Date of Award

2005

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

W. Keith Christy, Ed.D

Abstract

School reform initiatives have commonly included the highly controversial practice of school consolidation. These efforts by educators and lawmakers have been made to improve the quality and limit the cost of the educational system. While research exists on many effects of consolidation, findings have been mixed in determining the overall effectiveness of consolidating schools. Research has generally indicated a strong relationship between student participation in extracurricular activities and higher levels of student achievement. Little, if any, research has been conducted on the relationship between school consolidation and extracurricular activity participation. This study was conducted to determine the effects of consolidation on extracurricular activity participation in selected Arkansas high schools. In order to determine these effects, the following research questions were addressed: (1) Is there a difference between the number of extracurricular activities offered by the affected high schools and the consolidated high schools? (2) Is there a significant difference between the number of students who participated in extracurricular activities in the affected h i ^ schools and the consolidated high schools? (3) Is there a significant difference between the number of extracurricular activities in which each student participated in the affected high schools and the consolidated high schools? These questions were answered for all extracurricular activities combined, as well as for athletic activities alone. Administrators and students in three recently consolidated high schools in Arkansas were surveyed to determine the effects of consolidation on participation in extracurricular activities. Administrator data indicated that students from small schools that merged with other small schools were not afforded a greater number of extracurricular opportunities. Only students from the small school that merged with a larger school with more activities already in place benefited from a wider range of offerings. Analysis of student data yielded no significant difference in the number of students participating in activities before and after consolidation. Further analysis yielded statistically significant differences in the number of activities in which students participated before and after consolidation. These differences had very weak effect sizes, however. It was concluded that consolidation had no effects on participation in extracurricular activities in selected Arkansas high schools.

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