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The effects of the implementation of total quality management on the Rappahannock County, Virginia public schools

In May 1993, 795 school district associates, students, and parents participated in a study to determine whether the implementation of TQM from 1990 to 1993 has made fundamental and significant changes and improvements in the district.

In 1990-91, senior management of the district received 80+ hours of training and were certified as Quality Trainers by the Xerox Corporation and the Virginia Department of Education through a US Department of Education partnership grant. By September 1992, nearly 90% of all Rappahannock school district associates (employees) had received 30+ hours of training in quality management. The Xerox model of training includes components on defining quality, meeting needs of customers, interactive skills, working in teams, problem solving, and a quality improvement process.

Over 60% of associates volunteered to serve on quality teams to address concerns targeted by customer surveys. In 1992-93, all associates served on required quality teams to improve instruction and support services. A couple of elementary school quality teams reduced numbers of students needing math remedial pullout services by 35% to 40%. The high school math team devised an improved process for team-teaching math and quality problem solving. Bus drivers, parents, teachers, administrators, and students served on a quality team to reduce 34% parent dissatisfaction with transportation services to 11%.

The study found that since the 1990 introduction of TQM in the district: 89% of associates are using aspects of the quality training in their work with others; 72% of associates feel that administrators have increased their efforts to meet their needs; 66% of associates feel more empowered; 78% of students identify things that have improved; and 79% of parents feel that the schools have increased their efforts to meet their childrens’ needs.

A "quality customer service in education" (QCSIE) scale was devised from the student survey items and responses. Seventy-eight percent of the district's students have positive QCSIE scores. The QCSIE scale can be used to help schools determine the level of student satisfaction with educational and support services. A similar scale found that 88% of students have a willingness to help produce, or coproduce their education. / Ph. D.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/40176
Date24 October 2005
CreatorsChappell, Robert Thomas
ContributorsAdministrative and Educational Services, Conley, Houston, Underwood, Kenneth E., McKeen, Ronald L., Fortune, Jimmie C.
PublisherVirginia Tech
Source SetsVirginia Tech Theses and Dissertation
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeDissertation, Text
Formatv, 124 leaves, BTD, application/pdf, application/pdf
RightsIn Copyright, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
RelationOCLC# 29985593, LD5655.V856_1993.C539.pdf

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