PPBS AND TEACHERS: RESPONSES TO AN EDUCATIONAL INNOVATION

Abstract

Teacher attitudes towards the implementation of SPECS, a planning‐programming‐budgeting system designed for schools, were measured for a three‐year period in River Park School District. Researchers hypothesized that many teachers would resist SPECS since the paperwork required might detract from instructional time and detailed specification of their activities might threaten professional autonomy. Indeed, by the time data were analyzed, many dissatisfied teachers were actively organizing to suspend the use of SPECS. Results showed that supporters of SPECS among the teaching staff were few in number when compared to its critics, but that fully half the teachers surveyed were indifferent to the program. Over the three‐year period attitudes became slightly more negative towards SPECS. The most striking finding was the strong negative feeling in the high school and the strong positive feeling in the junior high. Differences in administrative effort and commitment and the development of structural effects within each school seem to explain part of this difference.