Diagnostic Assessment of School and Principal Effectiveness

Ebmeier, H. (1988). Reference Manual for the Diagnostic Assessment of School and Principal Effectiveness. Topeka, KS: KanLEAD Educational Consortium.

Comments:

There are five instruments that were designed to assess school and principal effectiveness. In each instru- ment, some of the questions are identical, while others are specific to each of the following five groups: the principal, the principal’s supervisor, teachers, students, and parents. The staff instrument examines the staff’s view of himself or herself (morale scale, commitment scale, and job satisfaction scale); the staff’s view of the school (maintenance scale, adaptation scale, goal attainment scale, and integration scale); and the staff’s view of the principal (principal mainte- nance behaviors scale, principal adaptation behaviors scale, principal goal attainment behaviors scale, and principal integration behaviors scale). The principal instrument examines the principal’s view of the school (same as teacher’s, except principal’s perception instead of the teachers’ perception) and the principal’s view of himself or herself (same as staff’s, except principal’s perception instead of the staff’s perception).

Scale Construction:

The instruments for the staff, principal, and principal’s supervisor are almost identical except for small changes in wording for each of the groups. Each instrument contains three sections (one section requests demographic information). The other two sections were described previously. In order to develop these instruments, over 1,500 articles were reviewed by graduate students, university professors, and school administrators in an attempt to identify the at- titudes, behaviors, and skills that are associated with effective leadership. The 150 competencies that were agreed upon were then examined by state and national experts who further reduced the list to 60 competencies. These competencies comprise the view of the school section of the instrument. Detailed information about instrument development.

Sample:

The original sample consisted of 23 schools in Kansas.
Reliability: The alpha coefficients for the eleven scales of the staffs’ instrument (423 teachers) ranged from 0.76 (staff satisfaction) to 0.97 (principal behavior-maintenance, principal behavior-adaptation, principal behavior-goal attainment, and principal behavior-integration). The alpha coefficients for the eight scales of the principal’s instrument (23 principals) ranged from 0.73 (building integration) to 0.92 (principal behavior-adaptation). In addition, the alpha coefficients are presented for the parents, students, and supervisors.

Validity:

Content validity was established through the procedure for identifying items. Construct validity for the staff instrument was determined by means of an oblique factor analysis. Interscale and intrascale correlations were also examined. Predictive validity was established by using the known-groups technique. Evidence for all three forms of validity is presented.

Factor Analysis:

An oblique factor analysis of the staff instrument confirmed three factors: principal behavior-goal attainment, principal behavior-adaptation, and principal behavior-integration.
Data Analysis: A reference manual is available that includes detailed information about the technical development of the instruments, the administration of the instruments, understanding the results (comparing scores between groups and comparing to other schools using percentile ranks), and planning for improvement.

References

Diagnostic Assessment of School and Principal Effectiveness

Principal Version: School Effectiveness

1. I am concerned with faculty working conditions.
2. Teachers at this school do not have a great deal of confidence in each other’s abilities.

3. Teachers in this school are encouraged to implement new teaching techniques.
4. As students move from one grade level to the next or from one course to another, teachers generally can be assured that the students were soundly prepared in the previous course.
5. Teachers in this school are open to changes that will improve the school.
6. Student achievement is rewarded in this school.
7. The workload is adequately balanced among the faculty members of this school.
8. Teachers in my school have respect for professional competence of other teachers, departments, or levels.
9. Student creativity is encouraged and rewarded in this school.
10. I am not proud of this school.
11. In spite of limited financial resources, this school is able to get the money and equipment we need to conduct an effective educational program.
12. Teachers have a pretty good idea how the various departments or grade levels within our school function.
13. Teachers in this school work closely with the community.
14. Teachers derive professional satisfaction from their jobs in this school.
15. This school seems to be more effective than other schools in our district in obtaining adequate resources to support the educational program.
16. The development of student self-confidence is stressed at this school.
17. It is not clear to teachers what each department or level is supposed to do.
18. There are open lines of communication between faculty and the building administrators.
19. This school is an excellent organization.
20. The development of individual student self-concept is not emphasized in this school.
21. Before a decision is made in my school, there is a good deal of communication between teachers.
22. Teachers are satisfied with the amount of work they are expected to do.
23. Administrative policies are available to the faculty in printed form.
24. Before a decision which would affect everyone is made in my school, there is a good deal of communication be- tween grade levels or departments.
25. Teachers in this school are trying hard to promote student achievement.
26. Some teachers would leave this school for any other.
27. Our school staff works together to jointly write grants or requests to secure resources from outside agencies.
28. The quality of teaching in my school is very high.
29. The staff in my school respect each other and work well together.
30. Teachers are not satisfied with the amount of money they make.
31. There is general faculty confidence in the building administrators.
32. There are often conflicts between teachers in this school.
33. Teachers tell their friends that I would stay in this school for many years to come.
34. Teachers are satisfied with the fringe benefits in this school district.
35. There are sufficient social activities for the faculty.
36. Productivity is high in this school.
37. If offered a better salary, most teachers would move to another school.
38. Teachers are satisfied with the trust they have in building administrators.
39. This school is effective in gaining community support for our programs.
40. The social contact between students and faculty is adequate.
41. Conflict between staff members in this school is rare.
42. Teachers at this school are not very loyal to the school and staff.
43. Teachers believe in the goals and objectives of this school.
44. In this school, the workload among teachers is pretty evenly distributed.
45. This school has activities to help us keep in touch with the wants and desires of the community.
46. In this school, all students are treated with respect—even those from poor backgrounds or those of limited intel- lectual ability.
47. Teachers are satisfied with the professional competence and leadership of their building administrator.
48. In this school, everything is arranged to facilitate the achievement of our goals.
49. Most of my teachers’ interests lie outside their job at school.
50. The size of classes is satisfactory.
51. Teachers at this school respect parents and attempt to work with them whenever possible.

52. Each year in this school we make an extra effort to identify problems and set school-wide improvement goals.
53. Unlike this school, most of the teachers would like to work in a school that holds the same values as they do.
54. This school seems especially effective in adopting new and innovative instructional techniques.
55. Teachers in this school do not hold each other in high regard.
56. Teachers are satisfied with the opportunities provided to discuss problems with building administrators.
57. This school uses pretty standard curriculum material and does not generally seek out new or updated material on a systematic basis.
58. This school has a clear mission.
59. Faculty members are friendly to one another.
60. The values of this school are inconsistent with my own values.
61. This school is especially effective in seeking out new programs or practices in response to changes in the com- munity or the pedagogical knowledge.
62. Teachers are not satisfied with the goals and objectives emphasized by this school.
63. The building administrators encourage suggestions from their faculty.
64. This school is efficient in how it uses material and how it organizes the staff.
65. Teachers in this school work closely with parents.
66. This school seems to be very innovative in comparison to other schools.
67. Teachers feel that others in this school value their ideas and suggestions.
68. Many teachers at this school are actively experimenting with new teaching methods or curriculum material.
69. Administrators and teachers in this school work together toward making the school run effectively.
70. There is a systematic effort in this school for teachers to share new curriculum material.
71. The climate in this school is poor.
72. Teachers tend to identify with this school and strongly support it when it is attacked.
73. The staff of this school can easily handle unusual or nonroutine problems that may come up.
74. The communications in this school are good.
75. Teachers enjoy their school work very much.
76. The staff of this school are very supportive of each other in their attempt to try new techniques or methods.
77. The staff of this school are very interested in trying new teaching techniques or curriculum material.
78. I have a lot of very good friends at this school.
79. The staff at this school is not very interested in promoting their own professional development.
80. The staff at this school engage in peer observations and peer study groups to improve their own instruction and try new techniques.
81. This school is especially good in efficiently organizing students into groups that maximize learning.
82. Supplies and equipment are readily available when needed.
83. This school is especially good at anticipating problems with parents or students and preventing them before they become major problems.
84. The goals of this school are not clearly spelled out and communicated to all parties.
85. The staff at this school are well informed about educational issues that could affect their work.
86. Teachers sometimes are not sure what this school expects—one time the administration says one thing, the next time a different goal is emphasized.
87. When changes are made at this school, the faculty adjusts quickly.
88. Teachers in this school are given the freedom to make professional decisions.
89. Teachers in this school actively seek grants and other resources.
90. Teachers in this school are flexible and can change easily when necessary.
91. Teachers are expected to grow as professional staff members in this school.
92. Teachers in this school stay abreast of current technology in the classroom.
93. In this school, attention is focused on improvement of instruction.
94. Teachers in this school are unwilling to share ideas and techniques.
95. Professional development in this school is designed to meet the needs of the community.
96. Teachers in this school work harmoniously with community health and social agencies.
97. Teachers in this school encourage each other to try new techniques and strategies.
98. Teachers in this school provide training for other teachers when they have a successful program to share.
99. Teachers in this school have difficulty getting the necessary resources to successfully implement new programs.
100. Professional development activities in this school are oriented toward meeting future needs of the school.

Principal Behavior

To what extent do you . . .

1. demonstrate understanding of the staff’s desires.
2. keep abreast of current technology.
3. work to establish peer improvement groups.
4. provide sound internal communications.
5. effectively deal with political changes that impact the building.
6. effectively diagnose and prioritize needs to achieve goals.
7. recognize the needs and concerns of parents.
8. engage in activities to promote staff development.
9. make yourself accessible to others.
10. provide continuous development opportunities for others.
11. participate in professional associations and community groups.
12. promote discussions of issues, problems, and recommendations pertaining to education.
13. articulate the school’s mission to the community.
14. describe the school’s mission to the school’s staff and students.
15. cooperate with community agencies.
16. involve the community in school affairs.
17. maintain a good public relations program.
18. garner resources from the community.
19. effectively cope with disruptions in the normal school routine.
20. support new and innovative projects.
21. encourage the staff to assume new roles and responsibilities.
22. effectively utilize the existing skills of the staff.
23. alleviate difficult conflicts among the staff.
24. promote staff cohesion.
25. actively encourage the staff to use different institutional techniques.
26. entrust and support others.
27. understand how the school really works.
28. engage in coaching of teachers.
29. model different instructional techniques for the staff.
30. anticipate and react to community problems as they influence the school.
31. consider how your decisions might affect the school as a whole.
32. appropriately allocate time and resources.
33. protect the instructional time from interruptions.
34. appropriately delegate responsibility.
35. urge group involvement in decision making.
36. efficiently use the school facilities.
37. acquire outside funding to support innovative projects.
38. understand and respect employee rights typically found in the teacher-board contract.
39. explain to the staff why each part of the school organization is important and how they work together.
40. distribute workloads appropriately.
41. use different techniques and methods when working with individual staff members to help them improve their instruction.
42. hold high performance expectations for the staff.
43. conduct effective evaluation conferences.
44. show consideration for the students and staff.
45. actively promote school spirit and morale.
46. conduct frequent evaluation conferences.
47. provide useful feedback that can be used to improve instruction.
48. select quality new teachers to fill vacancies.

49. effectively deal with societal changes that impact the building.
50. share decision making with others.
51. schedule appropriate and meaningful meetings.
52. recognize the needs and concerns of students.
53. actively coordinate the curricular program.
54. display a detailed understanding of the instructional program in your school.
55. provide appropriate structure within the school organization.
56. support high professional standards.
57. set improvement goals.
58. systematically evaluate the educational program.
59. encourage cooperation rather than competition among the staff.
60. emphasize the importance of each part of the school organization.
61. maintain a high visibility in the building.
62. clearly understand what are important school problems.
63. place a high priority on student academic achievement.
64. make decisions based on information rather than personal opinion.
65. place a high priority on student emotional development.
66. support the staff.
67. write concisely and correctly.
68. emphasize production and getting things done on time.
69. demonstrate skills in problem resolution and decision making.
70. use effective oral communication skills.
71. support nonconventional activities.
72. assist the staff with personal and professional concerns.
73. understand diverse ethnic and multicultural backgrounds of staff and students.
74. actively help the staff achieve their goals.
75. place a high priority on student social development.
76. provide positive reinforcement to students and staff.
77. provide sound leadership.
78. provide social leadership within the building.
79. show an employee centered orientation.
80. expect staff loyalty to the school.
81. serve as a symbol of the building.
82. assign staff to positions in which they are most comfortable.
83. arrange the school to promote employee job satisfaction.

Diagnostic Assessment of School and Principal Effectiveness

Staff Version: School Effectiveness

1. The principal is concerned with faculty working conditions.
2. Teachers at this school do not have a great deal of confidence in each other’s abilities.
3. Teachers in this school are encouraged to implement new teaching techniques.
4. As students move from one grade level to the next or from one course to another, teachers generally can be assured that the students were soundly prepared in the previous course.
5. Teachers in this school are open to changes that will improve the school.
6. Student achievement is rewarded in this school.
7. The workload is adequately balanced among the faculty members of this school.
8. Teachers in this school have respect for the professional competence of other teachers, departments, or levels.
9. Student creativity is encouraged and rewarded in this school.
10. I am not proud of this school.
11. In spite of limited financial resources, this school is able to get the money and equipment we need to conduct an effective educational program.
12. I have a pretty good idea how the various departments or grade levels within this school function.

13. Teachers in this school work closely with the community.
14. My job gives me professional satisfaction.
15. This school seems to be less effective than other schools in our district in obtaining adequate resources to support the educational program.
16. The development of student self-confidence is stressed at this school.
17. It is not clear to me what each department or level is supposed to do.
18. There are open lines of communication between the faculty and the building administrators.
19. This school is an excellent organization.
20. The development of individual student self-concept is not emphasized in this school.
21. Before a decision is made in this school, there is a good deal of communication among teachers.
22. I am satisfied with the amount of work I am expected to do.
23. Administrative policies are available to faculty in printed form.
24. Before a decision which would affect everyone is made in this school, there is a good deal of communication among grade levels or departments.
25. Teachers in this school are trying hard to promote student achievement.
26. I would leave this school for any other.
27. Our school staff works together to jointly write grants or requests to secure resources from outside agencies.
28. The quality of teaching in this school is very high.
29. The staff in this school respects each other and work well together.
30. I am not satisfied with the amount of money I make.
31. There is general faculty confidence in the building administrators.
32. There are often conflicts between teachers in this school.
33. I tell my friends that I will stay at this school for many years to come.
34. I am satisfied with the fringe benefits in this school district.
35. There are sufficient social activities for the faculty.
36. Productivity is high in this school.
37. If offered a better salary, I would move to another school.
38. I am satisfied with the trust I have in building administrators.
39. Our school is not very effective in gaining community support for our programs.
40. The social contact between students and faculty is friendly.
41. Conflict between staff members in this school is rare.
42. Teachers at this school are not very loyal to the school and staff.
43. I believe in the goals and objectives of this school.
44. In this school, the workload among teachers is pretty evenly distributed.
45. This school has activities to help us keep in touch with the wants and desires of the community.
46. In this school, all students are treated with respect—even those from poor backgrounds or those of limited intel- lectual ability.
47. I am satisfied with the professional competence and leadership of my building administrator.
48. In this school, everyone is arranged to facilitate the achievement of our goals.
49. Most of my interests lie outside my job at school.
50. The size of classes is satisfactory.
51. Teachers at this school respect parents and attempt to work with them whenever possible.
52. Each year in this school we make an effort to identify problems and set school-wide improvement goals.
53. Unlike this school, I would like to work in a school that holds the same values I do.
54. This school seems especially effective in adopting new and innovative instructional techniques.
55. Teachers in this school do not hold each other in high regard.
56. I am satisfied with the opportunities provided to discuss problems with building administrators.
57. This school uses standard curriculum material and does not generally seek out new or updated material on a systematic basis.
58. This school has a clear mission.
59. Faculty members are friendly to one another.
60. The values of this school are inconsistent with my own values.

61. This school is especially effective in seeking out new programs or practices in response to changes in the com- munity or the pedagogical knowledge.
62. I am not satisfied with the goals and objectives emphasized by this school.
63. The building administrators encourage suggestions from the faculty.
64. This school is efficient in how it uses materials and how it organizes the staff.
65. Teachers in this school work closely with parents.
66. This school seems to be more innovative than other schools.
67. I feel that others in this school value my ideas and suggestions.
68. Few teachers at this school are actively experimenting with new teaching methods or curriculum material.
69. Administrators and teachers in this school work together to make the school run effectively.
70. There is a systematic effort in this school for teachers to share new curriculum material.
71. The climate in this school is poor.
72. I tend to identify with this school and strongly support it when it is attacked.
73. The staff of this school could easily handle unusual or nonroutine problems that may come up.
74. The communications in this school are good.
75. I enjoy my school work very much.
76. The staff of this school is very supportive of each other in their attempts to try new techniques or methods.
77. The staff at this school is very interested in trying new teaching techniques or curriculum material.
78. I have a lot of very good friends at this school.
79. The staff at this school is not very interested in promoting their own professional development.
80. The staff at this school engage in peer observations and peer study groups to improve their own instruction and try new techniques.
81. This school is especially good in efficiently organizing students into groups that maximize learning.
82. Supplies and equipment are rarely available when needed.
83. This school is especially good at anticipating problems with parents or students and preventing them before they become major problems.
84. The goals of this school are not clearly spelled out and communicated to all parties.
85. The staff at this school are well informed about educational issues that could effect their work.
86. I sometimes am not sure what this school expects of me—one time they say one thing, the next time a different goal is emphasized.
87. When changes are made at this school, the faculty adjusts very slowly.
88. As a teacher in this school, I am given the freedom to make professional decisions.
89. Teachers in this school actively seek grants and other resources.
90. Teachers in this school are flexible and can change easily when necessary.
91. I am expected to grow as a professional staff member at this school.
92. Teachers in this school stay abreast of current technology in the classroom.
93. In this school, attention is focused on improvement of instruction.
94. Teachers in this school are unwilling to share ideas and techniques.
95. Professional development in this school is designed to meet the needs of the community.
96. Teachers in this school work harmoniously with community health and social agencies.
97. Teachers in this school encourage each other to try new techniques and strategies.
98. Teachers in this school provide training for other teachers when they have a successful program to share.
99. Teachers in this school have difficulty getting the necessary resources to successfully implement new programs.
100. Professional development activities in this school are oriented toward meeting future needs of the school.

Principal Behavior

To what extent does your principal . . .

1. demonstrate understanding of the staff’s desires.
2. keep abreast of current technology.
3. work to establish peer improvement groups.
4. provide sound internal communications.

5. effectively deal with political changes that “impact” the building.
6. effectively diagnose and prioritize needs to achieve goals.
7. recognize the needs and concerns of parents.
8. engage in activities to promote your development.
9. make himself/herself accessible to others.
10. provide continuous development opportunities for others.
11. participate in professional associations.
12. promote discussions of issues, problems, and recommendations pertaining to education.
13. articulate the school’s mission to the community.
14. describe the school’s mission to the school’s staff and students.
15. cooperate with community agencies.
16. involve the community in school affairs.
17. maintain a good public relations program.
18. garner resources from the community.
19. effectively cope with disruptions in the normal school routine.
20. support new and innovative projects.
21. encourage the staff to assume new roles and responsibilities.
22. effectively utilize the existing skills of the staff.
23. resolve difficult conflicts among the staff.
24. promote staff cohesion.
25. actively encourage the staff to use different instructional techniques.
26. entrust and support others.
27. understand the informal structure and operations of the school.
28. engage in coaching of teachers.
29. model different instructional techniques for the staff.
30. anticipate and react to community problems as they influence the school.
31. consider how his/her decisions might affect the school as a whole.
32. appropriately allocate time and resources.
33. protect the instructional time from interruptions.
34. appropriately delegate responsibility.
35. involve the school staff in decision making.
36. efficiently use the school facilities.
37. acquire outside funding to support innovative projects.
38. understand and respect employee rights typically found in the teacher-board contract.
39. explain to the staff why each part of the school organization is important and how they work together.
40. distribute workloads appropriately.
41. use individualized techniques and methods when working with different staff members to help them improve their instruction.
42. hold high performance expectations for the staff.
43. conduct effective evaluation conferences.
44. show consideration for the students and staff.
45. actively promote school spirit and morale.
46. conduct frequent evaluation conferences.
47. provide useful feedback that can be used to improve instruction.
48. select quality new teachers to fill vacancies.
49. effectively deal with societal changes that “impact” the building.
50. share decision making with others.
51. schedule appropriate and meaningful meetings.
52. recognize the needs and concerns of students.
53. actively coordinate the curricular program.
54. display a detailed understanding of the instructional program in your school.
55. provide appropriate structure within the school organization.
56. support high professional standards.

57. set improvement goals.
58. systematically evaluate the educational program.
59. encourage cooperation rather than competing among the staff.
60. emphasize the importance of each part of the school organization.
61. maintain high visibility in the building.
62. clearly understand what are important school problems.
63. place a high priority on student academic achievement.
64. make decisions based on information rather than personal opinion.
65. place a high priority on student emotional development.
66. support the staff.
67. write concisely and correctly.
68. emphasize production and getting things done on time.
69. demonstrate skill in problem resolution and decision making.
70. use effective oral communication skills.
71. support unconventional activities.
72. assist the staff with personal and professional concerns.
73. understand diverse ethnic and multicultural backgrounds of staff and students.
74. actively help the staff achieve their goals.
75. place a high priority on student social development.
76. provide positive reinforcement to students and the staff.
77. provide sound leadership.
78. provide social leadership within the building.
79. show an employee-centered orientation.
80. expect staff loyalty to the school.
81. serve as a symbol of the building.
82. assign staff to positions in which they are most comfortable.
83. arrange the school to promote employee job satisfaction.
84. participate in community groups.

Scoring: For school effectiveness: Strongly Agree = A; Agree = B; Neutral = C; Disagree = D; and Strongly Disagree
= E. For principal behavior: Never = A; Almost Never = B; Sometimes = C; Often = D; Almost Always = E; and Always = F.