Snyder, K. J. (1988). School Work Culture Profile. Tampa, FL: School Management Institute.
Comments: The 60-item School Work Culture Profile (SWCP), which is based on systems theory, assesses the amount/type of involvement in decision making in four areas. There are 10 dimensions that correspond to the each of the four subscales: organizational planning (school planning, team planning, and individual performance planning); staff development (staff development, clinical supervision, and work group development); program development (instructional management and resource development); and school assessment (quality control and assessing achievement). Definitions are provided for each of the work culture dimensions. Each of these four subscales contains 15 items. Another questionnaire, the Educational Quality Benchmark System (EQBS), is also available. The EQBS assesses the following seven performance areas: visionary leadership, strategic planning, systems thinking and action, information systems, human resource development, quality services, and customer success and satisfaction.
Scale Construction: A 100-item questionnaire was developed based upon the research. The questionnaire was pilot tested for one year in workshops and a revised questionnaire was field tested in three states. Three years later, the questionnaire was revised and was sent to a national panel of 17 experts.
Sample: There were 925 participants (teachers and principals) from 112 schools in Florida.
Reliability: For the first sample (46 elementary school teachers), alpha coefficients ranged from 0.82 to 0.95 on the four subscales. The total reliability coefficient was 0.95. Test-retest reliability (50 elementary school teachers) over a two-week period was 0.78. The results of other reliability studies are reported.
Validity: Evidence of content and construct validity are provided.
Factor Analysis: Although a first-order principal components factor analysis originally yielded 10 factors, additional factor analytic procedures were conducted. A second-order factor solution that yielded four factors (continuous improvement, human resource development and group planning, strategic planning and accountability, and collaboration) was accepted.
Data Analysis: The second-order factor loadings are presented.
References
Acker-Hocevar, M. (1994). The content validation of standards, outcomes, and indicators for organizational development in region IV of Florida. PhD dissertation, University of South Florida.
Johnson, W. L., et al. (1997). Assessing school work culture. Research in the Schools 4:35–43.
School Work Culture Profile
Program Development Dimension
1. Instructional programs are guided by learning objectives.
2. Instructional programs facilitate student mastery of learning objectives.
3. Classroom organization and activities facilitate student learning.
4. Students are provided sufficient time to succeed in learning tasks.
5. Parents serve as a resource to the school’s instructional program.
6. The school’s leadership team helps work groups to succeed.
Staff Development Dimension
1. The staff development program builds the school’s capacity to solve problems.
2. Staff development programs provide opportunities to learn new knowledge.
3. Staff development programs provide opportunities to practice newly learned skills.
4. Staff members have opportunities to develop skills for working successfully in a group or team.
5. Supervision of teaching is based on cooperatively identified goals and emerging needs.
6. Supervision builds and maintains professional self-esteem.
Program Development Dimension
1. Instructional programs are guided by learning objectives.
2. Instructional programs facilitate student mastery of learning objectives.
3. Classroom organization and activities facilitate student learning.
4. Students are provided sufficient time to succeed in learning tasks.
5. Parents serve as a resource to the school’s instructional program.
6. The school’s leadership team helps work groups to succeed.
School Assessment Dimension
1. Work groups of all types are assessed on their contribution to the achievement of school development goals.
2. School assessment is based on school development goals.
3. Work groups are assessed on the extent to which their goals are achieved, and the extent to which they respond to emerging challenges.
4. Individual staff members are assessed on their contribution to the school’s development goals.
5. Periodic feedback from sources outside the school is used to modify work practices and programs.
6. Student achievement is assessed in relation to the school’s development goals, and to emerging challenges and needs.
Scoring: Strongly Disagree = 1; Disagree = 2; Undecided = 3; Agree = 4; and Strongly Agree = 5. Scores are obtained for each of the four subscales and can be plotted on a graph.