School effectiveness is an elusive but fascinating topic of continuing interest among the educational administration scholars. The definitions of effectiveness are almost as numerous as the researchers engaged in its study. But the main focus of all definitions is achieving pre-established organizational goals and objectives. In other words, effectiveness can be defined as the degree of goal realization. Many scientists who carried out effective school researches have determined some basic characteristics, criteria or correlates for effective schools. The conception of the effective schools research began in 1966 with a study known as the Coleman report. Coleman (1966) concluded that student background characteristics were far more powerful in determining student achievement than any school-level factors. In essence, Coleman determined that a school’s effectiveness was not the decisive element in determining student achievement. The principal researchers (Brookover, Beady, Flood, Schweitzer, Wisenbaker 1977; Brookover & Lezotte, 1978; Edmonds & Frederikson, 1979; Weber, 1971) in the effective schools movement disagreed with these findings. These researchers focused their investigations on identifying the variables o correlates that resulted in some schools from the poorest neighborhoods producing high achieving students under difficult environmental conditions did not. According to Subbs (1995) the correlates which show the salient characteristics of effective schools can be defined as the means of achieving high and equitable levels of student learning. It is expected that all children regardless their demographic and ethnic characteristics will learn at least the essential knowledge, concepts and skills need for now and future (Kirk and Jones 2004). The definition of a correlate of effective schools differs from one researcher to the next. Some researchers have focused on academic achievement in terms of basic skills in reading, mathematics or test results. Other researchers have provided research concerning differences in social and affective outcomes such as attendance, attitudes and student behavior (Dodson 2005:6). Edmonds (1982) synthesized the research and published the “Correlates of Effective Schools” which he identified as strong administrative leadership, emphasis on basic skill acquisition, high expectations for student achievement, a safe and orderly atmosphere conducive to learning and frequent monitoring of student progress (Harbaugh 2005:6). Lezotte (1991) who is considered one of the foremost authorities in school effectiveness research identified seven correlates of effective schools which evolved the original correlates shared by Edmonds (1982) and two correlates added by actual research findings: (1) instructional leadership, (2) clear and focused mission, (3) safe and orderly environment, (4) climate of high expectations, (5) frequent monitoring of student progress, (6) opportunity to learn and student time on task and (7) positive home-school relations Student achievements should and ought to be the basic products of effective schools. Otherwise no body can evaluate the school or school systems as effective organizations. By this research, the evaluation of effective school correlates in terms of student academic achievement. The purpose of this research is to analyze the relationship between school effectiveness and student achievement in Turkish primary schools.

The sample of the study consists of 893 students and 595 teachers working in 12 primary schools in Denizli, Turkey. These participants were selected by cluster sampling method. The School Effectiveness Scale developed by Cobanoglu (2007) will be administered in order to determine schools’ effectiveness levels. The School Effectiveness Scale (SES) includes seven correlates of the effective schools defined by Lezotte (1991) such as (1) safe and orderly environment, (2) clear and focused mission, (3) climate of high expectations, (4) opportunity to learn and student time on task, (5)frequent monitoring of student progress, (6) positive home-school relations, and (7) strong instructional leadership. The student academic achievement has been determined according to their scores taken from National High School Entrance Exam (2007). The compulsory National High School Entrance Exam is taken by junior high school students in order to be accepted by senior high schools. According to the scores they obtain, students are allowed to register senior high school including technical and vocational, public or private high schools. In order to analyze data collected, descriptive statistics techniques including mean scores, standard deviations, and t test wil be used.

After the statistical analysis, it’s expected to be a positive significant relationship between the effectiveness level of schools and student achievement. In other words, when the effectiveness level of schools is high, the student academic achievement is expected to be high as well and this relationship is expected to be significant.