Parents' perceptions of school effectiveness : an investigation into parents' perceptions of the effectiveness of Tasmanian public schools

摘要

In 1992, Tasmanian schools were using forms of school self management based on schooludeffectiveness literature. An accountability vacuum from the client's perspective had beenudpredicted. There was an increasing need for school managers and policy makers to becomeudmore responsive to parents.udOne aim of the project reported here was to set up processes to obtain feedback fromudparents which would allow school managers and policy makers to pick up 'weak signals'udcoming from their parent body. Another aim was to use the same processes to determineudthe perception that parents have of the effectiveness of Tasmanian public schools. Twoudresearch questions were selected. What are the perceptions that Tasmanian parents haveudof the effectiveness of public schools in Tasmania? What are the differences inudperceptions between various groups within the Tasmanian parent community? Political support for the project was obtained after representation was made to theudDepartment of Education and the Arts (DEA), State Schools Parents and FriendsudAssociation and 'Melville Swamp' school principals, councils, parents and friendsudassociation and teachers. These discussions helped develop categories concerningudeffectiveness and led iteratively to the joint development of an instrument. Theudquestionnaire gathered both preferences and perceptions of the actual situation usinguditems related to the content categories; sense of mission, school community relationships, high expectations, safe and orderly environment, educational leadership and studentudprogress. Responses to open questions were used to interpret patterns.udA qualitative and quantitative approach was used to develop the instrument. Trialing andudrefining the survey instrument continued with the Melville Swamp school parents,udcouncillors, principals and teachers until it had acceptable levels of reliability and validity.udA stratified random sample of parents in Tasmanian public schools was then surveyed.udSchools were divided into groups according to type, size and educational needs index fromudwhich random selections were made. Approximately fifteen hundred parents fromudtwenty eight schools were invited to respond to the survey. Good response rates,udaveraging 60%, were obtained. This exercise demonstrated that parents' view on school effectiveness can be bothudcategorised and measured. The were significant differences between groups of parents.udEigen values combined with an analysis of optional comments suggest that parents makeudan overall judgement of 'goodness' or 'badness' largely based on the quality of theudrelationship between their children and their children's teachers. Other judgements areudmade within this global assessment.udA conceptual framework relating the content categories used in this study was developed.udOther linkages were hypothesised to further the development of a school effectivenessudconceptual framework. udHigh school parents have stronger preferences about matters related to achievement,udprogress and expectations while primary school parents have stronger preferences withudregard to the use of volunteers within the school. Perceptions of the actual situation inudschools varied greatly. Primary school parents' responses were significantly moreudfavourable than either high school or district high school parent responses. District highudschools were perceived by parents as the least effective of the three types of school.udUrban parents perceive schools to be significantly more effective than do parents of ruraludschools. This finding was traced to the larger number of less experienced and more mobileudteachers found in rural schools. ud This study suggested a number of practical recommendations. Teachers should beudprovided with the opportunity to explore the implications of the core principles ofudschool effectiveness. School leaders should evaluate parents' perceptions of schooludeffectiveness along with other forms of accountability data and to look for new policyudtouchstone. Flexible industrial arrangements should be negotiated for school professionalsudso that a variety of communication strategies can be implemented that take account of theudchanging nature of work and family. The DEA should look for alternative methods ofudstaffing rural schools. Parents should be encouraged to make formal and informal schooludvisits. udRecommendations concerning the theory of school effectiveness and further researchudcentred on four issues: parents' perceptions of school effectiveness and studentudoutcomes; parents' perceptions of the effectiveness of primary and secondary sections ofuddistrict high schools; organisational arrangements of schools and parents' perceptions ofudschool effectiveness; accountability procedures from the client's perspective.