Academic Optimism of Columbus City Schools' High School Teachers in Relation to the Black-White Achievement Gap
Date of Award
Summer 2023
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership (EdD)
Committee Chair
Julie Hao
Committee Member
Anne Ross
Committee Member
Matthew Barclay
Abstract
The Black-White achievement gap has been an acknowledged problem in American public education since the 1960s with the release of the Coleman Report (1966). Academic optimism has been linked to student achievement since its development in 2006. This study seeks to confirm the link between academic optimism and student achievement, and to see if there is a connection between academic optimism and the Black-White achievement gap in an urban public-school setting.164 high school teachers from an urban school district in Ohio were surveyed to assess the level of academic optimism in their schools. This variable was then compared to the difference in math and ELA test scores between Black and White students at each school. The results of this study confirmed a significant positive correlation between academic optimism and student achievement, as well as between each of the three components of academic optimism (academic emphasis, collective efficacy, and faculty trust) and student achievement. However, there was no significant correlation found between academic optimism and the Black-White achievement gap, nor between the factors of academic optimism and the Black-White achievement gap.
Recommended Citation
Smith, Rachelle, "Academic Optimism of Columbus City Schools' High School Teachers in Relation to the Black-White Achievement Gap" (2023). All Doctoral Student Dissertations. 123.
https://fuse.franklin.edu/docpub/123