Feeling Responsible Together: The Links Between Collective Teacher Responsibility and Student Achievement

• In Event: Critical Dimensions in Education: A Deeper Look at Teaching Quality, Class Sizes, and Cultural Practices

Abstract

Using data from elementary and middle school students and teachers in Indiana, we examine the links between collective teacher responsibility (the degree to which teachers collectively feel that they are responsible for student outcomes) and student achievement. We show that collective teacher responsibility is not associated with math achievement for the overall student sample, yet the association between collective teacher responsibility and math achievement is greater for English Language Learners, Black students, and lower-achieving students. Higher collective teacher responsibility is associated with an increase in English Language Arts achievement and this positive association is greater for ELLs, Individualized Education Programs students, and lower-achieving students. Our results suggest the importance of collective teacher responsibility in student learning, particularly for underserved students.

Authors

• NaYoung Hwang, University of New Hampshire

• Francis H. Lim Huang, University of Missouri