Dr. Doug Townsend

The purpose of the study was: (1) to trace the development of the Nebraska Council of School Administrators, (2) to survey the attitudes of the membership concerning current status and activities of NCSA in relationship to serving the professional needs of school administrators' in Nebraska and (3) to present a historical development of administrators umbrella associations in selected areas of the United States. This research was the first comprehensive NCSA Membership Survey conducted since the Nebraska Council of School Administrators was organized in 1969. This study has provided the NCSA with some positive data to determine and analyze the effectiveness of the association. It was also the first attempt to write an account of the development of the NCSA. The data for this study were secured from a NCSA Membership Survey distributed to each of the nine hundred forty-three members of the Nebraska Council of School Administrators during the period of November 17, 1980 through December 3, 1980. Six hundred forty-four surveys were returned for a sixty-eight per cent response. The major findings of the study are listed below. (1) One of the major reasons that the NCSA evolved was a desire by administrators to have their interests represented in the Nebraska Legislature. (2) Another of the major reasons that the NCSA evolved was the beginning of teacher negotiations. (3) The NCSA has provided a mechanism for better communication among administrators in Nebraska. Two of the major recommendations of the study were: (1) the data vividly indicate that legislation was the most important priority of the membership and the NCSA must direct major efforts in the legislative arena. (2) this study was the first attempt to survey the NCSA and evidence provided would suggest that future assessments should be conducted to assist with the continued development of the Nebraska Council of School Administrators.