ADVANCING A CULTURE OF HIGH EXPECTATIONS: ACADEMIC PRESS, SCHOOL CONDITIONS AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

Abstract

This study explores the extent to which an ethos of high performance for all students--also known as "Academic Press"--correlates with school conditions and student achievement in schools that have taken the National Education Association's (NEA) Keys to Excellence in Your School (KEYS) Survey. This study uses KEYS survey results from over 300 schools to examine how Academic Press relates to school characteristics and conditions by conducting multiple linear regression analyses. Results indicate significant correlations between Academic Press and certain school conditions. Regression results identified Effectiveness and Supportiveness of Leadership and Frequency and Focus of Professional Development as the most significant predictors of the two dimensions of Academic Press - School Academic Ethos and Teacher Press. The model is statistically significant (p <.001) accounting for 75% of the variance in School Academic Ethos and 51% of the variance for Teacher Press (p < .001). Elementary schools were more likely to have high School Academic Ethos (â =.243, p <.001) and Teacher Press (â = -.365). The Percent of ESL population (â = -.002, p < .05) also had a small, statistically significant negative influence on School Academic Ethos only. Teacher Empowerment had a modest relationship to Teacher Press only (â=.156, p<.05). Finally, School Size, Teacher Experience and Teacher Stability were found to have no significant relationship to School Academic Ethos or Teacher Press.