An Analysis of the Operational Status of Customized Programs in the Neulbom School and Instructors’ Perceptions

This study aimed to examine the operational status of customized programs in the Neulbom School during the early stage of policy implementation and analyze differences in instructors’ perceptions according to their general characteristics. The study included 1,553 customized programs operated across 303 elementary schools in B Metropolitan City and 232 Neulbom School instructors. Data on instructors’ perceptions were collected through an online survey, and statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS v.25. The conclusions of this study are as follows. First, over 80% of the programs were concentrated in the arts, physical education, and creative convergence/play domains. In contrast, programs related to digital and future technologies accounted for a relatively small proportion, which likely reflects the developmental characteristics of the lower-grade elementary students targeted by the programs. Second, analysis of instructors’ perceptions revealed statistically significant differences according to age, education level, and teaching experience. Program domain analysis showed that instructors in the arts, physical education, and creative convergence/play domains perceived program-related problems and areas for improvement more strongly than those in other domains. These results provide practical implications for the stable operation of customized programs in the Neulbom School.