Advisory Committee Chair
Loucrecia Collins
Advisory Committee Members
Matthew Fifolt
Gary Peters
Willliam B Rogan
Michele J Sims
Document Type
Dissertation
Date of Award
2014
Degree Name by School
Doctor of Education (EdD) School of Education
Abstract
With the constant concern for improving student achievement, educators must be able to identify factors that will help increase student achievement, especially in urban Title I schools. Examining schools through their organizational health is a means of determining what changes could be made to improve student achievement. Organizational health is the interpersonal dynamics of students, teachers, and administrators. In this research study, the relationship between organizational health and student achievement of 28 urban Title I elementary schools in Alabama was examined. A correlational design was used to analyze the results from the electronic survey Organizational Health Index for elementary schools (OHI-E) in relation to the reading results from the schools' Stanford Achievement Test, Tenth Edition (SAT-10) of fourth grade students in urban Title I elementary schools in Alabama. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression were used to analyze data to test six null hypotheses addressing the relationships among organizational health factors and student achievement in urban Title I elementary schools. A strong correlation between overall OHI-E of Title I elementary schools and resource influence was revealed. Previous research has shown academic emphasis as the strongest predictor of student achievement. However, the findings from this study were not consistent with this body of knowledge. Teacher affiliation was found to be the most significant factor in improving student achievement. Teacher affiliation refers to a sense of friendliness and strong affiliation with the school. Teachers feel good about each other and they have a sense of accomplishment from their jobs. Teachers are committed to both their students and their colleagues. They find ways to accommodate to the routine, accomplishing their jobs with enthusiasm. The results of this study may help legislators, board members, administrators, and other stakeholders improve levels of student academic achievement.
Recommended Citation
Johnson-Perry, Lora Ann, "An Investigation of Organizational Health and Student Achievement in Urban Title I Elementary Schools in Alabama" (2014). All ETDs from UAB. 2054.
https://digitalcommons.library.uab.edu/etd-collection/2054