Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this research was to compare perceptions of elementary teachers in high-achieving and low-achieving schools regarding the existence of six key elements of school culture: shared vision, traditions, collaboration, shared decision making, innovation, and communication. The study analyzed the extent to which teachers perceive that six cultural elements exist in their schools. Additionally, the research compared responses of teachers within each group based upon gender, grade level taught, number of years of teaching experience at the current school, total number of years of teaching experience, and size of school. Methodology. A survey with a seven-point Likert scale was used to collect data from eighty-eight teachers in high-achieving schools and ninety-eight teachers in low-achieving schools. Findings. (1) Teachers in the high-achieving group rated the existence of each of the six cultural elements and each of the twenty-five behavioral descriptors significantly higher than did teachers in the low-achieving group. (2) While teachers in both groups identified a shared vision as being the most visible element, more than three-fourths of them saw collaboration as having the most positive impact on their respective schools. (3) In the high-achieving schools, less than 25 percent of the teachers regarded innovation as having a positive impact, whereas more than 50 percent of those in the low-achieving group saw this as a positive impact on the school. Discussion. (1) The results of this study would support the hypothesis that high-achieving schools exhibit a higher positive culture than do low-achieving schools. What is unknown at this time is whether the culture is influencing the achievement or vice versa. Additional research, including in-depth case studies, are called for to address this issue. (2) The discrepancy between a shared vision being the most prominent cultural element and collaboration having the most positive impact, in both groups of schools, needs further investigation. Based upon this study, additional efforts to establish a collaborative environment seem to be indicated.