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Teacher efficacy, school reform, and state tests.

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Abstract

This study examined relationships among school reform, teacher efficacy, and passage rates on state math and reading tests. 1,101 teachers from 59 elementary schools were surveyed, and ten were interviewed. Reports of effective implementation of reforms were positively related to improvement in passage rates on state tests, while teachers' efficacy helping difficult students was negatively related. Interviewees asserted that passage rates do not capture the academic progress of difficult students, because students are so far behind that progress did not equate with passing scores.

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Passage of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) has increased pressure to improve achievement. The law requires states to sanction schools not meeting state determined adequate yearly progress (AYP) goals, including improvement on percentages of students passing state reading and math tests. Sanctions for lack of improvement range from mandated school choice to firing staff (NCLB, 2002).

Foolproof plans to improve failing schools remain elusive, but much is known about elements that make schools effective such as high expectations, parental involvement, and strong principal leadership. Research on elements of effective schools, beginning with Edmonds (1979), has been codified in reviews of the literature on effective schools (Taylor, 2001; Teddlie & Reynolds, 2000). Empirical studies confirm that schools with improving test scores contained the elements of effective schools included in these studies. (e.g. Barth, Haycock, Jackson, Mora, Pablo, Robinson, & Wilkins 1999; Carter 2000; Dolejs & Jenkins, 2001; EdSource, 2006; Trimble 2002).

How can failing schools become effective? Teachers' efficacy may be key. Based on Bandura (1977; 1978), efficacy has two dimensions: personal teacher efficacy, i.e. teachers' beliefs about their own abilities, and general teacher efficacy, i.e. teachers' beliefs about the abilities of teachers in general. Gibson and Dembo (1986) developed a survey for measuring efficacy, although the content validity has been questioned (Guskey & Passaro, 1994; Ross, Cousins, & Gadall, 1996; Labone, 2004; Tschannen-Moran, Hoy, & Hoy, 1998). Guskey and Passaro in particular noted that the survey items in general teacher efficacy are all stated negatively and, therefore, may depend more on negative perceptions of teachers' abilities rather than on personal vs. general beliefs. However, several researchers found "personal teacher efficacy" a useful predictor of teachers' willingness to implement changes (Fuchs, Fuchs, & Bishop, 1992), of teachers' ability to involve families (Garcia, 2004), and of student achievement (Moore & Esselman, 1992; Ross, 1992), indicating that Gibson and Dembo's survey provides useful information. The impact of teacher efficacy in times of intense reform efforts remains a less explored topic. Wheatley (2002, 2005) suggested that efficacy may lead to over confidence that could cause teachers to resist reforms.

Purpose

This study examined teachers' assessment of the effectiveness of school reform efforts, their efficacy...

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