10.2190/AU7K-B0BV-2HQY-2J13 AU7KB0BV2HQY2J13 0 SUPPORT SERVICES LINKED TO PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS OVER PUBLIC AND FEMALE DIRECTORS OVER MALE: A STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF SUPPORT SERVICES PROVIDED BY COLLEGES OF EDUCATION IN AMERICA 20020509 20020509 20020509 20020509 http://baywood.metapress.com/link.asp?target=contribution&id=AU7KB0BV2HQY2J13 3 JONATHAN L. BLACK-BRANCH AND WENDY K. LAMONT This article reports the findings of an extensive United States-wide statistical study on support services provided to student teachers in preservice and teacher education programs. In particular, the purpose of the study was two-fold: first, to explore and describe the extent to which support services are provided to student/preservice teachers by offices of field placement in universities and colleges of education in the United States. Second, to examine whether relationships exist between the extent of support services provided (an aggregate variable consisting of thirty-three support services identified in a survey questionnaire) and four variables: extent/intensity of early field experiences, gender of the director of field placement, size of institution, and institution type (public or private). The main results indicate private institutions provide more support services to student teachers than do public institutions. In addition, institutions with female directors of student placement/field experiences provide more support services than institutions with male directors. Moreover, supplementary findings reveal significant differences between the mean provision of support services and the hours required for early field experiences.