Student achievement is influenced by efficacy, a construct linked to behaviors that promote learning. The researcher investigated the strength of the relationships between teacher, principal, and collective efficacy at middle schools within a metropolitan area that received Outstanding Oregon State Report Card ratings for 2010-2011. Teachers and principals completed questionnaires to assess their beliefs about executing specific academic and behavioral tasks. The survey instruments were previously validated. Responses to open-ended questions provided insights into practices that develop efficacy. It was hypothesized that teachers and principals would report strong senses of individual and collective efficacy. Findings showed a moderate relationship between teacher and collective efficacy and a moderate relationship between academic efficacy beliefs and behavioral efficacy beliefs at the teacher and collective levels. The middle schools with higher levels of teacher, collective, and principal efficacy were characterized by collaborative cultures focused on improving instruction and leadership that promoted collaboration and growth.
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