Management systems as perceived by teachers in improving and declining schools
Abstract
This study was designed to describe and compare the management systems, and their component variables, as perceived by teachers in schools identified as improving and declining on the basis of achievement gains or losses on the CTBS given to students in 1988 and in 1991.
A population of 577 teachers in 53 identified schools was provided by the West Virginia State Department of Education. Each participant was mailed a packet containing a cover letter and the Profile of a School questionnaire. The return rate was 130 or 55.6 percent from improving schools and 193 or 56.3% from declining schools.
The data were analyzed using Analysis of Variance and correlations and resulted in these findings:
No significant differences were perceived by teachers in schools identified as either improving or declining in regard to management systems and their component variables of climate, leadership, intervening, and end result.
No significant relationship was found between SES and student achievement in identified improving and declining schools.
No significant relationships were found between teacher and principal demographic factors, management systems and student achievement.
No significant relationships were found between attendance at the West Virginia Principal's Academy, the development of a school improvement plan, and management systems and student achievement.
The results of this study contradict the existing literature which supports the importance of the principal's role in relation to student achievement and does not explain why two similar groups of schools have a significant difference in student achievement.
