Theses and Dissertations

Issuing Body

Mississippi State University

Advisor

Mathews, Jerry

Committee Member

Olinzock, Anthony

Committee Member

Davis, Ed

Committee Member

Thomas, George

Date of Degree

12-13-2008

Document Type

Dissertation - Open Access

Major

School Administration

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

College

College of Education

Department

Department of Leadership and Foundations

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify perceptions of teachers and school administrators in a southern Mississippi school district that could predict the overall effectiveness of a school district. The 7 correlates of effective schools were used in the study and represented the dependent variables while teacher and school administrator demographic variables represented the predictor variables. The study addressed three research questions: (a) what are the descriptive perceptions of teachers and school administrators of school effectiveness of 11 schools in a south Mississippi school district as measured by the School Effectiveness Characteristics and Indicators Questionnaire (SECIQ) (b) which correlates of effective schools and demographic variables, as measured by the SECIQ, are predictive of teachers’ perceptions of school effectiveness in a south Mississippi school district and (c) which correlates of effective schools and demographic variables, as measured by the SECIQ, are predictive of administrators’ perceptions of school effectiveness in a south Mississippi school district? The demographic variables that were used in the study to predict the effectiveness of the school district as measured by the SECIQ were: (a) educator title - teacher, principal, assistant principal, (b) age, (c) school level - elementary, middle, or high school, (d) degree level - bachelor, master, specialist, doctoral, (e) years experience as an educator, and (f) gender. A total of 314 teachers and 9 administrators participated in the study that resulted in 323 (281 female = 87%, 42 male = 13%) participants. Multiple linear regression analysis was used in the study. The researcher analyzed the data (teacher responses) and concluded that age, school level, and gender were predictive of school effectiveness (seven correlates of effective schools) as measured by the SECIQ. The researcher also analyzed the data (administrator responses) and concluded that degree, age, and experience were predictive of school effectiveness (seven correlates of effective schools) as measured by the SECIQ in the studied school district. Conclusions and recommendations based on the findings of this study indicate that certain teacher and school administrator demographic variables could possibly predict the effectiveness of a school district based on the 7 correlates of effective schools.

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11668/16207

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