Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Identifier

717

Date

2012

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Major

Leadership and Policy Studies

Concentration

Educational Leadership

Committee Chair

Larry McNeal

Committee Member

Mary Boudreaux

Committee Member

Jeff Wilson

Committee Member

Louis Franceschini

Abstract

Federal and state laws rely on multiple indicators to measure and improve student performance. However, inadequate attention has been directed at school climate as a means to improve student academic achievement even through there is a diverse body of research linking school climate to student achievement and academic performance (Kober, 2001; Loukas & Robinson, 2005; Shindler, et al 2004). The specific purpose of this study is to examine elementary and middle school teachers' perceptions of school climate dimensions such as: use of instructional time, access to resources, and adequate facilities, in relationship to students academic achievement in an urban school district. The researcher used secondary data to analyze teachers' perceptions related of time, resources, and facilities and their relationship to student academic achievement. According to the data results, overall, elementary and middle school teachers believe there is: good use of their time during the school day, time to collaborate, time to meet the needs of students, and adequate non-instructional time. As with the second aspect regarding the level of access teachers have to instructional resources, teachers feel they have access to the resources needed. The third aspect addressed in the results is related to teachers' perceptions about the overall quality of the facilities in which they work. According to the data collected, teachers believe that the school facilities are clean and well maintained, and that their work space is sufficient and supportive for the teaching and learning process. The last set of data analyzed the relationship between the mean results from elementary and middle school teachers' perceptions about the related items concerning time, resources, and facilities and that of schools whose achieve results were proficient in reading and math on the 2010 Tennessee Comprehensive Achievement Program (TCAP) assessment. Teachers from schools that had proficient scores in reading and math, believed that there were too many interruptions during instructional time, class size matters when student achievement is considered, and there is a need to protect teachers from duties that interfere with their responsibility to educate students. Conclusion from this study indicated that there were no significant differences between elementary and middle school teachers' perceptions about use of instructional time, access to resources or facilities. However, there was a difference in teachers' perceptions that worked in schools with proficient reading and math scores on standardized test.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to the local University of Memphis Electronic Theses & dissertation (ETD) Repository.

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