A dissertation completed at
The Center for Education, Widener University,
One University Place, Chester, PA 19013 		 
THE PERCEIVED IMPACT OF PENNSYLVANIA ACT 26: EFFORTS TO CONTROL VIOLENCE IN PENNSYLVANIA'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Audrey Lee Ross Utley, Ed. D.
December 2000

RETURN
edited 3/25/01

 


ABSTRACT

Every school system across America faces an urgent need to identify strategies and programs to minimize youth violence and create a safe school environment (Furlong, Morrison, & Dear, 1994). To reduce violence, schools are attempting to implement safety measures to control the environment, violence prevention programs to change student behavior, and community outreach strategies to influence attitudes about violence. The lack of statistical evidence about the effectiveness of violence prevention programs and strategies makes it difficult for educators to select materials that contain the most effective approach to assist their student population (Howard, 1997).

The purpose of this study was to identify the safety measures, violence prevention programs, and community outreach strategies implemented in Pennsylvania's public school systems since the passage of Act 26 in 1995, and ascertain if a relationship existed between these programs and perceived changes in the level of student misconduct and violence. The school districts' size (enrollment) and wealth (aid ratio) were investigated to assist in identifying appropriate strategies to control school violence in similar school districts. opinions about barriers to the implementation of violence prevention strategies were also assessed.

This ex post facto descriptive study included an analysis of data collected through a survey questionnaire completed by the contact person for the Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities Grant of the public school districts in Pennsylvania. Chi-square tests were used to analyze survey results and produced descriptive information. The study found that the level of violence has remained the same or decreased in the majority of Pennsylvania's public school districts between 1995 and 2000, regardless of the district's size or level of wealth. A significant difference was found in school districts' implementation of several safety measures, violence prevention programs, and community outreach strategies before and after 1995. Associations were found to exist between the implementation of violence prevention programs and the school district's size, wealth, and perceived level of safety. The- study concluded that respondents believe the main obstacles to the implementation of a multi-faceted violence prevention program are instructional time and funding.

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