School Effectiveness Literature Research Articles

A critical evaluation of regression discontinuity studies in school effectiveness research

ABSTRACT School start regulations allocate children born immediately either side of a given date to different life paths: those slightly older starting school a full year earlier. School effectiveness literature exploits this to estimate causal effects described as ‘the absolute effect of schooling’ or ‘the effect of an additional year's schooling’, using the logic of regression discontinuity (RD). This paper examines the causal arguments and assumptions underpinning RD, noting particularly the importance of the causal description. It highlights concerns with describing causes in terms of school effectiveness including failure to consider the alternative treatment pathway; presence of other post-allocation causal factors and potential discontinuities at allocation. The paper notes that these can be overcome by using wider causal descriptions but at the expense of no longer identifying school effectiveness.

Examining Teachers’ Perceptions of School Effectiveness in Public Primary and Secondary Schools

The purpose of this study was to examine teachers’ perceptions of School Effectiveness based on school level, sex and role in management in public schools in Grenada. Using a quantitative descriptive correlational research design, a survey was administered to a sample of 729 primary and secondary schools’ teachers using a 58-item Likert scale questionnaire. Principal Component Analysis identified 5 components of School Effectiveness and this result was analysed using descriptive statistics, the independent samples t-test, and the Pearson Moment Corelation. The findings indicated that the teachers’ perceptions of School Effectiveness were highly positive and moderately positive in primary and secondary schools respectively. The t-test revealed significant differences between primary and secondary school teachers, however, none were detected based on sex and role in management. The findings also revealed that there were significant substantial direct relationships among the components of School Effectiveness. This study establishes a discourse on the perceptions of School Effectiveness, adding to the School Effectiveness literature in a Caribbean context. It further suggests that schools should focus on key elements of School Effectiveness to lead school to development, however, the initiative is for practitioners to decide what key components of school effectiveness should be the highlighted in their school development plan.

The role of teacher autonomy and school climate on goal orientations for teaching

Goal orientations of teachers for teaching are significant in shaping educational settings such that they are linked to some school concepts. The curriculum and teaching autonomy of teachers is related to the teachers’ goal orientation. Further, school climate that is shaped by behaviors of teachers, students, and administrators affects the goal orientations for teaching. The aim of this study is to reveal the role of teachers’ autonomy behavior and perceptions of school climate on their goal orientations for teaching. The study was designed as correlational study. The participants consisted of 284 teachers in public and private schools. Instruments were “goal orientation scale for teaching”, “school climate scale”, and “teacher autonomy scale”. Multiple Hierarchical Regression Analysis method was used to analyze data. The results indicated that school climate was more powerful of and significant predictor of goal orientation than teacher autonomy. Further, teacher autonomy and school climate predicted dimensions of goal orientation for teaching, which were mastery, performanceapproach, work-avoidance, and student relations. The study made a contribution to teacher education and school effectiveness literature by revealing factors related to teachers’ goal orientations for teaching.

Overcoming language barriers: lessons learnt from migrant children

In this paper, we identify reasons for the high school achievement of some migrant children, in spite of the language barriers faced by themselves and their parents. We explore the literature to determine the factors used to overcome such barriers, particularly those beyond social economic status (SES) and other largely inherited factors that remain a common focus of migration and school effectiveness literature. We identify the need to pay greater attention to non-conventional factors, such as aspirations, expectations and creativities. We also examine school effectiveness literature in South Africa, arguably a typical case of a developing country, and note that much of the literature centres on analysis and lamentation of physical and human resource constraints, instead of experimenting on non-conventional factors.

Principal-teacher high-quality exchange indicators and student achievement: testing a model

Purpose– Research findings claim that indicators, representing high-quality exchanges between leaders and followers, are important predictors of organizational effectiveness. There is scarce evidence related to the role of these indicators in student achievement. The purpose of this paper is to test a hypothesized model including three important high-quality exchange indicators.Design/methodology/approach– Totally, 449 teachers from 166 elementary schools in Tehran provided data on trust in principal and procedural justice and 166 principals provided data on organizational citizenship behavior of teachers. Student achievement was calculated by averaging grade five students’ scores on district examinations in science and math. Data were collected in each school during regularly scheduled meetings and were analyzed using correlation analysis and structural equation modeling.Findings– The hypothesized model has an adequate fit to observed data, supporting the argument that principal-teacher high-quality exchanges provide positive outcomes in the form of student achievement.Originality/value– Since most studies on high-quality exchange indicators are limited to non-educational settings, this study extends this line of inquiry in public schools. It also contributes to school effectiveness literature by providing empirical evidence concerning the link between trust in principal, procedural justice, organizational citizenship behavior, and student achievement.

Middle schools and poorer neighbourhoods: between Effectiveness and the Law, Ethics and Culture model

This article presents a series of reflections based on a study of two schools of secondary level in the city of Buenos Aires. The purpose is to identify reasons why some schools in poorer areas obtain higher levels of success for their pupils. The conceptual basis is one of cultural analysis, permitting a contextual and situational perspective which is complementary to the school effectiveness literature. The particular focus is on practices and instruments which directly help pupils to succeed. Our research sought to look at schools from the point of view of pupils, teachers and managers, and to examine the school’s relationship to knowledge and culture as a key to its success.

Panoptic performativity and school inspection regimes: disciplinary mechanisms and life under special measures

This paper looks at Ofsted and particularly special measures regimes as part of a disciplinary mechanism. It examines issues such as school effectiveness theories, the increasing powers of Ofsted, and life under special measures and links it to performativity, discipline and surveillance using the metaphor of the panopticon. The change in teachers’ accountability is traced, along with the rise in the audit culture in teaching, and the increase in the power of Ofsted. The research context is a case study of a school over the period 1999–2003. During this time the school was placed into special measures and provided an opportunity to examine the effects of a key Government policy. The issues researched were Ofsted, special measures and the effects that these had on schools and teachers. The paper argues that a special measures regime is an example of panoptic discipline which I call panoptic performativity. The primary research is echoed by much of the existing research and first hand accounts of Ofsted inspections. I also locate special measures regimes in the context of Lyotard’s ‘performativity’, Foucault’s ‘normalization’, and the school effectiveness literature.

The Effects of Primary School Quality on School Dropout among Kenyan Girls and Boys

This article begins with a broadened framework for the measurement of school quality which includes both the more traditional elements identified in the school-effectiveness literature related to the development of cognitive competencies as well as some additional elements hypothesized by the authors to be important to retention. This framework is then applied empirically using our Kenyan data. Data on patterns of school dropout by sex age and district as well as data on various dimensions of the school environment provide a background for the presentation of the multivariate results. The many methodological issues pertinent to the implementation of our empirical models are addressed fully as part of the presentation of our results.

Deadwood Didn’t Kill Itself

In the 1980s, the school improvement literature identified the school as the centre of change and the school effectiveness literature argued that some schools were more effective than others, therefore reform efforts should focus on the school. It would seem in the 1990s that the school has become the centre of blame. Policymakers have ‘cherry-picked’ their way through the two literatures and developed policies based on a conceptual hybrid which seems more interested in identifying failing schools than celebrating success. This paper uses case study research to argue that schools considered ‘deadwood’ didn’t kill themselves—they needed help, usually from outside. By exploring the interrelationship of a school’s contexts, its meaning, leadership, structure, culture and the work and lives of its teachers, this article provides warning signs of the ‘attrition of change’ as well as suggestions for policymakers and change agents.

Helping Providers to Improve Quality of Day‐Care Provision: Theories of Education and Learning

This paper argues that continuous training for child care staff is an important element in improving quality of day care provision. Evidence from the day care field, the school effectiveness literature and adult education is cited. Theories of education and learning are used to examine the design of effective approaches to training for day care providers. More specifically, Kolb's model of experiential learning is described. Using a social learning theory analysis, the model is developed to make explicit the features of effective experiential learning tasks. Proposing structured experiential learning exercises as an effective method of raising awareness of quality among day care providers, the paper concludes that attention must also be given to the creation of conditions under which experiential learning can be implemented effectively.

Basic School Effectiveness Research: Items for a Research Agenda1

ABSTRACT Reviewers of the school effectiveness literature rarely forget to mention the importance of the formation of theory. Yet, the actual practice of school effectiveness research is rather atheoretical. In this article two types of studies are discussed that may strengthen the conceptual and theoretical basis of school effectiveness research: foundational studies, aimed at resolving basic conceptual questions regarding the construct of school effectiveness and fundamental studies aimed at the development and testing of school effectiveness models using available theories from the social sciences. A list of concrete items for the school effectiveness research agenda is the result of this exploration of conceptual and theoretical issues.

Research for School Improvement: An Appraisal of Some Recent Trends

umentation of a school improvement program. Paper presented at the Joint Meeting of Evaluation Network and Evaluation Research Society, Baltimore, Md., October 1982. Brookover, W. B., & Lezotte, L. W. Changes in school characteristics coincident with changes in student achievement. East Lansing, Mich.: Institute for Research on Teaching, Michigan University, 1979. Clark, D. L., Lotto, L. S., & McCarthy, M. M. Secondary source study of exceptionality in urban elementary schools. In Phi Delta Kappa, Why do some urban schools succeed? The Phi Delta Kappa study of exceptional urban elementary schools. Bloomington, Ind.: Phi Delta Kappa and Indiana University, 1980. Cohen, M. Effective schools, accumulating research findings. American Education, January-February 1982, pp. 13-16. Coleman, J. S., Campbell, E. Q., Hobson, C. J., McPartland, J., Mood, A. M., Weinfield, F D., & York, R. L. Equality of educational opportunity. Washington, D.C.: Office of Education, U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, 1966. Edmonds, R. R. Some schools work and more can. Social Policy, 1979, 9, 28-32. Edmonds, R. R. Programs of school improvement: An overview. Educational Leadership, 1982, 40(3), 4-11. Frederickson, J. R. School effectiveness and equality of educational opportunity. N.Y.: Carnegie Corporation, 1975. MacKenzie, D. E. Resources for leadership: A structured bibliography of school effectiveness literature. Unpublished manuscript, Marquette University, June 1982.