Date of Graduation
1996
Document Type
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
This study examined the relationship between middle school principals' perceptions of the linkage patterns of their schools with the district office and the perceived degree of key middle level practices implementation by the school. To examine this relationship, the Survey of Middle Level Education was designed using measures related to the work of Fullan (1991) and Louis and Niles (1990) regarding change implementation in schools. The basis for the survey items related to communication and control linkage patterns were Likert's (1967) studies of organizational systems. This survey, which was sent to 600 middle school principals, was also designed to indicate the degree of key middle level practices implementation. Responses to the survey were received from 388 principals. Data indicated that overall the two types of linkage patterns most often found were those identified as having high communication and control or low communication and control. The linkage pattern most likely to be associated with schools having high degrees of middle level practices implementation, regardless of demographic factors, was distinguished by a high degree of two-way communication between the school and its district office. This linkage was also characterized by a high level of district office control.
Recommended Citation
Cunningham, Michael Lee, "A study of the relationship between school and district office linkage patterns and the implementation status of key middle level practices." (1996). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 8693.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/8693