Date of Award

Fall 12-1-2007

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

Bradley Balch

Second Advisor

Steve Gruenert

Third Advisor

Susan Kiger

Abstract

In spite of much confusion related to the conceptualizing of the social capital, it remains at the forefront of understanding that relationships matter. In particular, educational relationships of interest are immersed in schools and their connection to student achievement is many times uncertain. After conducting a considerable review of the literature on social capital, the researcher undertook the task of creating an instrument to measure social capital within schools in hope of contributing greater social capital understanding and clarity. The purpose of this study was to create a valid and reliable instrument supported by strong psychometric properties to assess the impact of social capital within schools. The data collected in this study adds to the limited literature on the impact of social capital within schools. The creation of a valid and reliable instrument was the first step towards assessing the impact of social capital within schools and ultimately student achievement. A review of the literature provided the framework for both theoretical constructs and survey items. The Social Capital School Survey was developed as a result of these fmdings. The instrument was administered to 1,878 public and 279 non-public schools in the state of Indiana. The data from 313 respondents were analyzed using the data reduction technique factor analysis. Following statistical analysis, 45 items, distributed among 3 factors were retained. Cronbach's Alpha was reported at .961 indicating strong reliability for the 45 items retained. The factor structure for the Social Capital School Survey (SCSS) consisted of three factors: • Collegial Support • Parent and Community School Partnership • Principal Support IV Investigating social capital within schools is intended to assist in making educational decisions, which will improve student achievement. Data gathered and the use of demographic information informs schools how each of these factors may influence the social capital within the school. The survey helps schools focus their efforts in high need areas as expressed by the respondents and provides a framework to allocate the necessary resources to meet these educational needs.

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