Validity Of Educator Empowerment On Student Achievement example essay topic

A Study of Educator Empowerment and Student Achievement Levels TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER ONE Introduction... 1 Statement of the Problem... 2 Hypothesis... 4 Significance of the Study... 4 Definition of Terms... 7 Limitations of the Study...

9 Basic Assumptions... 10 Procedures for Collecting Data... 12 Procedures for Treating Data... 14 CHAPTER TWO Review of the Literature... 16 CHAPTER THREE Summary...

25 Conclusion... 27 Recommendation... 28 References... 30 CHAPTER ONE Introduction Empowerment, considered an essential component of Total Quality Management, is becoming the dominant theme in all types of organizations including business, industry, and service organizations. Empowerment distributes decision-making responsibilities throughout all levels of an organization.

Although the objectives of Total Quality Management are far reaching, the ultimate goal of the organization adopting this management model is to achieve growth by successfully producing quality products that satisfy the changing needs of it's customers. Under TQM, accountability is focused, through empowerment, on the lowest levels of the organization (Ruffin, 1985). Interest in this management model is rapidly spreading. Traditionally, school level personnel are excluded from critical decisions including personnel allocations and hiring, curriculum, budget allocations, and scheduling of teaching time.

Today, more school organizations, administrators, teachers, and communities are examining the possible benefits. Jenkins (1988) states that "To empower other is to give a stakeholder share in the movement and direction of the enterprise" (p. 149). Researchers as well as educational, political, and other public groups studying implications of restructuring our public educational system and the empowerment of school staff members. Many believe that staff members who are able to initiate and carry out new ideas by involvement in decision making should, in turn, create enhanced learning opportunities for students.

It's time for school administrators, like other American business leaders, to revisit traditional administrative practices. As the expectations of today's social and working environments demand greater responsibility and high professional standards from our classroom educators, classroom educators should have more opportunities to control the elements that govern their environment. Statement of the Problem The problem of this study is to examine the effect of educator empowerment on the academic achievement levels of students. Hypothesis There will be no significant difference in the academic achievement levels of students where classroom educators have been empowered with greater responsibility in developing individualized student curricula. Significance of the Study Criticisms of our public schools confront us on a daily basis. Federal, state and local officials decry the money spent on schools and the lack of return on the investment.

The business community finds the employability of high school graduates questionable, and as they face increasing tax burdens, business leaders are beginning to demand a greater say in both the ends and the means of solving educational problems. The public complains about low test scores and dropout rates that are unacceptably high (Bamburg and Isaacson, 1991). Schools are besieged from without by all manner of experts who have determined what schools should do in order to more be effective. Educators, as well, are frustrated by their own apparent inability to address the needs of the students who, in many cases, have fundamentally different needs than those of even ten years ago. Today's students come from more diverse backgrounds and possess more complex needs than in the past. These needs must be addressed if students are to process information accurately, work harmoniously with those around them, and to be successfully retrained several times during their careers.

Schools must realize that America can no longer write off 25% of the students who will comprise an industrial economy that is rapidly maturing technologically. A recent study of school factors that may encourage students to drop out of school reported in Teachers College Record discussed characteristics of schools with high drop out rates pointing to overcrowding in schools, fiscal arrangements that encourage early dismissal of dropouts, and underachieving student body, and a high level of dis empowerment experienced by the staff (Rinehart and Short, 1992). In addition, there is a socio-political perspective that a democratic society cannot survive without a well educated populace. Today's needs can be achieved only through reform. Critics maintain that very little substantive improvement has taken place in recent years, despite the energy and resources spent on reform. Mojkowski and Fleming (1988) state that traditional school administration is not structured to encourage the kind of changes necessary to make a significant difference.

Researchers support the assumption that teacher empowerment relates to greater organizational effectiveness (Lawler, 1986). It appears that individual school participants who can influence the work of the organization feel greater commitment to creatively and effectively address the problems and opportunities in educating today's youth. Definition of Terms 1. Administration - Refers primarily to district administration, including school boards, but may vary according to how districts are organized.

2. Manager - Synonymous with administrator. Refers primarily to the school principal, but may vary according to how districts are organized. 3.

Educator - Synonymous with individual teacher. Refers primarily to the classroom teacher, however it may include support positions such as counselor, advisor, or other positions related to student needs and development. 4. Total Quality Management (TQM) - A style of management that supports change and flexibility by encouraging employees on the lowest levels of the organization to take control of their work environment. Organizations believe that the road to greater success and growth is by providing comprehensive training, tools and support for an empowered workforce. Within the education system TQM represents school-based management, site-based management, or other similar terms for individual school management.

5. Empowerment - An element of TQM where administrators involve classroom educators in decisions that affect their teaching environment and ability to satisfy the learning needs of their students. Empowerment is dependent on an integration of knowledge, capabilities and commitment on all administrative levels to attain a common set of objectives and goals. It is structured to focus on both the classroom educator and student needs, and a curriculum development and implementation plan which includes both administration and classroom educators. One of the major elements of empowerment is to endow the classroom educator with a greater share of responsibility on administrative issues. Administration, however, still maintains the final authority over educator recommendations.

6. Iowa Tests of Basic Skills - Criterion-referenced achievement battery used to determine basic skills in school children. 7. Traditional administrative policies and procedures - An organizational structure where the power for establishing policies, procedures and decision-making are limited to upper administration. Limitations of the Study 1.

This study will be limited to the resource material in the Leonard H. Axe Library at Pittsburg State University, the Educational Resource Information Center (ERIC), the George A. Spiv a Library, Missouri Southern State College, and Allied Signal Total Quality Management educational resources. 2. This study will be limited to a period of three years. 3. This study will be limited to the academic achievement levels of high school students in Kansas City, Missouri high schools with enrollments greater than 1500 students. 4.

This study will be limited because some students in the study will either move to, or transfer in from other school districts. 5. This study will be limited to the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills as an instrument to measure academic achievement. 6.

This study will be limited to the measurement of the students performance on the day of test administration. 7. The control groups will be limited to educators from the selected schools who volunteer to participate in this study. 8.

This study will be limited to the limitations of all experimental designs using two groups. 9. Due to the extended period of time this study requires, factors within control groups, such as educator turnover or promotions will be a consideration. Basic Assumptions 1. All Administrators and educators were trained in the principles of Total Quality Management and understood the limitations in both delegation and personal accountability that would define the levels of empowerment. 2.

Administrator and educator training was conducted by certified instructors or consultants. 3. All educators who volunteer for the study will be committed to the goals of determining the validity of educator empowerment on student achievement. 4. All educators who volunteer for the study will cooperate and optimally use the authority they are empowered with. 5.

Administration will be committed to the goals of Total Quality Management. 6. Students will respond to the achievement test questions to the best of their ability. 7. The Iowa Tests of Basic Skills is a valid and reliable test and it measures academic levels. 8.

The students in this study are representative of the population. 9. The administrators and educators in this study are representative of the population. 10. The achievement tests will be administered following appropriate guidelines. 11.

Educators volunteering as control group members will not be alienated by administrators or other educators because of their participation. 12. During the first year of the study, a learning curve will be factored in to allow for variables in adjusting to new and / or different levels of responsibility. 13. Administrators and educators from the control group will continue to use a traditional school management style. Procedures for Collecting Data This study will employ the pretest-posttest control group research design with a time series wherein the design will be used to compare the achievement scores between two schools.

School (A) will be the experimental group and will incorporate the TQM process in it's administrative policies and procedures. School (B) will be the control group and will use traditional administrative policies and procedures. The study will be conducted over a three year period. Student testing will take place during the school years 1994-95, 1995-96, 1996-97. The two groups will be intact groups and kept separate from each other. To keep the groups intact, they will be tested in their 9th, 10th and 11th grades.

It is imperative to ascertain the mean scores of each group on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills as pretest information. The pretest will be given during the 1993-94 school year. During the 1994-95 through 1996-97 school years, each group will be given the Iowa Test of Basic Skills for post test scores. By a comparison of the scores achieved by School (A) and School (B), the null hypothesis can be verified or refuted. Because the two groups are intact groups, the results of this study cannot be generalized to any other population. The analysis of covariance will be the statistical instrument to measure any changes in the achievement levels of both groups.

The instrument used, the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, has high reliability coefficients on composite scores from. 96 to. 98. Split-half reliabilities are reported in the.

60 to. 94 range for subtests. Interrelations among subtests range from. 69 to. 83 with a mean of. 76.

The predictive validity of the instrument indicates that the scores will be moderately predictive of subsequently earned grade point averages and appear to be representative of the general population. Procedure for Treating Data Data will be collected from the Iowa Test of Basic Skills and used as a pretest. Data will be collected from pretests and posttest that are given over the proposed material in the groups. Data will also be collected from the Iowa Test of Basic Skills used as the posttest. A comparison of test score means will be made to determine any significant difference in the academic achievement levels between the experimental group and the control group. After collecting the data, the statistical technique used to test the hypothesis of this area of the study will be the Fisher t Formula.

If there is a significant difference in the pretest and the posttest scores between the experimental and the control group (using the. 05 level of confidence), then the null hypothesis would be rejected. CHAPTER TWO Review of the Literature Improving schools through Total Quality Management (TQM), or site-based management, is a fundamental tenet found within much of the school restructuring literature. Similarly acknowledged is the need for administrators and newly empowered teachers to receive leadership training while both delegating and assuming decision-making responsibility. Unfortunately, although many embrace the ideals of and formulas for restructuring schools, the territory of actual implementation is only vaguely chartered (Wood, F.H., Caldwell, S.D., and Thompson, S.R., 1987). There is little doubt that if America is to survive and prosper in an information age, its workers must possess skills which enable them to function successfully in an environment very different from that which existed when schooling in its present form was invented.

America needs educators who will dedicate themselves to fulfilling their moral and ethical responsibility to insure that all children can and do learn. No other institution in our society plays such a powerful role in acculturating its citizens as the school. As educators face the increasing pluralism and societal complexities of the 1990's, they must look to transformation that can only be realized through re conceptualizing what schools do and how they do it (Bamburg and Isaacson, 1991). A successful transformation focuses on this "vision" and incorporating what we know from both research and practice about the most effective ways to educate children, and how to create conditions within organizations that support change. It requires a comprehensive knowledge of successful change processes, patterns of human interdependence, collaboration, and commitment. Fundamental change essentially requires altering the very culture of the school (Sarason, Seymour, 1982).

TQM, under various names and forms, has been around for many years. Independent research findings focused on areas of change in schools, as well as other organizations, points to the importance of increased participation in decision making as a key variable in developing motivation and commitment among educators (Purkey and Smith, 1983). Within the TQM framework, educators take personal responsibility for the outcomes of their work, manage and monitor their own performance, seek needed resources, and take the initiative to help others improve (Hackman, 1986). This means that the organizational structure in which the power to make decisions was held by the superintendent and school board are delegated down to principals, and students, as well as parents and other concerned community members (Marburger, 1985). Variables critical to creating empowered schools include (1) the need for the process of empowerment to be evolutionary, (2) the need for a knowledge base and specific school structures for empowerment to evolve, (3) the need for an environment supportive of risk taking and innovation, (4) the need for trust building at a all levels, (5) the powerful impact of an outside facilitator and contact with other schools involved in empowerment to help in the change process, (6) the restructuring of the role of the principal to enabler and "conscious", and (7) the role of critical incidents in the creation of evolutionary shifts in the empowerment process (Rappaport, J, 1987). Dunst (1991) suggests that empowerment consists of two issues (1) enabling experiences, provided within an organization that fosters autonomy, choice, control, and responsibility, which (2) allows the individual to display existing competencies as well as learn new competencies that support and strengthen functioning.

Are teachers and administrators prepared for TQM? According to Harrison (1989) principals and teachers may be very apprehensive or fearful about their roles and responsibilities under this new management style. Principals and other administrators, on the other hand, who have struggled to achieve success through the traditional administrative structure may be reluctant to delegate or even share their power and authority and fail to provide appropriate training and support. Liebert (1989) suggests that time is a critical factor. A great deal of time may be necessary for training teachers in participatory management. Teachers must gain management knowledge and experience before administrators can feel comfortable with empowerment and teachers comfortable with accepting it.

In a study performed by Short and Rinehart, (1992) empowerment was negatively correlated to school climate suggesting that as the level of empowerment increases, teachers perceive a less positive climate. They found that when teachers' involvement in school decision making increases, the opportunities for conflict increase due to disclosures of ideologies and perceptions that usually are not disclosed in the tradition school structure. In addition, the more teachers have input and involvement in critical decisions about the direction of the school organization and increased autonomy, the more complex the communication and the greater the need for substantive change that may precipitate organizational conflict. The study suggests that as teachers are empowered, they should be taught effective communication skills and positive approaches to handling conflict. In addition, as teachers become more empowered, they must assume the role of problem finder and problem solver.

Therefore, teachers should have organizational problem solving skills as well as planning and implementation skills. Of course, there is another very important consideration according to Clune and White (1989), not all teachers want additional decision-making responsibilities. If schools are to effectively educate all students, then the beliefs of the educators who work in schools, the instructional strategies and techniques they employ, and the desired outcomes must be linked. A shared knowledge of the correlates of effective schools include: the presence of a clear school mission, which is one of the primary drivers of TQM; strong educational leadership, as opposed to traditional management, by the principal; high expectations for and from students and staff; frequent monitoring of student progress; the presence of a positive learning climate; parent / community involvement; and an emphasis upon student attainment of basic skills. Knowledge of these correlates can create a common language which would allow educators to develop a shared commitment to the types of activities that should occur across the school (Bamburg, Jerry & Isaacson, Nancy (1991). For educator empowerment to achieve the task of improving the achievement levels of students, there are at least five thematic concerns that must be successfully addressed (Fay, Carolyn (1992).

These are: a) A distinction between teacher leadership and administration. (Difference in the uses of power and authority -- coming from group rather than exerting over group. Respect for autonomy. Freedom from supervisory or "managerial" aspects of traditional school administration.) b) The importance of positive collegial relationships. (Necessity for credibility. Sensitivity for teacher viewpoint and appreciation of teacher expertise.

Establishment of new working partnerships with fellow faculty members and principals.) c) The effects of teaching and leadership roles on one another. (Informing instruction with new knowledge and skills. Teachers as models of leadership and collaboration for their students. Decision making that is informed by perspective of professional closest to student.) d) The need for specialized training / professional development. (Lack of background knowledge for leadership roles.

Need skills for collaborative restructuring; group dynamic, consensus building, conflict resolution; innovative assessment design; communication with schools publics.) e) Fundamental changes in school day / use of teacher time. (Present structure a barrier to innovative programs; ignores principles of adult learning necessary for school change. Attempts to combine teacher mission with creative leadership result in dilution of both.) Although the school reform movement of the 1980's focused first on regulations and tightening controls over virtually anyone and anything in sight, maturity of the movement has turned attention to new modes of management that could engender and support more effective schools structures and student learning. These new structures, known by many names, share a commonality. This commonality is active classroom educator participation as leaders, decision makers, and role models. This is much more than a structural change in our school system, it's a cultural change making our educators more effective.

CHAPTER THREE Summary A review of the literature indicates that school administrators are aware of growing public concern over this nation's ability to effectively educate its youth to fill the job needs of the future. Much of this concern is based on a nationwide statistical dropout rate of 25%, the increasing cost of education, and a perceived public opinion that school systems today are unable to meet the educational needs of our society. School administrators, like other American business leaders, are being forced to revisit their traditional administrative practices in an effort to satisfy the needs of a technologically aggressive environment. Currently, the Total Quality Management is the model being adopted by major organizations as the most viable alternative. The Total Quality Management model is founded on the Deming approach to quality management. This approach emphasizes empowerment, or assigning significant accountability for increased academic achievement directly to the classroom educator, as a means reaching higher performance levels.

The approach is dependent on the development of a total employee, or teacher, involvement culture. It is designed to provide each classroom teacher with the appropriate training, tools, and administrative support to optimize their level of performance and achieve more effective methods of educating our children. Many school organizations are looking to other proclaimed successes using this model and establishing benchmarks for comparison and goal setting. Many questions remain, however, as to the actual degree of success being achieved. Are the proclaimed successes of this new model real or are they rhetoric for the purpose of satisfying the public outcry for better education.

Incorporation of the TQM model is more than just an organizational change. It is a cultural reform in our educational system that cannot take place overnight. It must follow an evolutionary process that begins with additional education and training of classroom educators and continues with commitment and support from school boards and top administrators, and follows through with support from students, parents and the community. Conclusions Research indicates that an increasing number of large school districts, are beginning to integrate the Total Quality Management approach into their administrative system. Within this, classroom teachers are being empowered with the additional responsibility of making decisions that affect their organization, problem solving, resolving conflict, and developing individualized or specialized curriculums based on the individual needs of their students. Several factors may inhibit the efforts of the administrator, as well as the classroom teacher, and discourage the success of such an approach.

Some of these factors have been identified as: financial constraints of the school district, a lack of student, parental or community support, superficial and / or limited commitment by administration, teachers that do not want the additional responsibilities, conflicts in ideologies and perceptions, greater organizational conflicts, and the need for comprehensive training to teach all levels of the organization to handle their changing roles. Research also indicates that a Total Quality Management system is a long term project. Most educational systems that are successfully implementing TQM have taken five to ten years to do so. This research also indicates that most organizations are attempting to implement TQM with minimum, or short term, education and training.

At this point, there is little performance data to correlate student achievement with this mode of educational reform. Recommendation It is recommended that TQM continue to be the subject of research. The organizational structure of each school district is different. While TQM strives for certain universal goals, a successful program will vary in content from district to district. There are still many avenues of concern on the variables that may inhibit the successful implementation of this management model. Some of the many concerns can be directed toward legal considerations that exists between the state and the district, and the district and the individual school.

Implementation of TQM will be expensive. Studies should be conducted to find, or create, the resources necessary to provide the training, time, materials, and maintenance of the system. School administration must not become discouraged if the first attempt is not successful. They must make modifications until they find the most effective "mix" for their organization. Studying the evolutionary process of other school organizations that have been successful in implementing TQM, setting goals and objectives that support TQM, and establishing benchmarks that focus on continuous improvement might be helpful in preparing for implementation. If school administrators make the commitment and classroom educators accept the responsibilities of their changing roles, Total Quality Management can be successful and students will achieve greater levels of learning.