VOCATIONAL SCHOOL BOND ISSUES IN IOWA.

Overview & Synopsis

FROM 1960 THROUGH 1964, 24 OF IOWA'S 209 SCHOOL DISTRICTS HELD SCHOOL BOND ISSUE ELECTIONS IN WHICH PART OF THE ISSUE WAS ASSIGNED FOR VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PURPOSES. INTERVIEWS WITH 20 OF THE 24 SUPERINTENDENTS YIELDED INFORMATION FOR A DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS OF (1) THE PERCEIVED IMPORTANCE OF THE VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PORTION OF THE TOTAL BOND ELECTION CAMPAIGN, (2) CHANGES IN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION OFFERINGS SINCE THE ELECTIONS, (3) CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND (4) ATTITUDES TOWARD THE NEWER AREA VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS AUTHORIZED BY THE FEDERAL VOCATIONAL EDUCATION ACT OF 1963. THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF VOCATIONAL TRAINING, BOTH NATIONALLY AND IN IOWA, IS REVIEWED. TABULATED INFORMATION INCLUDES FACILITIES FOR WHICH BOND ISSUE APPROVAL WAS REQUESTED, COMMUNITY PERCEPTION OF THE ROLE OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION IN THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM, AND SUPERINTENDENT'S PERCEPTION OF VOTER CONCERN ABOUT VOCATIONAL EDUCATION COSTS AND VOTER KNOWLEDGE OF SPECIFIC VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS. SUPERINTENDENTS FELT COMMUNITY ATTITUDES TOWARD BOND ISSUE ELECTIONS WERE LARGELY UNAFFECTED BY INCLUSION OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION NEEDS IN THE BOND PROPOSAL. (JK)