A Study of the Relationship Between School Culture and Standardized Test Scores

Abstract

The purpose of this quantitative study was to discover the perceptions of school culture and correlate those perceptions with standardized test scores in elementary and secondary schools in southwestern Arizona. The intention of this study was to contribute to the field of education leadership related to student achievement and factors contributing to student achievement including organizational culture. A survey of teachers and administrators in participating schools in southwestern Arizona was completed and correlated with existing student achievement data for those participating schools. The School Culture Survey by Leithwood, Aitken, and Jantzi (2001) was used for the survey instrument, and the Stanford Achievement Test, Ninth Edition, was used to measure student achievement. The survey results and student achievement data were correlated and revealed that a relationship does exist between perceptions of school culture and student achievement.

About the Author

Dr. Andrew L. Smith grew up in Wellsburg, WV and always held a passion for public education. He graduated with a B.A. from West Liberty State College in music education in 1995. He earned his M.Ed. from Northern Arizona University in 2000 and a Doctor of Management degree from the University of Phoenix in 2006. Additionally, he earned an A.S. in psychology from California Coast University in 2008. He has served as a teacher of music, reading, and special education in Ohio, California, and Arizona. Currently, he is the superintendent/principal of the Yarnell Elementary School District in Yavapai County, Arizona. Andy is a member of the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), and the American Psychological Association (APA). He has published several articles in Arizona education journals from the Arizona Department of Education, the Arizona Small and Rural Schools Association, and the Arizona School Board Association. Dr. Smith and his wife Lisa reside in Surprise, AZ.