Unraveling the building blocks of success: Exploring the nexus between school structure and effectiveness in Israeli primary schools

Purpose – First, to analyze the relationships between school effectiveness, as expressed in the improvement gained in academic achievements, and school structure; and second, to analyze the relationships between school effectiveness and school features (e.g. ethnicity, SES, rural vs. central location, class size, prior achievements, and per-student allocation) and to measure their contribution to the explained variation in school effectiveness. Design/methodology/approach – Research on school effectiveness emphasizes the examination of school characteristics that have been found to contribute more to promoting school outcomes. Therefore, by using regression models the purpose of the research is twofold.

Findings – The research findings reveal positive significant relationships between school effectiveness, and students’ prior achievements, and SES. However, school effectiveness is less related to school structure.

Research limitations/implications – Future research in the field of school effectiveness should extend beyond solely focusing on academic achievements and include the evaluation of broader aspects of students’ development, such as values and self-esteem. Recognizing the multifaceted nature of schools, it is crucial to incorporate additional variables into ongoing research efforts to provide a more comprehensive understanding of overall school effectiveness. Moreover, considering the diverse stakeholders involved in the educational process, including parents, teachers, principals, and the community, future studies should strive to examine the collective impact of these factors on school effectiveness. However, it is important to acknowledge the limitations of our study. Our research is constrained by a specific sample size, which may limit the generalizability of our findings. We assert that future studies with larger and more diverse sample sizes would strengthen the validity and significance of our results, allowing for broader implications and insights into enhancing school effectiveness.

Originality/value – This research holds significant importance in understanding the relationships between school effectiveness, school structure, and various school features in the context of Israeli primary schools. By examining the impact of school structure on academic achievements and exploring the contributions of other school-related factors, this study provides insights into the dynamics of educational effectiveness for educational stakeholders.