The purpose of this correlational, quantitative study was to examine the magnitude and direction of the relationship between collaborative school culture and school achievement in rural, economically disadvantaged middle schools utilizing a 6, 7, 8 grade configuration. Survey data was collected from 263 teachers representing 12 rural, economically disadvantaged middle schools in the state of Georgia. Data collection tools included the Learning Community Culture Indicator (LCCI) 4.0 survey developed by Williams, Matthews, Stewart, and Hilton (2007) and the Georgia Criterion Referenced Competency Test (GCRCT).
The study generated data from 12 middle schools regarding the overall functionality level of their collaborative school culture, individual elements indicative of collaborative culture, and the presence of formal professional learning communities. Study results from Pearson’s product-moment correlations revealed no statistically significant relationships between overall school scores on the LCCI 4.0 and school achievement. Additional correlational analyses examined the relationship between individual elements of collaborative culture and school achievement, and findings indicated a statistically significant relationship between school achievement in the area of mathematics and the element identified as common mission, vision, values, and goals. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) 2 was utilized to compare functionality levels of collaborative culture and school achievement, and findings did not reveal any statistically significant results.
The study did not support the need for formal professional learning communities in schools as a prerequisite for highly functioning collaborative culture. Characteristics of highly functioning collaborative school cultures were identified within the research. While the study resulted in limited statistically significant findings, it may suggest an association between school achievement and collaborative school culture that bears future consideration.
","abstract_html":"<p>The purpose of this correlational, quantitative study was to examine the magnitude and direction of the relationship between collaborative school culture and school achievement in rural, economically disadvantaged middle schools utilizing a 6, 7, 8 grade configuration. Survey data was collected from 263 teachers representing 12 rural, economically disadvantaged middle schools in the state of Georgia. Data collection tools included the Learning Community Culture Indicator (LCCI) 4.0 survey developed by Williams, Matthews, Stewart, and Hilton (2007) and the Georgia Criterion Referenced Competency Test (GCRCT).</p> <p>The study generated data from 12 middle schools regarding the overall functionality level of their collaborative school culture, individual elements indicative of collaborative culture, and the presence of formal professional learning communities. Study results from Pearson’s product-moment correlations revealed no statistically significant relationships between overall school scores on the LCCI 4.0 and school achievement. Additional correlational analyses examined the relationship between individual elements of collaborative culture and school achievement, and findings indicated a statistically significant relationship between school achievement in the area of mathematics and the element identified as common mission, vision, values, and goals. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) 2 was utilized to compare functionality levels of collaborative culture and school achievement, and findings did not reveal any statistically significant results.</p> <p>The study did not support the need for formal professional learning communities in schools as a prerequisite for highly functioning collaborative culture. Characteristics of highly functioning collaborative school cultures were identified within the research. While the study resulted in limited statistically significant findings, it may suggest an association between school achievement and collaborative school culture that bears future consideration.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Bland, Karen Durrence"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Education in Education Administration (Ed.D.)","degree_level":"Dissertation (open access)","degree_discipline":"Department of Leadership, Technology, and Human Development","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Teri Denlea Melton","Dan Rea"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2012,"date_issued":"2012-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2012-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:27:26Z","subjects":["ETD","Professional learning communities","GCRCT","Learning Community Culture Indicator","Collaborative school culture","High achievement","Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration","Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/785","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Teri Denlea Melton","Dan Rea"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Bland, Karen Durrence"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2013-09-11T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Department of Leadership, Technology, and Human Development"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation (open access)"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Education in Education Administration (Ed.D.)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["ETD","Professional learning communities","GCRCT","Learning Community Culture Indicator","Collaborative school culture","High achievement","Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration","Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/785"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The purpose of this correlational, quantitative study was to examine the magnitude and direction of the relationship between collaborative school culture and school achievement in rural, economically disadvantaged middle schools utilizing a 6, 7, 8 grade configuration. Survey data was collected from 263 teachers representing 12 rural, economically disadvantaged middle schools in the state of Georgia. Data collection tools included the Learning Community Culture Indicator (LCCI) 4.0 survey developed by Williams, Matthews, Stewart, and Hilton (2007) and the Georgia Criterion Referenced Competency Test (GCRCT).
The study generated data from 12 middle schools regarding the overall functionality level of their collaborative school culture, individual elements indicative of collaborative culture, and the presence of formal professional learning communities. Study results from Pearson’s product-moment correlations revealed no statistically significant relationships between overall school scores on the LCCI 4.0 and school achievement. Additional correlational analyses examined the relationship between individual elements of collaborative culture and school achievement, and findings indicated a statistically significant relationship between school achievement in the area of mathematics and the element identified as common mission, vision, values, and goals. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) 2 was utilized to compare functionality levels of collaborative culture and school achievement, and findings did not reveal any statistically significant results.
The study did not support the need for formal professional learning communities in schools as a prerequisite for highly functioning collaborative culture. Characteristics of highly functioning collaborative school cultures were identified within the research. While the study resulted in limited statistically significant findings, it may suggest an association between school achievement and collaborative school culture that bears future consideration.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Relationship of Collaborative School Culture and School Achievement"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Teri Denlea Melton","Dan Rea"],"dc:creator":["Bland, Karen Durrence"],"dc:date.available":["2013-09-11T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The purpose of this correlational, quantitative study was to examine the magnitude and direction of the relationship between collaborative school culture and school achievement in rural, economically disadvantaged middle schools utilizing a 6, 7, 8 grade configuration. Survey data was collected from 263 teachers representing 12 rural, economically disadvantaged middle schools in the state of Georgia. Data collection tools included the Learning Community Culture Indicator (LCCI) 4.0 survey developed by Williams, Matthews, Stewart, and Hilton (2007) and the Georgia Criterion Referenced Competency Test (GCRCT).
The study generated data from 12 middle schools regarding the overall functionality level of their collaborative school culture, individual elements indicative of collaborative culture, and the presence of formal professional learning communities. Study results from Pearson’s product-moment correlations revealed no statistically significant relationships between overall school scores on the LCCI 4.0 and school achievement. Additional correlational analyses examined the relationship between individual elements of collaborative culture and school achievement, and findings indicated a statistically significant relationship between school achievement in the area of mathematics and the element identified as common mission, vision, values, and goals. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) 2 was utilized to compare functionality levels of collaborative culture and school achievement, and findings did not reveal any statistically significant results.
The study did not support the need for formal professional learning communities in schools as a prerequisite for highly functioning collaborative culture. Characteristics of highly functioning collaborative school cultures were identified within the research. While the study resulted in limited statistically significant findings, it may suggest an association between school achievement and collaborative school culture that bears future consideration.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/785"],"dc:subject":["ETD","Professional learning communities","GCRCT","Learning Community Culture Indicator","Collaborative school culture","High achievement","Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration","Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching"],"dc:title":["Relationship of Collaborative School Culture and School Achievement"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Department of Leadership, Technology, and Human Development"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation (open access)"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Education in Education Administration (Ed.D.)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:27:26Z"}