Examining Organizational Correlates of Student, Teacher, and School Outcomes in Post-Katrina New Orleans Schools

Introduction

Poor performance in school has been linked to numerous negative outcomes, and low SES and ethnic minority children are at increased risk. Educational reform has targeted this problem by ensuring equity in school accountability standards and equal access to high quality schools. Post-Katrina New Orleans public schools, which are 100% charter, 100% choice, emphasize standardized testing and accountability, and serve a population of students who are 87% African American and 84% low socioeconomic status, provide a unique opportunity to study these educational innovations. Though organizational factors are known to play a central role in the successful dissemination, implementation, and effectiveness of innovations, the field of education has not routinely attended to these factors. The purpose of the current study is to investigate links between organizational characteristics and student, teacher, and school educational outcomes. 

Methods

The current study uses survey and state-reported data collected in 2013-14 from a large, representative sample of students (n = 5,373, 50% female, 93% African-American, 92% eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), teachers (n = 859; 75% female; M_age = 30.98, SD_age = 8.92; 35% African American; 61% White) and school leaders (n = 138; 67% female; M_age = 31.91; SD_age = 7.03; 39% African American; 58% White) from 33 New Orleans public charter schools. Teacher and leader self-report data were used to construct indices of autonomy, commitment, involvement in decision making, leader quality, perception of support, and documented support. Multi-level modeling was used to evaluate links between predictors and student standardized test scores, teacher use of preferred instructional practices, teacher job satisfaction, and school problems. All analyses controlled for relevant demographic characteristics.

Results

Model results suggest that faculty involvement in decision making predicted standardized test scores for elementary schools, B = .08, p < .05 (math), p < .10 (ELA). Perception of support was associated with teacher use of preferred instructional practices, B = .27, p < .001. Autonomy, commitment, leader quality, and perception of support were associated with greater job satisfaction, (Bs = .15-39, all ps < .001). Commitment and perception of support were also associated with fewer school problems, B = .17, p < .001 and B = .26, p < .001.

Conclusions

The findings of this study suggest that key organizational factors such as autonomy, commitment, leader quality, and perception of support may promote important student, teacher, and school outcomes. Implications for educational reform will be discussed.