PREFACE.

The aim of this study is to present data concerning school-board organization, administration, and supervision in cities of more than 25,000 population. The data have been compiled from replies to questionnaires addressed to superintendents of schools and to secretaries of school boards. A sufficient number of replies have been received to make it possible to present data from the representative city schools of the country and to present summaries that show prevailing practice.

1

Theories of school administration are not discussed, because of a lack of space and because these are easily accessible in several excellent textbooks on the subject and in two or three current educational magazines. The summary of each topic consists of two parts. In one part the prevailing practice is described, generally with the aid of graphs; in the other the prevailing opinion of students of school administration is presented, as interpreted from textbooks on school administration, current educational magazines, and city school surveys.

1 A bibliography will be furnished upon request.

VI

CURRENT PRACTICE IN CITY SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION.

THE SCHOOL BOARD.

Number of members. The consensus of opinion is that a small school board can work more effectively than a large one. Few, if any, students of school administration favor a board of education of more than 15 members. Practically all advocate a board of 5, 7, or 9 members. In practice the size of school boards in cities of 100,000 or more population ranges from 4 to 46 members. The median number is 9 and the mode 5. In cities having between 25,000 and 100,000 population the number of board members ranges from 3 to 21. The median number is 7 and the mode 9.

These facts are represented by graphs I, II

I. Size of school boards in 43 cities of 100,000 population and over.
Median, 9; mode, 5.

How selected.-Educational thought favors election of board members at large by popular vote or appointment by mayor. Fewer schoolmen favor appointment by the mayor than election by the people. Practically no students of school administration favor appointment by the city council or the courts. In practice 64 per cent of the school boards in cities of 100,000 or more population are elected by the people, 22 per cent are appointed by the mayor, 7 per cent by the city council or commission, and 7 per cent by the courts.

In cities having between 25,000 and 100,000 population 79 per cent are elected by popular vote, 16 per cent appointed by the mayor, and 5 per cent by the council or commission.

Comparison of the statistics for 57 of the larger cities with similar statistics1 collected in 1902 shows that there have been few changes

1 School Administration in Municipal Government. Frank Rollins.

46

Number of members.

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 II. Size of school boards in 138 cities between 25,000 and 100,000 population.

Median, 7; mode, 9.

in the method of selecting school-board members. Two of the 57 cities have changed from election by popular vote to appointment by mayor, and 2 to appointment by the courts; 1 has changed from

a board appointed by the
council to an elective

board.

For tables showing present methods of selecting school-board members in the cities reporting, see pages 23-27. These facts are illustrated by graphs III, IV.

District from which
elected or appointed.—It
is doubtful whether any-
one who has made a
study of city school ad-
ministration would ad-
vocate the election of
school board members
by wards. Election at
large has in practically
every instance brought
about a more efficient
management of city
schools. The ward sys-
tem has almost disap-
peared, and will no doubt
within a few years give
way entirely to election

at large. In 1902, 25 of
57 cities elected or ap-
pointed school board
members by wards or
districts. In 1916 there

are in these same 57
cities only 9 in which

the school board is elected or appointed by ward or district.

In practice 86 per cent of the the cities of 100,000 or more population electing board members elect them at large; 11 per cent, by wards;

107

22

765432

IV. By whom school board members are chosen in 136 cities from 25,000 to 100,000 population.

and 3 per cent, by a combination of the two methods. Of the cities having between 25,000 and 100,000 population electing board members, 77 per cent elect at large, 15 per cent by wards, and 8 per cent by a combination of the two methods.

Number

of cities.

City.

25

3

Wards.

City and

wards.

In cities where the school

board members are ap-
pointed, they are, with the
exception of few cities, ap-
pointed to represent the en-
tire city rather than some
ward or district. For infor-
mation regarding districts
from which board members
are elected in the different
cities, see pages 23-27.

Graphs V, VI illustrate
the preceding facts regard-
ing the district from which
school board members are
elected.

Tenure. The prevailing opinion is that school board members should be elected for a long term, so that there may not be a complete change in the personnel of the board every two or three years. A five-year term would more nearly meet with general approval than a three-year term. In practice the length of term in most cities is less than five years. In cities of 100,000 or more population the term ranges from two to six years, the median and mode each being four years. In cities of between 25,000 and 100,000 population the term ranges from two to seven years, the median and mode each being three years.

2

1

V. District from which board

members in 29 cities of 100,000 or more population

are elected.

For tables giving length of term of school board members in each of the cities reporting, see pages 23-27.