| This study examined elementary teachers' attitudes towards the importance and implementation of effective school correlates in Beijing, China, the Bronx and Long Island, New York. The specific correlates to be measured were: Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum, Challenging Goals, Effective Feedback, Parental Involvement, Safe Environment, Collegiality, and Professional Development. These were based on Robert Marzano's macro-research on effective schools (Marzano, 2003, p.15). Teachers from three different school systems in Beijing, the Bronx, and Long Island were asked to fill out a 35 item survey. Teacher attitudes towards the level of importance and implementation for each effective school correlate were compared. The study was limited to two elementary schools in each location, totaling six schools. In each location, the schools were in regional proximity to each other.;This international, comparative study provides educational leaders with a comprehensive framework for a diagnostic and prescriptive approach to solving problems that schools face in order to increase student achievement. The study illuminates the commonalities and differences among teachers' perceptions across international borderlines.;The results of the factor and reliability analysis revealed that the items that measured effective school characteristics were reduced to four dimensions. The newly formed dimensions were Viable Curriculum (included time and opportunity to learn, focused learning skills, and content), Effective Feedback (included frequent and appropriate monitoring and high expectations), Safe Environment (included school climate and community and parent involvement), and Professional Development (included cooperation, common vision and staff development).;There are few international tools for school leaders to use to evaluate that have been validated as predictors of school effectiveness. This study provides a model for measuring school effectiveness, based on macro-research across the nation and the world. |
