Ye, Yincheng2016-06-292016-06-292016-06-28vt_gsexam:8240http://hdl.handle.net/10919/71655This dissertation presents a quantitative study of the effects of multiple aspects of working conditions on teacher effectiveness as measured by value-added scores and student perceptions of teaching. The data were derived from the 2009-2010 Teacher Working Condition Survey and Student Perception Survey in Measures of Effective Teaching (MET) Project. Using the structural equation modeling and other related methods, several models of teacher effectiveness were estimated. The results supported that instruction and classroom related working conditions at school played important role in effective teaching and student achievement gains in English language arts and mathematics. It was found that, after controlling for teachers' education degree and experience, instructional practice support had significant effect on teachers' value-added scores. Moreover, Classroom autonomy and support for student conduct management were found to have indirect effect on teacher value-added score mediated through the students' perceptions of teaching. In addition, student perceptions of teaching was found to be significantly worse in high-need schools than schools serving fewer minority students or students from low-incoming families, but teacher value-added score was not significantly different between the high versus low needs schools. The findings of the study significantly contributed to a better understanding of the effects of working environment and how these are related to teacher performance. The study has both theoretical and practical significance; it provided critical evidence that can be used by policy makers to promote teachers' performance, especially in high-needs schools.ETDIn CopyrightSchool Working ConditionsEffective TeachingTeacher Value-added ScoreHigh-Need SchoolsDissertation