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A questionnaire survey of 1,506 teachers in 89 elementary and secondary schools in eastern Massachusetts examined teachers' reactions to declining enrollments and school district retrenchment policies. The hypotheses tested suggest that, in districts whose reduction-in-force (RIF) policies include performance evaluations as well as seniority as criteria for dismissal, teachers facing imminent dismissal will seek greater participation in school decision-making because such RIF policies would increase teachers' uncertainty. This will be especially true, the hypotheses propose, when teachers have less contact with supervisors or principals. The survey gathered data on district enrollment changes and RIF criteria and on teacher age, sex, educational background, contact with administrators, and preferences for participation in school decision-making. Examination of the survey results using analysis of variance revealed little support for the hypotheses. Districts with quite different RIF criteria and enrollment declines showed only small differences in teacher preferences for decision-making participation. However, further evidence is being gathered to trace longitudinal changes as enrollment declines deepen and RIFs increase. (RW)

As part of an ongoing three-year investigation into the effects of declining enrollment and reduction in force (RIF) on teachers, this paper explores: (1) teacher acceptance of exclusive administrative control over performance evaluations, and (2) teacher preferences for colleague input into the evaluation process. A sample of 85 schools was drawn from 16 Massachusetts school districts, half of which had experienced enrollment declines; the other half served as a control group. The analysis is based on the responses of 1,045 teachers, 38 percent of those eligible. Administrators who regularly visit classrooms and discuss work-related questions received more acceptance of their evaluative role. Percent of male teachers was inversely related to contact with supervision, a factor that is confounded by grade level and sex of the administrator. Senior staff are more accepting of administrative authority and less enthusiastic about peer input. When joint teaching is a factor, teachers show signs of acceptance of peer judgments and less acceptance of administrative evaluations. While only 33 percent of the respondents said colleague evaluations should be very important or essential, in RIF decisions 54 percent would agree to peer observation of, and reports on, their teaching. (MLF)

The research analyzed data sets covering 1981-1985 enrollments, transfers, and withdrawals at two large urban high schools (called Urbana and Northern) in eastern Massachusetts and personal interviews with selected school administrators in four school districts to investigate high dropout rates among Hispanics. Findings indicated that 30% of the 861 freshmen who entered Urbana in 1981 withdrew before that class graduated in June 1985, with 30-50% leaving before the end of their freshman year. Of 179 confirmed dropouts and 86 long-term absent students at Northern between September 1985 and February 1986, 58% were Hispanic. According to student records, 63% "left to seek employment," 33% left for unknown reasons, and only 8 left for school-related reasons dealing with grades, curriculum, and relationships with teachers/peers. Equal numbers of boys and girls withdrew from school and pregnancy or marriage was listed for only 4 Urbana dropouts. Gross dropout figures miss students who do not return following summer vacations or become "inactive." The study concluded that better recordkeeping is necessary for further research and intervention efforts. Centralized registration procedures, parent liaisons, and strong central administrative support for bilingual services have helped Northern do a better job of dropout intervention. (NEC)

This paper proposes a longitudinal study of Eastern Massachusetts secondary students from two culturally diverse locations beginning in the fall of 1986 and ending with their high school graduations in 1991 and 1992. After discussing dropout prevention strategies, the paper offers the following justification for the study: By following these students over a protracted period, this research should be a significant step in disentangling the effects of sociocultural background, the sense of belonging or not belonging to a school, and the precipitating events on students' decisions to graduate or withdraw. (JAM)