The Effects of Teacher Trust on Student Learning and the Malleability of Teacher Trust to School Leadership: A 35-Year Meta-Analysis

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to (1) meta-analyze the effects of teacher trust, and of each trust dimension on student learning in aggregate and in each of the six learning subjects; (2) meta-analyze the effect of school leadership, of each leadership domain, and of different leadership styles on teacher trust; and (3) examine whether school level, subjects, trust dimensions, and leadership styles moderate these abovementioned effects. Research Methods/Approach: Standard meta-analysis techniques were used to review 83 studies and examine the multiple relationships between school leadership, teacher trust, and student learning mentioned above. Heterogeneity analysis was conducted to identify moderators. Publication bias in these analysis results was also examined. Findings: The study shows that teacher trust had a moderate effect on student learning. School leadership had a large effect on teacher trust. Teacher trust in students and parents contributed to student learning more than the other dimensions of trust. All five domains of school leadership were related to teacher trust, with the effect sizes being large or moderate. Supportive, collegial types of school leadership had the largest effect on the teachers’ trust. Implications for Research and Practice: To improve student learning, school leaders need to enlist all effective practices in order to build trust in schools and pay equal attention to improving teachers’ trust as they do other efforts to improve instructional programs and teaching practices. More efforts are needed from principals to help build teachers’ trust in parents and students.