Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of collective teacher efficacy, academic press and faculty trust, all of which are components of academic optimism (AO), in predicting school innovation. In addition, the authors explored the extent to which faculty trust mediates the association between collective teacher efficacy and…

This study examined the effects of student trust in teacher and student perceptions of safety on identification with school. Data were collected from one large urban district in an eastern state. Participants included 5441 students in 3rd through 12th grades from 49 schools. Students responded to surveys that assessed student trust in teachers,…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationships among faculty trust in the principal, principal leadership behaviors, school climate, and student achievement. Design/methodology/approach: Data from 64 elementary, middle, and high schools in two school districts formed the basis of the study (n = 3,215 teachers), allowing for…

Make your school soar by escalating trust between teachers, students, and families. Trust is an essential element in all healthy relationships, and the relationships that exist in your school are no different. How can your school leaders or teachers cultivate trust? How can your institution maintain trust once it is established? These are the…

Purpose: This research aims to add to the literature on Academic Optimism, a composite measure composed of teacher perceptions of trust in students, academic press, and collective efficacy by exploring a similar set of constructs from the student perceptive. The relationships between student trust in teachers, student perceptions of academic…

The purpose of this study was to learn whether focusing on strengths through appreciative inquiry would be related to measurable changes in school climate and trust within a small urban school district. The district studied was a beleaguered, underperforming school district in the Midwest Rust Belt. Through an appreciative inquiry initiative, the…

Purpose: Schools necessarily employ elements of a bureaucratic structure to organize the complex task of educating large and diverse groups of students--elements such as a hierarchy of authority, a division of labor, policies, rules, and regulations. Although such a structure is useful, there is a danger that school leaders will overemphasize…

Draws on theoretical and empirical literature on trust over four decades and brings that literature to bear on relationships of trust in schools. Synthesizes this research as it relates to such processes as communication, collaboration, climate, organizational citizenship, collective efficacy, achievement, and effectiveness. (Author/SLD)

Reviews the conceptual foundations of trust as a multidimensional construct, highlighting trust-related issues in schools. An empirical analysis involving 2741 middle-school teachers demonstrates that faculty trust is an important aspect of an open, healthy school climate. Elements of climate and behavior predicting trust in the principal differ…

Describes qualitative and quantitative study of the impact of statewide grant program to implement conflict-management education programs in 50 high schools. Reports three approaches to conflict-management education: Curriculum infusion, peer mediation, and special events. Finds significant positive effects of conflict-management programs on…

Most people know much more than they can communicate because their personal knowledge is so thoroughly grounded in experience that it cannot be expressed in its fullness. This study examines how two superintendents used tacit knowledge to build shattered trust in their school boards. Trust is first examined as a multifaceted aspect of human…

Develops a multifaceted definition of faculty trust at three organizational levels in a survey of urban elementary teachers. Along with willingness to risk vulnerability, five faces of trust emerged: benevolence, reliability, competence, honesty, and openness. When teachers trust their principals, they usually trust one other and their clients.…

Argues that teacher trust in students and parents is critical to school success. Details study showing that even after accounting for variation among schools in student demographic characteristics, prior achievement, and school socioeconomic status, trust was a significant positive predictor of differences among schools in student achievement.…