Stakeholders' perceptions of school climate and their partnership in school curriculum as predictors of school reputation : a correlational study

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was twofold. The first purpose was to determine the stakeholders’ perceptions of school climate and their partnership in school curriculum, and school reputation. The second was to come up with a predictive model for school reputation using school partnership, school climate and some demographic variables as predictors. As a descriptive and correlational survey design, convenience and purposive sampling method was used to select the participants. These included 321 respondents (students: 152, teachers: 44, parents: 63, and community members: 62) from 4 Adventist academies in the Philippines. They responded to 3 questionnaires—High School and Family Partnership (adapted), School Climate Survey (adapted), and Adventist School Reputation (created by this researcher). When the perceptions of all the stakeholders on school partnership with stakeholders, school climate, and school reputation were considered, the findings of the study showed that the stakeholders generally agreed that many aspects of school partnership with stakeholders, school climate, and school reputation were practiced in their schools. Though significant differences in perceptions of the above variables occurred, the study found that Adventist male and female students, teachers with post graduate degrees, and stakeholders from boarding schools acknowledged that aspects of school partnership with stakeholders, school climate, and school reputation were practiced in their school. Exceptionally, female students had higher acknowledgement with regard to the practices of philosophical foundation (Adventist religious beliefs) in their schools than male students. The study also found that all the relationships between school partnership, school climate and school reputation were positive. The relationships ranged from weak to strong. The study further found that the demographic profile (religion), school partnership with stakeholders (parenting) and school climate (student-teacher relations, school environment and staff dedication to students learning) predicted the reputation of the school. These variables explained 55% of the variance in reputation. Recommendations were given to school leaders and future researchers based on these findings.