A Procedure for Identifying Problems and Solutions in Desegregated Schools.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the usefulness of a procedure (a modification of the Delphi technique) for identifying racially-related problems and achieving some consensus on solutions to these problems among students, parents, and the school staff. The students who participated attended six classes which were selected to provide a balanced cross-section of students. The first step was the completion of an open-ended questionnaire designed to elicit racially-connected school problems and suggested solutions. A second questionnaire was developed using the problems most frequently mentioned by the different groups representing each race. Under each problem were listed solutions that were suggested by the respondents, as well as those suggested by the project staff and two consultants. This second questionnaire was distributed to the participants asking them to evaluate each proposed solution to a problem on a five-point scale, or if they felt that the statement was not a problem, they could check that alternative. A third and final questionnaire was to be administered to the participants, specifying the most frequent response given to each solution. The third questionnaire was not approved by the principal and therefore was not administered. Even without the third questionnaire, this modified Delphi technique did provide a surprising degree of consensus concerning the solutions to most of the problems which were identified. (Author/JM)