The organizational climate and socioeconomic background of selected elementary schools in the Lower Mainland area of British Columbia

This study was based on Halpin and Croft's Organizational Climate studies. It was designed to evaluate the Organizational Climate Description Questionnaire, and to investigate possible relationships between the Organizational Climate of a school and the socioeconomic status of its patrons. It attempted to do this by administering the Organizational Climate Description Questionnaire to 219 teachers in twenty elementary schools selected on the basis of the socioeconomic status of their patrons. Results would seem to indicate that the subtests of the OCDQ are valid, but that the theoretical basis of the open-closed climate categorization is faulty. The theory behind the questionnaire, and the concept of Organizational Climate are obviously of great value to education. It seems likely that with the proper adaptation the questionnaire could be used to identify and describe three major climate factors. Two patterns of subtest profiles were observed in the twenty schools measured. Both indicate a high degree of attempted control by the principal, and a high degree of independence in the teachers. Both seem to be combinations of different Halpin and Croft climates. Halpin and Croft's climates did not describe the schools measured accurately enough. Because of the breakdown of Halpin and Croft's climates, it was not possible to come to any conclusion about the socioeconomic factor. There seemed to be some relationship between the two observed subtest profiles and the socioeconomic factor, but it proved very difficult to analyze and account for.Education, Faculty ofGraduat