This study was designed to assess the perceptions of the staff and community of Odin Elementary School and Odin High School of student needs and community characteristics which may affect student learning. Specifically, the purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of school staff and community regarding student needs and community characteristics which may affect student learning.
The surveys for this study were designed by the researcher with information taken from materials issued by the Illinois State Board of Education. Thirty-one elementary staff members and 25 high school staff members provided staff data. One hundred-thirty community members provided data from the elementary community and 54 community members provided data from the high school community. Reponses to the surveys were scored at the computer center at Eastern Illinois University.
This study found study skills to be the major student need in both schools. The study also found community characteristics that affected learning. These characteristics were the social influences in the community such as poverty, violence, drugs, and alcohol. There was no significant difference in staff and community perceptions for either school regarding student needs and community characteristics which may affect student learning