The Theory of Longitudinal Organization

Organizational theory plays a critical role in the development of school divisions. Political and legal forces, leadership, business interest, economics, and social issues influence the way school systems are organized. As a result, many organizational theories have evolved. The longitudinal theory of school organization encompasses time-frames in which students are required to master specific curriculum objectives, the segregation of students into grade levels, and combinations of grades clustered into groups or units.

North American schools are structured based on a twelve-year time frame. Legal influences such as the government designate age limits in which all children are required to attend school. This age limit is usually between the ages of six and although societal pressures often encourage most students to extend this age limit.

There is a school of thought which believes a certain body of knowledge that must be mastered in order to achieve a grade twelve education. A second school of thought believes that each child should be placed in school for twelve years in which attention is given to providing a rich educational program as opposed to mastery of subject content. The most appropriate organizational structures are hybridized giving consideration to both schools of thought.

As society changes, emphasis is shifted towards different subject areas. Subjects are placed into two categories, core courses and non-core courses. The core subjects are English, social studies, math, and science. The non-core subjects are physical education, art, drama, and music. Non-core subjects are secondary to core subjects. For example, if instructional time must be lost, higher priority will be given to core subject areas.

Placing students in grade levels is a means of reducing variance within the classroom. Grades can segregate students based on academic performance and age. Grading sets a time-frame in which certain curricula objectives must be met. Once students have mastered certain concepts, they pass to the next grade.

Most school systems cluster various grade levels into groups or units. The most prevalent are early years (K-6), which place emphasis on basic skill development, middle years (7-9), which focus on the special needs of the adolescent and senior years (10-12), which focus on occupational preparation or post-secondary education. These combinations are advantageous for several reasons. For example, years schools need to have a larger student body then early years schools in order to allow for subject area specialization. Most high schools are semestered and require different scheduling then middle or elementary schools. Senior years institutions may also require different facilities such as regulation size basketball courts, science laboratories, or vocational departments. Elementary, on the other hand, are smaller and located closer to residential areas in order to meet transportation needs of young students. Younger students are less capable of traveling to more centralized locations to go to school.

The longitudinal theory of school organization is entrenched in the Canadian school system. The time frame in which students go to school, the segregation of students into grade levels, and combinations of grades has become tradition. A graded system is better understood by parents and students and allows curriculum content to be divided into a twelve-year system.