School Effectiveness Characteristics and Student Achievement: A Study of Relationships in Georgia Middle Schools

AbstractThis study focused on the relationship of seven characteristics of effective schools (instructional leadership, environment, expectations for student achievement, school-wide instructional goals and objectives, classroom practices, monitoring of student progress, and home-school relations), six demographic variables (size of school, socioeconomic status of students, race of students, location of school, tenure of principal, and sex of principal), and student achievement. Teachers in 70 middle level schools in Georgia completed the Connecticut School Effectiveness Questionnaire. Principals in these 70 schools supplied demographic information. Student achievement was measured by the eighth grade Georgia Criterion Referenced Test (GCRT). Results indicate that a number of effective school and demographic variables are correlated with the three areas of the GCRT (reading, mathematics, total score). Results indicate that there are actions schools can take to improve student achievement.