A Comparison of Elementary School Personnel Perceptions of Principals and Teachers in High and Low Achieving Schools in an Urban School System.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare, by survey, the perceptions of principals, assistant principals, and fourth grade reading teachers in high achieving elementary schools with those in low achieving elementary schools. The hypotheses were concerned with: (1) the extent to which teachers' perceptions in high achieving elementary schools were significantly different from teachers' perceptions in low achieving elementary schools in terms of their present and future evaluations-expectations of students in their school, school climate, and the executive professional leadership of principals; (2) the extent to which principals' perceptions in high achieving elementary schools were significantly different from principals' perceptions in low achieving elementary schools in terms of their present and future evaluations-expectations of students in their school, school climate, and the relevance of teacher effectiveness; (3) the extent to which teachers' perceptions were significantly different from principals' perceptions in high achieving elementary schools in terms of their present and future evaluations-expectations of students in their school, and school climate; and (4) the extent to which teachers' perceptions were significantly different from principals', perceptions in low achieving elementary schools in terms of their present and future evaluations-expectations of students in their school, and school climate. The region which was selected from the Detroit Public School system contained 19 elementary schools. The sample size was determined on a voluntary basis. The total number of schools that agreed to participate was 10, of which 5 were high achieving elementary schools and 5 were low achieving elementary schools. Within the 10 elementary schools, the total number of individuals that agreed to participate were 45. This included 9 principals, 10 assistant principals, and 26 fourth grade reading teachers. A total of 37 adults out of 45 in the sample responded to the survey. This included 9 building principals, 9 assistant principals, and 19 fourth grade reading teachers. This total of 37 respondents from the 10 elementary schools represented the population of 19 elementary schools. The following conclusions were drawn based upon the results of the study: The perceptions of teachers in high and low achieving elementary schools are the same relative to present and future evaluations-expectations of students in their school. Their perceptions relative to the degree of professional leadership exercised by their principals are also the same. The perceptions of principals in high and low achieving elementary schools are the same relative to present and future evaluations-expectations of students in their school. Their perceptions relative to teacher effectiveness are also the same. Principals, overall have high evaluations-expectations of their students when compared with teachers. Teachers, overall have low evaluations-expectations of their students when compared with principals. Intimacy, consideration, non-hindrance, productivity are factors consistently found among principals and teachers in high achieving elementary schools, and consistently lacking among principals and teachers in low achieving elementary schools.