Examining the Impact of Leadership Style and School Climate on Student Achievement

Link: https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/efl_etds/164/

Research - Examining the Impact of Leadership Style and School Climate on Student Achievement 

By: Tina Robinson

Analyzed and presented by: Miss Charinya Katherine Demaine 244511002

Abstract: This dissertation explores the relationship between leadership style, school climate, and student achievement. The quantitative study focuses on elementary and high school teachers from Virginia public schools under principals who have served at least four years. Utilizing surveys such as Bass's Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) for leadership style and the Organizational Climate Description Questionnaire (OCDQ) for school climate, it measures perceptions and links them to student achievement through Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) scores in reading and math.

The study concludes that while leadership style and school climate influence student achievement to some extent, their impact is limited.

Research Objective:  The research objective of the study is to examine the impact of leadership style and school climate on student achievement at the elementary and high school levels. Specifically, the study aims to:

1. Determine if leadership style and school climate are significant predictors of student achievement by analyzing teachers' perceptions of principals' leadership styles and school climates.

2. Investigate any variance between teachers’ perceptions of their principals’ leadership styles and principals' self-perceptions of their own leadership styles.

3. Assess differences in findings across rural, suburban, and urban school settings within Virginia.

Independent variables: Leadership styles and school climate

Dependent variables: Student achievement

Theory or Related Literature Reviews - The study is grounded in two primary theories and incorporates related literature to explore the relationship between leadership style, school climate, and student achievement.

The Full-Range Leadership Theory (FRLT), developed by Bruce Avolio and Bernard Bass (1991), identifies three leadership styles: transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire. Transformational leadership inspires employees to exceed expectations through vision, encouragement, creative problem-solving, and personalized support. Transactional leadership focuses on goal-oriented exchanges, using rewards or corrective actions to maintain performance. Laissez-faire leadership reflects a passive approach, with leaders avoiding decision-making and involvement. This framework captures the spectrum of leadership behaviors and their organizational impacts.

School Climate Theory, rooted in the work of Halpin and Croft (1963), defines school climate as the internal characteristics that distinguish one school from another and influence members' behavior. Hoy and Miskel (2005) expanded this concept, highlighting the physical, social, and relational aspects of the school environment and their behavioral impacts. Schools are categorized into climate types—open, engaged, disengaged, and closed—based on the quality of interactions and organizational atmosphere.

Related Literature

1. Leadership Style and School Climate: Research indicates that principals' leadership styles significantly influence school climate. Studies by Bulach and Corvers (2006) and Cheng (1991) found positive correlations between transformational leadership and open or engaged school climates.

2. Leadership Style and Student Achievement: Some studies suggest transformational leadership positively correlates with student achievement (Leithwood & Jantzi, 2000; Waters et al., 2004).

3. School Climate and Student Achievement:Strong evidence exists supporting a link between positive school climate and higher student achievement (Bulach, Malone, & Castleman, 1995; Goddard, Sweetland, & Hoy, 2000).

4. Combined Impact of Leadership Style and School Climate on Student Achievement:Few studies examine the joint impact of these variables. Bossert et al. (1982) found that principals influence school climate and instructional practices, which in turn affect student achievement.

Research Methodology - The study employed a quantitative research methodology with a correlational design to explore the relationship between leadership style, school climate, and student achievement.

Participants and Setting - The target population included elementary and high school teachers and principals from rural, suburban, and urban regions within Virginia. Participants were selected from schools where principals had served for at least four years, ensuring sufficient exposure to their leadership styles. Schools were randomly chosen within these regions, and only teachers who had worked with their current principal for four or more years were included.

Data Collection Methods - Data were collected through three tools:

1. Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ): Measured principals' leadership styles (transformational, transactional, or laissez-faire).

2. Organizational Climate Description Questionnaire (OCDQ): Assessed school climate (open, engaged, disengaged, or closed).

3. Demographics Questionnaire: Collected participant background data.

Dependent Variable Measurement - Student achievement was measured using a three-year average of standardized scores from the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) tests in reading and math for Grade 3 (elementary) and Grade 11 (high school).

Data Analysis - Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participant responses. Multiple regression analysis determined whether leadership style and school climate were significant predictors of student achievement. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) assessed differences in findings across rural, suburban, and urban regions.

Findings: - 

1. Leadership Style Perceptions: Teachers and principals predominantly perceived transformational leadership as the most common style, followed by transactional leadership. Laissez-faire leadership was the least perceived style. A variance was noted between teachers’ and principals’ perceptions of leadership styles.

2. School Climate Perceptions: Teachers identified school climates across all categories (open, engaged, disengaged, and closed), reflecting variability in school atmospheres. Principals predominantly viewed their school climates as either open or disengaged.

3. Impact on Student Achievement: Leadership style and school climate were found to be modest predictors of student achievement. Together, these variables accounted for 6% of the variance in math scores and only 2% in reading scores on the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) tests. Transformational leadership and open climates were more positively associated with better outcomes in student achievement.

4. Regional Differences: No significant differences in school climate perceptions were observed among rural, suburban, and urban regions.

While leadership style and school climate influence student achievement to a degree, their combined impact is relatively small, indicating that other factors may play a larger role in shaping student performance.

Limitations: 

Scope of Study: The research was confined to public elementary and high schools in Virginia, which limits the generalizability of the findings to other states or educational systems.

Data Collection Instruments:The study relied on self-reported data through surveys (MLQ and OCDQ), which may introduce biases, such as social desirability or inaccuracies in perception.

Correlational Design: The research design establishes relationships but does not confirm causation between leadership style, school climate, and student achievement.

Response Rates: Low participation rates among eligible teachers and principals may limit the representativeness of the sample and the reliability of the results.

Limited Variance Explained: Leadership style and school climate together explained only a small percentage (6% for math and 2% for reading) of the variance in student achievement, suggesting the need to explore additional factors.

Strengths:

Comprehensive Framework:The study employed well-established theoretical frameworks (Full-Range Leadership Theory and School Climate Theory) and validated instruments (MLQ and OCDQ), enhancing its credibility.

Diverse Sample: By including schools from rural, suburban, and urban regions, the study captured diverse educational settings, providing a broad view of leadership and climate dynamics.

Focus on Key Variables: The study uniquely combined leadership style and school climate to explore their joint impact on student achievement, addressing a gap in existing literature.

Use of Longitudinal Data: The inclusion of three-year average SOL scores ensures that the measure of student achievement accounts for trends over time rather than single-year anomalies.