Abstract
The purpose of the study was to determine the incidence of pairing of elementary schools in California, what motivated the pairings, the resisting forces in each case, the advantages and disadvantages to students, staff, parents and districts and costs which were incurred by districts as a result of pairing. The study was also to determine processes districts have utilized and management issues they faced when pairing elementary schools. For the purposes of this study, pairing involves the combining of attendance areas of two elementary schools; the combined attendance area then is considered as a single population. One school site houses the primary grades, and the other site houses the upper elementary grades. This study included only schools where the elementary grades were considered grades kindergarten through fifth or sixth grade. 65 districts were determined to be the population of California districts having paired elementary schools. A structured questionnaire was developed, field tested and mailed to 65 districts in California. A 77 percent response was achieved. The major reasons for pairing schools were, in priority order: to achieve ethnic balance, to make better use of existing facilities, to focus on the educational/psychological needs of children in specific age groups and to allow for more classes at each grade level. Pairing succeeded in accomplishing its intent in 70 percent or more of the instances when pairing was done for the following reasons: desegregation, more classes at each grade level, making better use of existing school facilities, preventing school closure, improving peer interaction, facilitating multi-level instruction at each grade level, saving money, decreasing the number of combination grades and increasing the school population. In some cases parents and teachers were seen as resisting forces to pairing. In more instance, however, districts responded that there were no resisting forces. Among the processes used by districts in preparing for pairing, meetings, planning sessions and informal discussions emerged as the most frequently used modes of communication with staffs and parents. The main disadvantages resulting from pairing were: separation from siblings, loss of neighborhood school for some students, transportation issues, loss of older student role models and limited cross-age tutoring The main advantages resulting from pairing were: a better concentration of materials/resources at each level, more focused curricula, more classes at each grade level, a better ethnic balance, better use of existing facilities, fewer combination grades, better multi-level instruction at each grade level and more positive peer interaction. Transportation costs were the main costs incurred by districts when pairing schools. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.).