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How School Districts Influence Student Achievement

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Title: How School Districts Influence Student Achievement
Language: English
Authors: Leithwood, Kenneth, Sun, Jingping, McCullough, Catherine
Source: Journal of Educational Administration. 2019 57(5):519-539.
Availability: Emerald Group Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emeraldinsight.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 21
Publication Date: 2019
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Academic Achievement, School Districts, Administrator Role, School Administration, Leadership Effectiveness, Central Office Administrators, Administrator Attitudes
DOI: 10.1108/JEA-09-2018-0175
ISSN: 0957-8234
Abstract: Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to test the effects of nine district characteristics on student achievement, explored the conditions that mediated the effects of such characteristics and contributed to understandings about the role school-level leaders play in district efforts to improve achievement. Design/methodology/approach: Data for the study were provided by the responses of 2,324 school and district leaders in 45 school districts to two surveys. Student achievement evidence was provided by multi-grade provincial measures of math and language achievement. The analysis of these data included calculation of descriptive statistics, confirmatory factor analysis and regression mediation analysis. Findings: Seven of nine district characteristics contributed significantly to student achievement and three conditions served as especially powerful mediators of such district effects. The same three conditions, as well as others, acted as significant mediators of school-level leader effects on achievement, as well. Practical implications: District characteristics tested in the study provide a powerful framework for guiding the district improvement work of senior educational leaders. The organizational improvement efforts of both district and school leaders would be substantially enhanced by a better understanding of how to diagnose and improve the status of those conditions acting as significant mediators of the effects of both district and school leadership on student achievement. Originality/value: This is one of a very few large-scale quantitative studies examining the extent to which characteristics frequently identified by district effectiveness research explain variation in student learning. It is also one of the very few studies identifying classroom, school and family variables that mediate district effects on such learning. The study also adds to a growing body of evidence about variables which mediate school leaders' effects on such learning.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2019
Accession Number: EJ1226707
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: How School Districts Influence Student Achievement
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Leithwood%2C+Kenneth%22">Leithwood, Kenneth</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sun%2C+Jingping%22">Sun, Jingping</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22McCullough%2C+Catherine%22">McCullough, Catherine</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Educational+Administration%22"><i>Journal of Educational Administration</i></searchLink>. 2019 57(5):519-539.
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  Data: Emerald Group Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emeraldinsight.com
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  Data: 21
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academic+Achievement%22">Academic Achievement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Districts%22">School Districts</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Administrator+Role%22">Administrator Role</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Administration%22">School Administration</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Leadership+Effectiveness%22">Leadership Effectiveness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Central+Office+Administrators%22">Central Office Administrators</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Administrator+Attitudes%22">Administrator Attitudes</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1108/JEA-09-2018-0175
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  Data: 0957-8234
– Name: Abstract
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  Data: Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to test the effects of nine district characteristics on student achievement, explored the conditions that mediated the effects of such characteristics and contributed to understandings about the role school-level leaders play in district efforts to improve achievement. Design/methodology/approach: Data for the study were provided by the responses of 2,324 school and district leaders in 45 school districts to two surveys. Student achievement evidence was provided by multi-grade provincial measures of math and language achievement. The analysis of these data included calculation of descriptive statistics, confirmatory factor analysis and regression mediation analysis. Findings: Seven of nine district characteristics contributed significantly to student achievement and three conditions served as especially powerful mediators of such district effects. The same three conditions, as well as others, acted as significant mediators of school-level leader effects on achievement, as well. Practical implications: District characteristics tested in the study provide a powerful framework for guiding the district improvement work of senior educational leaders. The organizational improvement efforts of both district and school leaders would be substantially enhanced by a better understanding of how to diagnose and improve the status of those conditions acting as significant mediators of the effects of both district and school leadership on student achievement. Originality/value: This is one of a very few large-scale quantitative studies examining the extent to which characteristics frequently identified by district effectiveness research explain variation in student learning. It is also one of the very few studies identifying classroom, school and family variables that mediate district effects on such learning. The study also adds to a growing body of evidence about variables which mediate school leaders' effects on such learning.
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        Value: 10.1108/JEA-09-2018-0175
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      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 21
        StartPage: 519
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Academic Achievement
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: School Districts
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Administrator Role
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: School Administration
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Leadership Effectiveness
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      – SubjectFull: Central Office Administrators
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      – SubjectFull: Administrator Attitudes
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      – TitleFull: How School Districts Influence Student Achievement
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            NameFull: Sun, Jingping
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            NameFull: McCullough, Catherine
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