DOCUMENT RESUME ED 384 955 EA 026 822 AUTHOR Reyes, Pedro; Fuller, Edward J. TITLE The Effects of Selected Elements of Communal Schools on Middle and High School Mathematics Achievement. INSTITUTION Center on Organization and Restructuring of Schools, Madison, WI.; Wisconsin Center for Education Research, Madison. SPONS AGENCY Office of Educational Research and Improvement (ED), Washington, DC. PUB DATE May 95 - CONTRACT R117000005-95 NOTE 36p. PUB TYPE Reports Evaluative/Feasibility (142) EDRS PRICE MFOI/PCO2 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Community Schools; *Institutional Characteristics; Intermediate Grades; *Mathematics Achievement; Middle Schools; *Norms; School Organization; School Restructuring; Secondary Education; Teacher Characteristics; *Teacher Expectations of Students; *Values IDENTIFIERS *Teacher Cooperation ABSTRACT Although current policy debate on school restructuring is centered on choice, empowerment, and professionalization issues, the effects of communally organized schools has received little attention. This paper postulates that student achievement, particularly in mathem.tics, is related to selected elements of communal schools (shared norms and values, teacher collaboration, and focus on student learning). The paper also assumes tnat the sense of community as indicated by these elements differs Jetween middle schools and senior high schools. Supposedly, middle schools have a greater tendency than high schools to be organized communally rather than bureaucratically. Exploratory data analysis of survey data from a national sample of middle-school students and their mathematics teachers (the Longitudinal Study of American Youth) yields mixed results. Middle schools and high schools have similar organizational structures. Further, student achievement growth in middle schools is related to two critical elements of community: shared norms, values, and beliefs, as indicated by teacher commitment; and focus, on student learning, as indicated by teacher expectations. Similarly, student achievement in high school appears to be related to teacher commitment, collaboration, and focus on students. An appendix describing variables, and four statistical tables are attached. Contains 49 references. (MLH) * *,r * ** * *' **,c*** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ***********************************************************************