The year-two decline in school climate scores is attributed to a leadership change focused on improving test scores¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · causal r1 · q1
Currency · newest study 2012 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person · overdue for a recheck since 2015: local conditions change quickly

Subclaims¶

q1 i? The authors attribute the drop in school climate scores by the third year measure largely to a change in leadership at the start of year two that focused on initiatives improving test scores. → Nelson 2012

Evidence¶

Nelson 2012¶

Nelson, L. P., McMahan, S. K., & Torres, T. (2012). The Impact of a Junior High School Community Intervention Project: Moving Beyond the Testing Juggernaut and Into a Community of Creative Learners. School Community Journal, 22(1). https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ974689

q1 · i? · causal · r1

Authors' interpretation drawn from follow-up interviews with key faculty and staff one year after the project, in which personnel described the new leadership as focused on improving test scores and uninterested in outside partners; this is an attribution, not a tested causal result.

"The drop in school climate scores by the third year measure can largely be attributed to a change in leadership that began during the 2008–2009 school year (year 2 of the project)."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• In year two, after a leadership shift toward high-stakes testing, student climate perceptions declined significantly below baseline across all five scale assets — possibly the same claim (merge candidate)
• Principals' instructional leadership practices are linked to improved student outcomes, largely through their support for teachers — a broader claim this one bears on
• Effective principals have positive effects on student outcomes including grades, test scores, attendance, discipline, and long-term attainment — a broader claim this one bears on