Perceived efficacy of Freshman Academies by freshman teachers and administrators

Many freshmen have trouble transitioning from middle school to high school. More students drop out during their freshman year than any other year in high school. Freshman Academies are the latest reform effort to help students transition to high school during the ninth-grade. This study investigated the perceived efficacy of the Freshman Academy by freshman teachers and administrators in four county school districts in Middle Tennessee. The participants included 51 teachers and administrators working in five Freshman Academies in Middle Tennessee during the 2007-2008 academic school years. A mixed-method research design was used in this study. Quantitative data was collected from individual teacher/administrator questionnaires. Qualitative data was collected from teachers’ focus groups and administrators’ one-on-one interviews using constant comparison of themes. The findings indicated that teachers and administrators had positive perceptions of the Freshman Academy. Teachers’ and administrators’ perceptions of the Freshman Academy were significantly correlated with their instructional freedom. Teachers’ and administrators’ perceptions of the Freshman Academy were also significantly correlated with the Freshman Academy preventing students from dropping out. Finally, there was a statistically significant correlation between teachers’ and administrators’ perceptions of the Freshman Academy and their relationships with their students. Based on the findings of this study, there is evidence that not providing teachers a common planning time and professional training and instruction acts as a barrier to the success of the Freshman Academy. Eliminating this barrier can improve teacher-student relationships which may result in the success of the implementation of the Freshman Academy