Award Date

1-1-1999

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Curriculum and Instruction

First Committee Member

Rebecca Mills

Number of Pages

165

Abstract

This study was designed to determine the extent to which recommended middle level practices have been implemented in Nevada's middle level schools and whether statistically significant differences in teachers' perceptions of school climate existed between schools that reported high levels of implementation of middle level practices when compared to schools that reported low levels of implementation. The Middle Level Practices Index (MSPI) was designed to measure the level of implementation of 18 middle level practices recognized in literature as being effective responsive practices appropriate to meet the identified needs of young adolescents (Riegle, 1971). The principal of each middle level school in Nevada was asked to complete the MSPI, and principals from 45 of 66 middle level schools completed and returned the survey. Results from the MSPI were used to identify schools with highest and lowest levels of implementation of middle level practices. Overall levels of implementation ranged from 76% to 35%; The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) School Climate survey was used to determine teachers' perceptions of school climate in the high and low implementation schools. A causal-comparative study of teachers' perceptions of school climate between high and low implementation schools revealed greater teacher satisfaction on each of 10 climate subscales in high implementation schools, but the differences were not statistically significant; The results of this study suggest that middle level schools in Nevada should increase the levels of implementation of middle level practices if they are to reap the benefits of educational programs described in research literature that effectively address identified developmental needs of young adolescents. The fact that teachers' perceptions of their schools' climate were greater in schools with high levels of implementation of middle level practices compared to the perceptions of teachers in low implementation schools seems to reinforce this conclusion.

Keywords

Climate; Level; Middle; Middle School Teachers; Nevada; Perceptions; Practices; School; School Climate

Controlled Subject

Curriculum planning; Teachers--Training of

File Format

pdf

File Size

3379.2 KB

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

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Rights

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