Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine (1) if there were a relationship between the strength of a school's organizational culture and the job satisfaction of middle school teachers, (2) if there were differences in the strength of organizational culture when analyzed by the teaching organization, size of school, and socioeconomic level of school, and (3) if there were a relationship between the strength of a school's organizational culture and teacher job satisfaction when analyzed by the teaching organization, size of school, and socioeconomic level of school. Methodology. The researcher used correlational and ex post facto research. The sample, selected by a stratified-random sampling technique, consisted of teachers from twelve middle level Los Angeles County schools. The instruments used were the School Culture Survey and the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire-Short Form. Of the 489 teachers surveyed, 356 teachers completed both instruments for a 72.8 percent response rate. The Pearson Product-Moment Coefficient was used to determine the relationship between variables and the independent t-test, the one-way ANOVA, the three-way ANOVA, and Tukey B were used to test the hypotheses. Findings. Teachers reported the strength of the organizational culture in middle level schools as moderately strong and their job satisfaction as satisfied. There was a positive and moderate relationship between the strength of a school's organizational culture and the level of teacher job satisfaction. There were no significant differences in the strength of organizational culture when analyzed by the teaching organization and size of school. However, there was a significant difference in the strength of organizational culture relative to the socioeconomic level of school. High wealth schools had the strongest organizational cultures, low wealth schools the next strongest, and medium wealth schools the lowest. The relationship between strength of organizational culture and teacher job satisfaction remained positive and moderate when the teaching organization, size of school, and socioeconomic level of school were analyzed. Implications. Principals need to be aware of the positive and moderate relationship between the strength of organizational culture and teacher job satisfaction and devise means for strengthening school culture while addressing the needs of teachers. Principals in low wealth schools cannot assume that a weak culture or teacher dissatisfaction result from a low socioeconomic level.