Faculty perceptions of academic success measures in high -poverty, low -performing rural elementary schools in Tennessee

Bonnie T Dixon, Tennessee State University

Abstract

This research explored perceptions of academic success held by faculties of six high-poverty, low-achieving schools in rural Tennessee. Insight about teacher perceptions of academic success was gained using a questionnaire with a Likert scale. The areas surveyed were: (1) Planning and Implementation; (2) School Climate; and (3) Teaching and Learning. A total of 105 surveys were distributed with 63 returned answered, establishing a 60% return rate. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. Major conclusions gathered from the data were: (1) perceptions of planning/implementation and teaching/learning were positive; (2) perceptions of school climate were neutral; (3) males had more positive perceptions of school climate than females; and (4) African-Americans had more positive perceptions of school climate than Caucasians. The study resulted in the following recommendations: (1) staff development to address school climate should take place in high-poverty, low-achieving, rural schools; (2) the Tennessee State Department of Education should provide additional funding for school improvement plans of high-poverty, low-achieving rural schools; (3) this study should be replicated in other high-poverty, low-achieving rural schools by private entities and the Tennessee State Department of Education; and (4) the concepts of gender and ethnicity in regard to school climate should be further studied.

Subject Area

Curricula|Teaching

Recommended Citation

Bonnie T Dixon, "Faculty perceptions of academic success measures in high -poverty, low -performing rural elementary schools in Tennessee" (2002). ETD Collection for Tennessee State University. Paper AAI3061772.
https://digitalscholarship.tnstate.edu/dissertations/AAI3061772

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