Can roses grow from concrete? A case study of parental involvement, teacher morale, school culture, and student achievement in an urban alternative school

摘要

The purpose of this study is to appropriately illustrate the correlation between the interdependent variables of parental involvement, teacher morale, school culture, and their impact on the definition and attainment of student achievement as seen in an urban alternative school. This study is based on the premise that the aforementioned variables are the most essential components in the success of an urban alternative school, as these variables impact one another and work in concert to impact the level of success in an urban alternative school, as seen in the student achievement.A grounded theory case study approach was used to determine how the urban alternative school used in this study manifests parental involvement, teacher morale, and culture of the school, as well as to identify how the parental involvement, teacher morale and culture of the school affects the academic achievement of the students being served.The researcher found that although the aforementioned variables are interrelated, they contribute only partially to the definition and attainment of achievement in an urban alternative school. The conclusions from the findings suggest that there must be systematic reform in the way that alternative schools are assessed for achievement, in order to display a true representation of the impact that alternative schools have on the lives and educations of children who are considered at risk.