Educational progress in Georgia, 1955-1965

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ucational
rogress
I Georgia 1955-1965
Georgia State Department of Education Jack P. Nix, Superintendent
'

Prepared by Research and Statistical Services Division August, 1966



GEORGIA
STATE DEPARTMENT OF" EDUCATION
S TATE O F FICE BUILDING
A TLANTA . GEORGIA 3 0 3 34

JACIC P. H LX . , IU,..IIINTIE: ... OENT OF SCHOOLS

August 15, 1966

Dear Fellow- Georgian:
The greatest responsibility we have to our children and youth is to provide them with the opportunity to receive an adequate education-- in terms of both quality and quantity. It i s only in recent decades that we have fully accepted our duty and made noteworthy efforts toward carrying out this obligation which was recognized by Thomas Jefferson in legislation reconnnended to the Virginia General Assembly at the beginning of the nineteenth century .

This publication documents some aspects of educational progress in Georgia from 1955 to 1965. It reveals that advancements have been made in the quantity of education avai l abl e in our public elementary and secondary schools. Improvements in the quality of education are implicit in the higher proportion of teachers with professional and advanced training as well as expenditures per child and adequacy of school facilities.

The progr ess which has been made is reason for some feeling of satisfaction on the part of the public. We cannot afford, however, to rest on the laurels of pas t accomplishments and expect to meet present and future educational needs of our school - age boys and gir l s . Our dedication to meet our responsibility will be measured by the degree to which we are wil li ng to provide the financial resources required at both local and state l evels to produce an adequate quality of educational opportunity . The obligation and opportunity to educate our future leaders and society members cannot be disregarded without inevitable detriment to Georgia's progress and the wellbeing of its citizens .

Let us continue the educational progress which we have experienced during the past decade by continuing to work for improved and expanded educational opportunities . Today's investment in education will pay future dividends which will assure continued growth and improvement for our state.

JPN:mb

Sincerely,
~~ ?Pi~~tX ~ State Su perintendent of Schools

EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS IN GEORGIA 1955-1965

. the ..JACpeuinnnpgublic

decade from elementary

1955 to 1965, and secondary

significant educat.wn

m.chaGngeoesrght.aa.vewtIathkena

;;dy expanding economy after Wor~d War II and the Ko:ean conflict,

. al institutions across the Umted States have been mfiuenced by ectu.cauond economic pressures to m stitute changes m thetr structures and

.e.ohcialoalsoapnh1es to meet the needs of an increasingly complex society. As a ....- f these pressures, public elementary and secondary education must
lesuJt 0 to provide the type of training and guidance that will meet the

= iatelelig~fnttlhye

job with

market regard

and produce a to the complex

citizenry that issues of the

can evaluate day .

and

act

J)uring the nineteenth century, the_ United States w~s predomin~ntly

ID

.

8~gcuwlatusranleendaetidonb.y

Consequently, vtrtuaiJy students in the schools.

no formalized The skills of

occupatiOnal farming were

:ea~ted in the youth from an early age through informal training and experience on the job. Other skills were also learned by training on

dae job. The schools at that time func~ioned. to impart the very basic sk~IJs

~reading, writing, and elementary anthmettc. By atld large, only the nch

who had the time and money could afford higher education which empha-

lized theology and the classics-not occupational skills.

With the increased pace of industrialization in the United States, the pool system began to change in the direction of producing people with a FDeral education who would supposedly be capable of coping with the emerging, somewhat unstructured, industrial complex. However, skilled
and professional positions were few and the vast bulk of employees were
UDSkilled. Persons to fill unskilled positions were generaiJy drawn by the appeal of city life from surrounding agricultural regions.

Over the past 50 to 60 years, the economy has undergone much change. 1be desire of the industrial and commercial world for greater profits and tbe demands of a growing population for goods have resulted in an impetus to produce more goods. Scientific and technological developments have eaabled this desire to be partially fulfilled and promise even greater progress in the future.

It is for this reason that contemporary education must produce the manpower that our society demands for the fulfillment of these goals. Although elementary and secondary public education do not produce techaical and professional workers, they do prepare the young for institutions of higher learning where necessary skills are acquired. The development of 10Cational and technical schools provides opportunity for those who do not
~ the social motivation or economic resources to enter higher education
With actual job training which will provide them with a livelihood in their :IDa of interest and aptitude. A high school education is often aiJ that is

5

necessary to enter into semi-skilled, white-collar, clerical, or lower agement positions.
It is the purpose of this publication to show some of the '-li<Ulll:l!lb
have taken place in our state over the past 10 years. The observed may be attributed to, or associated with, concomitant trends toward zation and industrialization with their emphasis upon educational ment and, to an undetermined extent, the increased efficiency of administration and teaching techniques. This publication is not plague the reader with voluminous satistical data because statistical tions are devoid of meaning by themselves. It is the interpretation compilations that produces understanding. In this paper, data are about various aspects of public elementary and secondary eat1ca1tion the intention of describing, in a limited way, the direction of change in Georgia during the decade 1955-1965.
School Systems, Schools, Property, and Transportation
By provision of the Georgia Constitution, each of the state's 159 ties constitutes a local school district. Independent school systems exist within the counties. In 1955, there were 202 county and pendent school systems in Georgia. In 1965, this number had slightly-to 196.
The total number of schools decreased from 2,480 to 1,944 10-year period. In 1955-56 there were 278 one-teacher schools (11 cent of the total), but the number had decreased to four schools ( cent) offering a regular curriculum in 1964-65. In 1955'-56, 530 had 20 or more teachers (21 per cent of the total) while there schools (45 per cent) of that size in 1964-65. This implies that been a significant decrease in smaller schools and a concurrent large schools. Fewer, but larger, schools appear to be the trend of ment. During the decade, the total value of school property sites, and equipment) increased 99 .8 per cent, from $363,1 $725 ,669,774. In 1955-56, buses provided transportation for an of 372,691 pupils each school day or 41 per cent of the gross for that year, and the buses traveled over 44,976,639 miles. In 1 transportation was provided for a daily average of 494,451 per cent). The total mileage for school buses during the 52,461,991 miles.
Gross Enrollment and Average Daily Attendance
Between 1955-56 and 1964-65, the gross enrollment in mentary and secondary education increased from 917,265 to 1 students or 22.9 per cent. During the same 10 years, the attendance (ADA) increased 27.6 per cent, from 747,012 to
6

The ADA as a percentage of gross enrollment also increased
4 stUdent~- per cent to 84 .6 per cent during the decade.
frOlll 8 0 GROSS ENROLLMENT AND ADA

Ytar
1955-56 1956-57 1957-58 1958-59 1959-60 1960-61 1961-62 1962-63 1963-64 1964-65

Gross Enrollment
917,265 939,104 960,411 981,223 1,000,759 1,023,241 1,045,316 1,076,200 1,1 07,470 1,127,046

% Increase Over 1955-56
2.4 4.7 7.0 9.1 11.6 14.0 17.3 20 .7 22.9

ADA
747,012 761,953 770,959 807,915 820,995 847,516 871,773 897,847 930,723 952,961

% Increase Over I955-56
2.0 3.2 8.2 9.9 13.4 16.7 20.2 24.6 27.6

It is to be expected without further analysis that an increase in gross enrollment is simply a function of population growth. From an analysis of census data, however, the relationship is not perfect. Census data for 1950 and 1960 show an increase in the 1-12 year-old age group. (The 1-12 year poup is used for comparative purposes since it would constitute the population of school age children 6-17 years of age for the years 1955 and 1965.) Such an increase in the school age population over the decade would indicate a concomitant increase in the number of children and youth in the state to be educated. The actual increase in enrollment and ADA, however, exceed what would be predicted from only an analysis of the census data on population, indicating that factors other than sheer population increase have affected the number of children in school. In other words, the number of children attending school has increased at a faster rate than the population of their age group.

From an analysis of other factors reported in the census, the following explanations are advanced:
. 1. Migration from rural to urban regions is still continuing. Urban legions have traditionally obtained a greater median of educational attainIDent and educated a greater proportion of their youth.

7

2. The occupational structure is continuing to change. The of the working force employed in agricultural occupations
drop with a concurrent increase in the percentage of persons in
clerical, technical, and professional occupations.
As the urban trend in Georgia continues, youth will be
exposed to urban occupations which are largely in the clerical,
technical, and professional categories. As their aspirations strongly oriented in this direction, youth realizes that education is sary in order to secure these goals. This implication of a more minded youth is further fortified by the fact that the ADA as a of the gross enrollment has increased from 81.4 to 84.6 per cent decade. An obvious implication of this increase is that each enrolled spent more school days in class attendance in 1964-65 than in With respect to the high schools and vocational-technical scntOOIIS: prepare youth for clerical, skilled, and technical occupations, 27 of the age group was not in school in 1950 whereas by 1960 had been reduced to 16 per cent.
High School Graduates
From 1955-56 to 1964-65, the number of high school increased 104.8 per cent, from 25 ,298 to 51,705. In 1955-56 school graduates constituted 2.8 per cent of the gross enrollment year and 87.9 per cent of the fall senior class enrollment. By 1 number of high school graduates had increased to 4.6 per cent of enrollment and 93.7 per cent of the fall senior class enr?llment.

Y ea r
1955-56 1964-65

HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES

Gross Graduates Enrollment
25,298 917,265

% of Gross Senior Class Enrollment Enrollment

2.8

28,784

51,708 1,127,046

4.6

55,174

The fifth grade class of 1948-49, which was composed of dents, would theoretically constitute most of the 1956 high ates. The graduating class of 1956 was 35.8 per cent of the enrollment for 1948-49. This percentage provides an index of survival rate. The survival of the fifth grade of 1957-58 to 1965 has increased to 54 per cent. The following tables sullDmianl and fifth grade survival.
8

FIFTH GRADE SURVIVAL TO GRADUATION

Fifth Grade Year
1948-49
1957-58

Number of Fifth Graders
70,727
95 ,673

Graduates
25,298 (1956)
51,708 (1965)

% Surviving to Graduation
35.8
54.0

NINTH GRADE SURVIVAL TO GRADUATION

Ninth Grade Year
1952-53

Number of Ninth Graders
47,987

Graduates
25,298 (1956)

% Surviving to Graduation
52.7

1961-62

82,083

51,708

63.0

(1965)

These data reveal improved survival rates for both fifth and ninth
pde classes to graduation. This represents increased efficiency of the public schools of Georgia. It shows that a larger proportion of the public school enrollment is remaining in school until the completion of secondary
education.
A question of interest to educators is: What happens to the high school pduates after graduation? The answer is difficult to provide due to the lack of systematic information over the years. In 1960 (data are lacking for 1956), 37 per cent of the graduates enrolled in college. In 1965, 42 per cent of the graduates enrolled in college. During each of the two years, ODe-third of the students who enrolled in college entered junior colleges. Approximately 11 per cent of the 1965 graduates enrolled in technicalvocational schools in the state. According to a recent survey, the remaining 47 per cent of the 1965 graduates were distributed as follows :

Business school . University Extension Center Nursing education . Full-time employment . Unemployed . Housewife Military service Other .

5.5 per cent .9 per cent
3.5 per cent 58.5 per cent
5.5 per cent 9.0 per cent 12.9 per cent 4.2 per cent

9

Dropouts
A perennial concern of educators and the public is the dropout in the p.ublic s~hools. With the increasing necessity of obtaining school dtploma m order to secure employment at even relatively low levels, some solution must be sought for those who do not interest or ambition to complete the minimal high school degree merits. Fewer and fewer persons who enter our current economy employed. Generally, most are employed by large firms, cornr,r.,:~-- governmental agencies who set the basic requirements of .-,mrr...~~ strong relationship between educational attainment and economic or opportunity explains why the dropout constitutes a serious There are proportionally less jobs available in which an individual his own qualifications, and there are more than enough potential to fill the few unskilled positions that require a minimum of
Between 1958-59 (the first year for which dropout data are and 1964-65, there was a decrease from 2.4 per cent to 1.8 per dropouts as a percentage of the gross enrollment for the respective It should be noted from the table below, that the dropout rate for 1-8 decreased substantially more than for grades 9-12. At the level, the possible reduction of familial pressure to withdraw greater concern for educational attainment and the provision of basic skills, and more attention to provisions for children with special culties and handicaps may account, in part, for the noticeable
At the secondary level, although the factors just mentioned are operation to decrease the dropout rate, the decrease is much youth reach the adolescent years, other factors tend to appear which teract those operating at the elementary level. Student maniages, into the Armed Forces, and economic factors , coupled with the 1 age limit by the state's compulsory attendance law, are important at the secondary school level. The largest number of dropouts is the age category 16 years and older. Progress has been made, ho1we'll'l!ll reducing the overall number of dropouts.

Year
1958-59 1958-59 1964-65 1964-65

Grades
1- 8 9-12 1- 8 9-12

DROPOUTS

Number of

Gross Dropout Rate

Dropouts Enrollment By Grades

9,476 785,579

1.2%

13,734 195,644

7.0%

5,464 851,767

.6%

14,749 275,279

5.4%

10

Teachers

punng the past decade, the aver.age annual teacher's salary in Georgia . reased 60.7 per cent, from $3,127 to $5,095. The per capita state
~as me during the same period has increased 39.9 per cent. This indicates
wcaotmthee teacher's income m _creased _at a more _rap1d ~ate dunng the pe_nod,

tb b raising his econom1c level m companson w1th other occupational

tbere .Yngs Such a trend is in line with that of greater emphasis being placed

poup1

.

on educational attamment.

With more emphasis being placed on the acquisition of a basic educa. at the elementary and secondary level (an education which will preuon youth for both the job market and higher educational institutions), ::hers themselves must be better prepared by acquiring a minimum fourear degree. They often choose to undertake graduate work at the masters
~d doctoral level. This extra investment of time and dedicated effort must
at least be compensated for by financial remuneration at a rate that is comparable to the average starting salary of persons finishing four-year degree programs. For example, a Career Trainee or a Teacher Qualifications Evaluator, requiring a four-year college degree and no experience, enters state employment at $5,784 annually; a Chemist or Bank Examiner, requiring a four-year college degree, enters state employment at $6,372 annually. The minimum entrance salary for teachers with four-year certificates must be in line with salaries paid in other comparable occupations if an adequate number of able, well-equipped individuals is to enter teaching
positions.

A student finishing a four-year degree program in education would receive a starting annual salary of $4,200 plus a supplement of $400 to $800 by the system in which he is located . At the master's degree level this is increased by approximately $300. Georgia must strive to increase teachers' salaries. This will be necessary in the future in order to attract competent personnel in the public teaching field .

Year
1955-56 1964-65

TEACHER'S AVERAGE ANNUAL INCOME

Teacher's G eorgia Per In come Capita In come Ratio

National Per Cent of Average National Average

$3,127 $1 ,332 2.35

$4,030

77.6

$5 ,095 $1,864 2.73

$6,035

84.4

Along with the change in the teacher's economic status is observed a :ncomitant change in their educational status. In 1955-56, 17.6 per cent
all teachers had completed less than four years of college. Only 14.4 per

11

cent had completed five or more years of college education. In the percentage of teachers with less than four years of college decreased to 5.3 per cent and those with five or more years had to 18.5 per cent. The increase in the median level of teacher produce an educational system that is more able to prepare youth institutions of higher leaniing where the knowledge gained education will benefit them in a degree program to a greater has previously.
Another problem that has plagued the school systems of scarcity of teachers. It has frequently been argued that large their lack of individual attention to the student, do not provide of instruction that could be achieved by the small, more infonnai situation. During the decade, a decrease in the teacher-ADA ratio thereby decreasing the average class size.

Year
1955-56 1964-65

TEACHERS AND ADA

Number of Teachers

Number of ADA Students

29,687

747 ,012

39,635

952,961

PRINCIPALS' AND TEACHERS' EDUCATION

Year
1955-56

L ess Than 2 Years 2 Years

3 Years

368

1,658 3,194

(1.2%) (5.6%) (10.8 %)

4 Years
20,183 (68%)

5 Years or More
4,284 (14.4%)

1964-65

164 (.4%)

338

1,608 30,202 7,324

(.8%) (4.1%) (76.2%) (18.5%)

Finance
From 1955-56 to 1964-65, a significant increase was realized expenditures per ADA child. During the decade, the expenditures child increased 72.9 per cent. As a percentage of the per capita change was from 13.1 to 16.2 per cent. The increase in per capita was more than matched by the increase in expenditure per ADA
12

COST PER ADA CHILD

Cost Per ADA Child

Georgia Per Capita Income

$175.05

$1,332

$302.81

$1,864

Per Cent of Per Capita Income
13.1
16.2

1b distribution of receipts by source of funds experienced change durtb edecade. Both local and federal support for education increased in >!IMIIIDte'u to state support. At the same time, the total receipts increased by
per cent, representing a significant increase in financial support for
elementary and secondary education.

RECEIPTS

L oca l

%

State

%

$38,150,315 23.3 $ 95,881 ,073 68.7

Federal

%

$ 5,514,370 4.0

$91 ,277,036 30.0 $194,479,945 63.9 $18,433,083 6.1

Through this 10-year period, state appropriations for elementary and ~-COIIdaJry education increased 105 per cent. The percentage of the state ~ IIJ[(>pr:iations designated for elementary and secondary education increased
per cent, from 36.4 to 40.3 per cent. Part of the increase was absorbed the increase in enrollment, but it also produced greater per student
for education from state financial sources.

STATE APPROPRIATIONS FOR ELEMENTARY AND

SECONDARY EDUCATION

Total State Budget

%of Budget For Education For Education Per Capita

$281,728,149.13 $102,602,091.35 36.4

$29 .79

$521,595,351.36 $210,086,83 6.65 40.3

$53.28

13

Summary The data presented above have revealed that educational been made in Georgia paralleling the social and economic cottdijti~..l the decade from 1955 to 1965. More students were enrolled in attended school with greater regularity. The holding power of schools improved and contributed to the doubling of high school The number and percentage of dropouts as a proportion of the gross ment decreased. The salaries of teachers increased at a greater rate per capita income. The level of training of teachers also improved. support for public education from local, state, and federal sources significantly. The local and federal increases were larger than increases in spite of greater efforts at the state level. The progress in public elementary and secondary education decade is commendable. However, much remains to be done Georgia's educators and citizens will be able to express complete tion with the status of public education. Joint efforts and united all Georgians can produce continued educational progress coming decades and thereby offer better educational opportunities to generations.
14

Needs for Improving Public Education in Georgia

1be

. provement
IW

of

public

education

in

Georgia

should

be

stimulated

tbe following:

A minimum salary for beginning teachers of $5,200. I.
2. A pupil-teacher ratio of 20 to 1 in the first and second grades.
Financing for Section 15 of the Senate Bill 180 to provide consum-

3 able instructional materials and supplies for the public schools.

4. Improvements in teacher education and certification. S. Expanded use of Section 12 personnel of Senate Bill 180.

6. Provision of instructional services across county lines. 1. Driver education.

8. More exploratory and orientation opportunities for upper elementary and early high school students.

9. More high school vocational education programs for the lesser skilled areas.

10. Eleven month salaries for high school principals.

11. State-wide kindergarten program.

12. Utilization of school facilities during summer months.

13. Efficient and economical operation of the educational program.

14. Minimum standards for elementary and high schools.

15. Financing the school building program on a current basis .

15

School Year

1949-50

1950-51

1951-52

1952-53

1953-54

1954-55

......
0'\

1955-56

1956-57

1957-58

1958-59

1959-60

1960-61

1961-62

Gross Enrollment
(K-12)
769,961 787,580 806,243 834,246 863,761 892,467 917,265 939,104 960,411 981,223 1,000,759 1,023,241 1,045,316 1,076,200

STATISTICS ON EDUCATION IN GEORGIA 1949-50 - 1964-65

Average Daily Attendance (K-12 )
619,846 628,186 637,529 671,016 705 ,712 737 ,678 747,012 761,953 770,564 807,915 820,995 847,516 871,773 897,847

Number of Teachers
23,766 24,362 26,153 27 ,358 28 ,081 28 ,735 29,687 30,714 31,326 32,281 33,302 34,102 35,209 36,504

High School Graduates
19,760 14,598 14,980 20,599 22,880 23,656 25,298 26,984 27,590 31,152 34,127 36,200 36,014 36,259

Average Teacher Salary
$1,997. $2,094. $2,555. $2,735. $2,844. $2,889. $3,127. $3,330. $3,473. $3,767. $3,802. $4,060. $4,3 98.

Average Cost Per Pupil 1nADA*
$111. $122. $153. $159. . $15 7. $160. $175. $192. $205. $214. $225. $236. $256.