The following is an abstract of a dissertation submitted in June 2007 by Regina M. Shaefer in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership at the College of Education and Organizational Leadership, Organizational Leadership Department, University of La Verne in California. Congratulations to Dr. Shaefer who was recently awarded her doctorate degree. -Editor

Entitled California Public School Districts and Employees Involved in Eldercare: Policies, Benefits, and Strategies: A Delphi Study, the purpose of this study was to identify, using a Delphi study process, the strategies, by the year 2015, which experts believed to be most important in supporting California K-12 public school employees involved in elder care to maintain personal/work life balance. The study not only sought to determine actions which the panel of experts felt were most important, but also those which were most feasible to implement in the California school districts, by the year 2015.

The design of this study was qualitative/quantitative and descriptive. This study involved complex decision making concerning an increasingly critical issue in our society. It was appropriate to elicit input from a representative sample of experts, who were directly related to the subject at hand. A Delphi study was therefore chosen. Twenty-four panel members, comprised of twelve California K-12 public school experts and twelve private sector experts in the field of eldercare were purposively selected to participate. In the first of three rounds, panel members contributed suggestions as to strategies, policies or benefits which they believe would be important to support California K-12 public school employees who encounter eldercare issues.

During Round II, panel members rated the list of suggestions by importance and for feasibility of implementation on a Likert scale of 1-10.

In Round III, panel members were given the mean values of each item for importance and feasibility from the results of Round II and were allowed to change their initial ratings.

Items found to be of greatest importance in supporting California school employees involved in eldercare were: Top in importance -full consensus:

1. offering flexible work hours;
2. offering reduced hours with benefits,
3. combining sick days, vacation, and paid personal leave time to be used flexibly at the discretion of employees for eldercare.

Top in feasibility of implementation-full consensus:

1. offering referrals to online caregiver resource sites such as California Caregiver Resource Center,
2. mandatory education in eldercare issues for management employees,
3. offering expanded Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) which include referral to specialists in eldercare issues.