National Survey of Secondary Education. Bulletin, 1932, No. 17. Monograph No. 13: Provisions for Individual Differences, Marking, and Promotion
Author: Billett, Roy O.
Date: 1933-00-00
Type: Historical Materials
Subjects: Homogeneous Grouping,Individual Differences,Principals,Secondary Education,High Schools,Special Classes,National Surveys,Grading,Advisory Committees,School Supervision,School Restructuring,High School Students,Administrator Attitudes,Gifted

In order that we may know where we stand in secondary education, the membership of the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools four years ago took the lead in urging a study. It seemed to them that it was wise for such a study to be made by the Government of the United States rather than by a private foundation; for if such an agency studied secondary education, it might be accused either rightly or wrongly, toward a special interest. When the members of a committee of this association appeared before the Bureau of the Budget in 1928, they received a very courteous hearing. It was impossible, so the Chief of the Budget Bureau thought, to obtain all the money which the commission felt desirable; with the money which was obtained, $225,000, to be expended over a 3-year period, it was found impossible to do all the things that the committee had in mind. It was possible, however, to study those things which pertained strictly to secondary education, that is, its organization; its curriculum, including some of the more fundamental subjects, and particularly those subjects on which a comparison could be made between the present and earlier periods; its extracurriculum, which is almost entirely new in the past 30 years; the pupil population; and administrative and supervisory problems, personnel, and activities. This monograph, represents a careful study of what high schools are doing in providing for individual differences of pupils. There were two purposes in its preparation - first, to report accurately what the secondary schools do, and, second, to present an accurate analysis of the provisions that are in use at the present time. In the present investigation a 1-page inquiry was sent to the complete mailing list of high schools in the Office of Education. Twenty-eight provisions commonly shown in literature to be used by high schools in caring for individual differences of pupils were enumerated. A space was left for reporting any other. To this inquiry more than 11,000 replies were returned, and, after rejection of those which were incomplete, 8,594 remained. Every State in the Union and high schools of every size were represented. More than half of the schools had 250 or fewer pupils; 1,605 schools had 500 or more pupils. More than half of the schools were of the reorganized type. A total of 4,304 schools reported having grades 9-12. Among 8,594 replies selected, 101 principals had filled in the twenty-ninth blank; 45 of these had enumerated supervised study other than this reply, they gave such answers as lip-reading classes and Braille classes. The six provisions regarded by principals as being used most effectively were: (1) homogeneous grouping; (2) the Morrison plan; (3) opportunity rooms for gifted pupils; (4) differentiated assignments; (5) the contract plan; and (6) opportunity rooms for slow pupils. All these could be treated under three major headings, namely; (1) homogeneous grouping; (2) special classes; and (3) plans characterized by the unit assignment. The percentages reporting unusual success with the various provisions range from 26 to 18, showing that only one principal in four or five has a considerable degree of confidence in the plan which he reports. The monograph itself is in four sections. Part 1 has to do with homogeneous grouping and special classes. Part 2 has to do with plans characterized by use of the unit assignment, such as the Morrison plan, the Winnetka plan, the Dalton plan; in this part are discussed some 11 plans enumerated in the outline. Part 3 deals with other provisions and planning  a program. Part 4 has to do with marking and promotion. (Individual chapters contain footnotes. Contains 66 figures, and 93 tables.)  [Best copy available has been provided.]