PHASE I FINAL REPORT A NATIONAL LEVEL EVALUATION STUDY OF THE IMPACT OF TITLE I OF THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT OF 1965 ON THE PARTICIPATION OF NON-PUBLIC SCHOOL CHILDREN SUBMITTED TO THE U.S. COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION UNDER THE PROVISION OF PUBLIC LAW 89-10 PREPARED BY DR. VINCENT C. NUCCIO, PROJECT ADMINISTRATOR Boston College Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02167 PROJECT STAFF Dr. Vincent C. Nuccio, project administrator, assistant to the president, Boston College Dr. John J. Walsh, research director, director, office of educational research, Sister Marijane Werner, O.P., research associate FIELD SURVEY COORDINATORS Dr. Donald Biggs, office of the dean of Mr. Harry Hadley, graduate assistant Mr. Gerald Cecere, Counseling Center, Dr. John Jensen, acting director, ComSeton Hall University Dr. Robert Cummins, University of Mississippi Dr. Joseph Dameron, Southern Meth- Dr. Gabriel Della-Piana, University of Dr. Donald Erickson, associate profes- VIII puting Center, Boston College Dr. George Madaus, research director of Dr. Robert S. Miller, Counseling Center, of Dr. John Schmitt, director, office of testing services, Boston College ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We are indebted to the members of the project staff-Sister Marijane Werner, O.P., research associate; Mr. Peter Murphy and Mr. Robert Hayes, research assistants-and to Miss Angela Rositano, project secretary, for their outstanding efforts during phase I of this study. Our special thanks to the 14 field survey coordinators through whose efforts we were able to prepare the 30 case studies. They have devoted many hours and covered thousands of miles to interview representatives of the public and nonpublic sectors at both the State and local levels. Gratitude is also expressed to the representatives of the U.S. Office of Education for their valuable assistance and advice during the course of this project. A special word of thanks is extended to Miss Nancy Boutilier, Messrs. Joseph Foley and David Hilton, for their assistance in the preparation of this manuscript. VINCENT C. NUCCIO. JOHN J. WALSH. IX FOREWORD Since the founding days of our National Republic, laws have been enacted not only to enhance the ordinary process of democratic government, but also to serve as guidelines to the implementation for all citizens of the American dream of opportunity. From colonial days the key to opportunity has been equated with good schooling and good education. Thus, our Founding Fathers built our Nation and its laws upon the concept that opportunity for all means education for all. For many decades, governmental responsibility toward education was fulfilled at the local and State levels. Yet, with the advent of rapid transportation and communication, with the phenomenon of a highly mobile population, and with an ever-growing economic cleavage between rich and poor, the Federal Government in recent years has taken an increased interest in the extent to which opportunity is available to all American children. For many decades our National Government has been unable to enact constructive educational laws for many reasons, paramount among which was the unwritten American tradition of the touchy and multifaceted church-state dilemma. In 1965 the Federal Government, after many months of deliberation and compromise, enacted the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, which was a tribute to the 89th Congress and a masterpiece of ingenuity in circumventing old problems and in producing legislation geared to the equalization of opportunity for all citizens through quality education. The lion's share of ESEA programs and appropriations centers arount a human problem, the alleviation of which seldom falls under law, and whose surcease cannot be hampered by tradition: the problem of poverty and its degrading human, social, and economic stepchildren. The poor of our Nation have become spectators to the panorama of American affluence and abundance. While their heads and hearts reach out to the mainstream of the good life, their hands have neither the educational nor technical fingers with which to grasp a share of that good life for themselves or their children. Most apparently these poor Americans huddle in the ghettos of our large urban areas, but closer scrutiny reveals them also to be found everywhere in our hidden America. The needs of the children of the poor are their common bond and our Nation's common shame. They are black and white, urban and rural, Northern and Southern, in both public and nonpublic schools. The eligibility of poor children everywhere for intensive and immediate governmental action through massive educational legislation is beyond the arena of traditional debate and longstanding vested interest. This eligibility is what title I has clearly legislated. However, to translate legislative responsibility into programs and services which will adequately carry out the intent of Congress is a task that demands constant and careful evaluation. With particular respect to the poor who subscribe to nonpublic education for their chil ΧΙ |