The association between two school renewal instruments and school-level student achievement

Purpose This study (a) examines the association between two school renewal instruments – High Integrity and Fidelity Implementation for School Renewal (HIFI) and School Renewal Principles and Practices (PP) – and school-level student achievement, and (b) assesses whether these instruments can serve as practical tools for guiding school improvement. Design/methodology/approach Survey data from 1,420 teachers across 83 elementary and middle schools were aggregated to the school level and combined with public school performance data from the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress (M-STEP). Multiple regression and lagged-achievement models were employed to examine the associations between school renewal measures and student achievement outcomes. Findings Both HIFI and PP were positively associated with school mathematics and English language arts proficiency rates and annual gains. Schools with stronger renewal practices were associated with higher proficiency rates and greater year-to-year growth. Implementation integrity showed relatively more consistent associations with school performance across models. Originality/value This study provides additional evidence on the associations of two school renewal instruments with school-level achievement and year-to-year changes in achievement. It provides valid measures for future research on leadership and school effectiveness.