Using the Competing Values Framework (CVF) to Examine Teacher Satisfaction in Tennessee Schools

The primary aim of this study is to use the survey items from the TELL Tennessee Survey (2013) using the Competing Values Framework (CVF) to determine whether teachers' observations about a set of topically organized school climate dimensions and performance levels are associated with teacher satisfaction. Specifically, the study sets out to answer three research questions: Does teacher satisfaction differ for schools with balanced and unbalanced CVF profiles? Does teacher satisfaction differ for schools in different achievement groups (priority, norm and performance)? Is teacher satisfaction a function of achievement groups and CVF profiles after controlling for school poverty? Using a three-by-two-level Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA), we find that the effect of CVF "balance" and school performance level explains much of the variation in the percent of teacher satisfaction, independent of the demographic characteristics of the students. In particular, the effect on mean teacher satisfaction having a balanced as opposed to an unbalanced CVF school profile exceeds a full standard deviation, as does the effect of being in high-achieving "Performance" school environment as opposed to being in either low-achieving "Priority" school environment, or even a moderately-achieving school environment representing the state "Norm." Coupled with results from previous studies linking teachers' professional plans to school climate, our findings support the presence of a significant positive relationship between a balanced CVF profile and teacher satisfaction. Future work should delve further into the connection between a school's CVF profile and teacher satisfaction net of the effects of other school- and teacher-level characteristics.