Consider the teachers: An analysis of factors that influence student test results in Orange County Schools

Abstract

This qualitative research examines what teachers, counselors, and principals from three elementary schools in Orange County Schools consider to be the most important factors that influence students’ standardized test scores. By analyzing responses from eight interviews of representatives, this research concludes that teacher quality is the most important factor that influences North Carolina End of Grade test scores in Orange County. Of the four faculty members that considered teacher quality the primary influencer, each responded with a different defining factor for teacher quality. These factors include relationship building skills, instructional competency, classroom management skills, and teacher leadership. The second most important factor is family characteristics, which is broken up into race, socioeconomic status of parents, parental involvement, having a parental figure, and pressure from parents.