community. Methodology. The methodology involved a sampling of school districts in five southern California counties. Districts were selected for the sampling to ensure proportional representativeness. Once the districts were selected, a letter of transmittal was sent to each, asking for its assistance in the study by sending a copy of its student specifications of graduation requirements (dependent variable). Upon receipt of a district's student graduation requirements, a questionnaire was sent requesting that the district respond to questions designed to determine the amount of community participation (independent variable) in the process of forming the district's student graduation requirements. Demographic descriptors (independent variable) of the communities in which school districts are located also were gathered. The student graduation requirements, results of the questionnaires, and the demographic descriptors then were classified and categorized; and four statistical methods were used to analyze materials and validate the research questions. The statistical methods used were the Pearson Product Moment Coefficient of Correlation and variations, Chi square, the Fisher Exact Probability Test, and frequency distribution. The .05 level of significance was used wherever appropriate to determine relationships. J. P. Guilford's scheme of correlation values was used to determine the magnitude of correlation coefficients. Results. The results indicated no significant relationship between community involvement and student graduation requirements. The study indicated a lack of variation in each of the variables studied and hence showed little correlation among them. The results also showed no support for the influence of demographic indicators on student graduation requirements. It seems, therefore, that the development of student graduation requirements is not a result of community participation, but rather of something that transcends the boundaries of school districts. The study did indicate that the drive for quality education has brought about emphasis of a return to the basic skills. The narrow range of variation among school districts in regard to student graduation requirements reinforces this drive toward the basic skills. The impact of community involvement on educational decision making has no effect on the content of this process. This would seem to present some consideration for future studies.