The effect of a principal's leadership on school climate and instructional organization seems apparent to parents and teachers. However, there is little evidence that a principal's leadership has a direct measurable effect on student achievement. Maehr's (1990) causal model, that ties school culture to student motivation and student motivation to student achievement, and Heck's (1990) structural equation model, that relates instructional leadership to student achievement, were the basis for posing relationships among professional treatment of teachers, school climate, instructional organization, and student achievement. A professional treatment index, derived from highly correlated school climate variables, was used to separate elementary schools in Virginia Beach, Virginia, into four groups. Analysis of variance, followed by Duncan's new multiple range test, indicated that the academic achievement of students was significantly higher in the schools where teachers recorded the highest levels of professional treatment than in schools where teachers recorded the lowest levels of professional treatment for three of the four years studied. Focus-group interviews at schools recording high levels of professional treatment enabled teachers to describe how their principals treated them. Key attributes of treatment were trust and confidence, a comfortable and caring environment, professional and personal respect, delegation of decision making, no fear of taking risks, listening, support, high expectations, and encouragement and praise. By emulating the attributes described as professional treatment by teachers, principals may influence student academic achievement. / Ed. D.

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 was established to improve student achievement among all public school students. To accomplish this goal, this federal mandate requires each state to establish the seven set priorities under NCLB. In addition, each state is required to establish and report their accomplishments and failures annually. One priority listed under NCLB required that all public schools establish a safe learning environment for students, school staff, and parents (U.S. Government, 2001). Some researchers have identified a high frequency of student discipline incidents, resulting in high suspension and expulsion rates, as a negative constuct that hinders teachers from establishing a nurturing learning environment. As a result, students are unable to develop the skills they need to successfully pass their state-wide assessment test (Howard et. al., 1987; Hernandez & Seem, 2004). Therefore, this study was designed to determined if there is a relationship between incidents of student discipline and student achievement across public school districts in Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. For the purpose of this study, a hierarchical clustering analysis was used to create five clusters of school divisions (N=1,108) within the four states according to similiarities. To accomplish this task, a data matrix was created, which contains data of the total number of incidents for disorderly conduct, weapon violations, substance abuse, and violence; the number of students receiving free and reduced lunch; and the number of students by race/ethnicity for each school district within the four states. The findings indicate that there is a relationship between incidents of student discipline and student achievement among the four states. / Ph. D.

Researchers and reformers have suggested that school climate is an important aspect of effective schools (Hoy & Hannum, 1997, p. 290). Literature also suggests that effective schools have a positive school climate (Chrispeels, 1990). The purpose of this study is to determine if the climate of schools affects the student achievement in school divisions in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The construct study conducted herein relies exclusively upon data collected by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) and reported in the Discipline, Crime and Violence Incidents annual report (DCVI), the Free and Reduced Lunch report, and the Truancy report to form a climate index (CI). A Hierarchical Cluster analysis was used to determine relationships between school division climate, as measured by the CI, and student achievement, as measured by the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) Tests, in school divisions in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Based on the CI, there is a relationship between school division climate and student achievement in English/reading, mathematics, history/social science, and science in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Moreover, incidents of disorderly conduct combined with the number of students who receive free and reduced lunch are the best predictors of student achievement. / Ed. D.

Numerous researchers have argued early adolescent behavior patterns are among the best predictors of later achievement and social-psychological adjustment outcomes. In the current study, a secondary data analysis was conducted to determine the extent to which four prosocial behaviors (cooperation, assertiveness, self-control and prosocial behaviors toward peers) and two forms of aggression (overt and relational) influence academic performance (as indexed by GPA and standardized achievement scores). Additionally, the potential moderating role of two school environment variables (perception of school climate and teacher bonding) were also considered in order to further examine the social-emotional environment of middle schools. Examining concurrent relations between grade 5 social behaviors and academic performance revealed all four forms of prosocial behavior were positively related to higher academic performance. Predictive relations between grade 6 social behaviors and academic outcomes at grade 9 indicated that of the four prosocial behaviors and two forms of aggression, cooperation alone predicted the likelihood of later academic achievement. Finally, it was hypothesized that prosocial behaviors, perception of school climate and teacher bonding would serve as moderators between aggression and academic performance; however, this prediction was unsupported. By drawing attention to the limited typology employed in studying prosocial behavior, as well as the methodological challenges that arise when examining these behaviors during adolescence, the hope is to spur research geared towards a more comprehensive understanding of prosocial development. / Master of Science

When students perceive their surroundings as being safe and comfortable, they can concentrate on higher order tasks such as learning (Bowen et al., 1998); a perception of safety is a "basic requirement" for academic success (Hernandez, Floden, and Bosworth, 2010). The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify building features that affect the safety perceptions of high school students and teachers, from one school district in rural Virginia. The study employed aspects of the methodology used by Biag (2014) in the study 'Perceived School Safety: Visual Narratives from the Middle Grades'. Comparisons were drawn between the areas and characteristics that influence the safety perceptions of students and teachers. This study was conducted in one high school (N=14) in rural Virginia. All findings and suggestions were shared with the school and district participating in order to assist with future improvements in their safety practices. Results show windows, lighting and accessibility to be among the most common items influencing perceptions of safety. Items such as cameras and proximity to administration were discussed the least for their influence. / Ed. D. / When students feel as though their surroundings are safe and comfortable, they can concentrate on learning (Bowen et al., 1998); a sense of safety is a “basic requirement” for academic success (Hernandez, Floden, & Bosworth, 2010). The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify building features that affect the safety perceptions of high school students and teachers, from one school district in rural Virginia. The study was inspired by Biag’s (2014) study ‘Perceived School Safety: Visual Narratives from the Middle Grades’. The current study sought the opinions of students and teachers from one high school (N=14) in Rural Virginia. Comparisons were drawn between the areas and characteristics that shape the safety perceptions of students and teachers. All findings and suggestions were shared with the school and district participating in order to assist with future improvements in their safety practices. Results show windows, lighting and accessibility to be among the most common items influencing perceptions of safety. Items such as cameras and proximity to administration were discussed the least.

Thesis advisor: Matthias von Davier / Children internationally are entitled to quality education. International education initiatives monitor education system quality through complex evaluations, historically relying on academic benchmarks operationalized by robust comparative achievement data. However, quality in schooling is evolving to comprise development beyond academic abilities – it should support emotional, social, and psychological development. Valid systems-level evaluations of these features internationally require well-defined benchmarks for school conditions suitably supportive of this development. Emerging international initiatives, such as UNESCO’s Happy Schools Framework, define frameworks for non-academic facets but have not been empirically tested. This study defines school climate health as the intersection of the Happy Schools Framework, existing literature on school climate and wellbeing, and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science (TIMSS) Context Questionnaire. This research aims to provide a first step towards defining benchmarks by exploring an international dataset to define existing patterns of interrelated school context variables. This study is responsive to empirical literature and relevant theoretical frameworks for evaluating social systems (systems evaluation, ecological systems theories). An exploratory multilevel latent class analysis (MLCA) of 22 variables is conducted for the 58 participating countries to define four school clusters and three country classes defining the composition and distribution of school climate health internationally. Combining response variables from students, teachers, principals, and parents is a novel application. Characteristics of each school cluster and country class are described. Secondary analyses investigate possible confoundedness of school demographics and possible relationships between school-level average achievement. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2024. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Education.

This study focused on the perceptions of 16 Latina students regarding their cultural school climate as well as the thoughts of two administrators and six teachers at an all-female Catholic high school. Students revealed that, while they felt very supported by the school’s faculty and administration, they revealed that their culture was not fully embraced and/or represented in their educational curriculum and school’s practices. Students also alluded to deliberately choosing and valuing to spend their free time with their family over their classmates. Further, they felt disconnected from their school’s mission, which emphasized sisterhood among students. Furthermore, bicultural students provided a unique perspective often not fitting the Latina and/or dominant culture at the school.

The purpose of this study was to identify the initial steps that a planning principal takes to open a new plus one elementary school. Too often, the focus is on the completion of the bricks and mortar of the facility instead of what takes place in the building once construction is complete (Lane, 2008). "Effective planning for the opening of a new school produces an environment in which teachers can teach and students can learn effectively and efficiently" (Lane, 2008, p. 2). Thus, the opening of a new plus one school requires a well-planned, detailed, organized approach for occupying the facility as the success or failure of the school opening process weighs heavily on the ability of the planning principal (Lane, 2008). New plus one schools are continuing to be built regularly within the United States to address student enrollment increases in existing schools with limited capacity, yet there is no set of instructions to guide a planning principal. With new school construction still needed to address increasing student enrollment in local school districts, the perceptions of the initial steps planning principals take to open a new plus one elementary school are valuable. This study involved interviewing four planning principals in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Interview questions sought the actions that planning principals take to start a new plus one elementary school. All four planning principals indicated that they had no playbook or guide, were self-directed and initiated support when needed, and exercised a high level of autonomy with decision making, specifically with staffing, developing a school vision, and determining the school mascot and school colors. Implications for practitioners were identified including the need for a guide or handbook, a structure of support, and training or professional development. The outcome of the study provided opportunities for future planning principals to identify the key responsibilities, experiences, and guidance recommended for opening new plus one elementary schools. / Doctor of Education / New plus one schools are continuing to be built regularly within the United States to address student enrollment increases in existing schools with limited capacity, yet there is no set of instructions to guide a planning principal. With new school construction still needed to address increasing student enrollment in local school districts, the perceptions of the initial steps planning principals take to open a new plus one elementary school are valuable. This qualitative study interviewed four planning principals from the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States that served as a planning principal within the past five years of a public K-5 elementary school, had at least three years of experience as a school administrator, and opened a new plus one school versus a rebuild. The interview questions sought the actions planning principals take to start new plus one elementary schools. All four planning principals indicated that they had no playbook or guide, were self-directed and initiated support when needed, and exercised a high level of autonomy with decision making, specifically with staffing, developing a school vision, and determining the school mascot and school colors. Implications for practitioners were identified including the need for a guide or handbook, a structure of support, and training or professional development. The outcome of the study provided opportunities for future planning principals to identify the key responsibilities, experiences, and guidance recommended for opening new plus one elementary schools. A suggestion for future research would be to expand the sample to secondary planning principals to compare and contrast responsibilities with elementary planning principals.

The central point of this thesis is the matter of school climate. The text seeks to cover the important features of this phenomenon and to set its theoretical framework. The thesis itself consists of two main parts: theory and research. To understand school climate we cover the terminology in the first chapter of the theoretical part. The second chapter goes into deeper details of school climate such as its structure and effects. In the third chapter, we take a closer look at salient features and factors impacting school climate. Of these features, students and teachers are the most important elements contributing to the school climate and as such are covered most extensively. The last chapter discusses various criterions to assess the pattern of the school climate. The research section is centered around an opinion survey focused on school climate perception from the standpoint of students, teachers, and parents conducted in smaller city high schools. Next to the description of climates observed, the research also compares the key indicators as well as the views of the survey participants.

This study explored the school climate of adult basic education centres by investigating the extent to which these education centres showed evidence of control, staff cohesiveness, physical resources, and safe and orderly environment. The study was inspired by a lack of school climate studies that focused on adult basic education centres as many school climate studies had concentrated on investigating the school climate of primary and secondary schools. The broad research question which was addressed in the research study was: ‘What is the nature of the school climate of adult basic education centres as perceived by educators?’ The participating educators were randomly selected and a survey – in the form of a questionnaire – was administered. The questionnaire comprised the four scales mentioned above. The items from the four scales were validated through the use of both face and content-related validity procedures. Face validity was ensured through pre-testing. Content validity was achieved through expert review of the items used. The extent to which these items could be included as part of a scale was further explored by means of reliability analysis whose acceptable coefficient alpha was benchmarked at 0.65 and above. Reliability was used to explore the reliability of the questionnaire. The aspect of reliability used for this purpose was analysis of internal consistency. The main purpose was to ascertain whether all the items used in the four scales collectively measured the construct school climate. For example, the reliability analysis for the variable control had 0.79 as its coefficient alpha whilst the reliability analysis for the variable staff cohesiveness, physical resources and safe and orderly environment had 0.76, 0.89, 0.84 as corresponding coefficient alpha respectively. This implied that most items within the four scales measured the construct control, staff cohesiveness, physical resources, safe and orderly environment as part of the construct school climate. Furthermore, the coefficient alphas of these four scales compared well with the overall coefficient alpha of 0.84 for this study, which further implied that each of the scales had an immense contribution in the measurement of the construct school climate. Based on the scale rubric designed for the variable control (high score 28-21: moderate score 20-14; low score 13-0), the results from the analysis indicated that the centres under review had a fair level of control mechanisms in place as in all these centres the mean score varied between 23 and 25. On the basis of the scale rubric devised for staff cohesiveness (high score 32-24; moderate score 23-16; low score 15-0), it was also revealed that the majority of the centres had evidence of staff cohesiveness, as no low score was recorded for in most cases the mean score revolved between 22 and 25. Although, the results further indicated that there was an average degree of physical resources in most centres, it also became clear that not all centres had the same level of physical resources at their disposal as the majority of the centres had a mean score that fluctuated between 18 and 33. The scale rubric for physical resources was: between 40-30 for high score; between 29-20 for moderate score and between 19-0 for low score. Finally, the mean score for the variable safe and orderly environment alternated between the minimum mean score of 17 and the maximum mean score of 21. Based on the latter mean scores, it became clear that the majority of the centres had a safe and orderly environment level that fell within the moderate score category (between 20-14) whilst the remaining two centres had a high score category (between 28-21) and no centre had a low score category (between 13-0). / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Curriculum Studies / unrestricted