A Study of Shared Time-Public and Parochial Schools
Authors:   , Regan M. 
Published: February 2023

The purpose of this study was (1) to determine the feasibility of organizing and adopting shared time programs to secure additional instruction and services for individual students of public and nonpublic schools; (2) to determine the procedures and factors necessary for successful programs; and (3) to suggest recommendations and possible approaches in the areas of financial burdens, administrative practices, and the continued experimentations of this plan. Current periodicals dealing with the development of existing shared time programs were reviewed from the Forsyth Library of Fort Hays Kansas State College and the following college libraries in Wichita: Mt. St. Mary's Convent, Wichita University, and Sacred Heart College. Questionnaires were sent out to administrators or principals of schools which were known to be engaged in sharing time for instruction. These questionnaires were sent to seven states: Kansas, Connecticut, Ohio, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, and Pennsylvania. A total of twenty-eight or 84 per cent of the questionnaires were returned. Some administrators and principals reported more than one school sharing, thus the questionnaires represented a total of fifty schools. Replies from the questionnaires were divided into these categories: length of time in operation, administrative procedures, academic area, financial factors, and community aspects. Principals or administrators reported the schools engaging in shared time vary from many years, eighteen years, fifteen years to one year. The greatest growth has taken place in the past three years with 56 per cent of all respondents giving this time as the adoption of this plan. Administrative policies determined by cooperative efforts show that a high rate of correlation existed in the areas of disciplinary action, reporting practices, record keeping, and transportation with 16.4 per cent for each area. Guidance services represented 13.9 per cent of all the factors and scheduling practices were represented by 13.9 per cent of all jointly planned policies of sharing schools. Common aspects of scheduling which often create difficulties to all schools were noted by the respondents. Only in four cases did the public school administrators do all the planning of the schedules. Time conflicts between teacher and pupil schedules remained the greatest problem in scheduling practices. The traditional time schedule of fifty-five minutes was most widely used, however, four schools reported using the block while one mentioned the modular-flexible type of schedule which was thought to be more satisfactory. Academic areas which were most frequently mentioned were courses in the industrial arts field. The fifty-four times industrial arts was mentioned represented almost 33 1/3 per cent of the total sharing found in public schools. The courses in mathematics figured about 16 per cent of the programs. The home economics courses were mentioned by twenty respondents as an area of sharing. In the field of Science, Physics was listed with the greatest frequency or 3.9 per cent of the total program. Other courses were: Chemistry, General Science, and Biology. It was also revealed that fewer students selected courses in the fine arts or in the field of foreign languages. Financial factors common to these schools were found to be in the areas of burden which was assumed by the local school district in 46.9 per cent of all the responses. Only eight respondents received any remuneration for their district while extending their services and facilities to more students of the non-public schools. Also included were the various areas in which shared time programs alleviated burdens to non-public schools. Leading in these responses was the area of equipment with a 29.6 per cent. The correlations of the remaining factors was high, namely, maintenance 27.9 per cent; staff 22.1 per cent; and construction 20.4 per cent. The strengths of this program as reported included: (1) relief of the financial load of non-public schools; (2) included full use of the facilities, personnel, and maintenance in order to benefit all children of a community; (3) little, if any, additional costs to school districts; (4) acceptance of shared time without any revision of school board policies; and (5) transportation did not seem to be an added burden. The weakness of the programs were found to be in these areas: (1) public relations programs; (2) evaluation procedures and practices; and (3) lack of financial reimbursements to local schools by the majority of states. It was found that interest on the part of legislators is evident from the fact that three times proposals have been submitted to the Senate Subcommittee on Education of the Committee on Labor and Public welfare for their study or upon their request for evidence of these programs. Finally, shared time will only be desirable to all if it protects the framework of the public school, as well as, its dignity and quality. All funds or any aid received could be handled by the public schools for administration of such programs and insuring the separation of Church and state. This, then, could well be the means of breaking the stalemate of Federal aid to education with all school children benefitting from the resources, facilities, and faculties of our American Public School System. This abstract is about 1,200 words in length.