The Relationship Between Professional Learning Communities And Student Achievement In Wisconsin Elementary Schools

"Although professional learning communities (PLCs) have received a great deal of attention in the literature, few research studies have been conducted to determine their effectiveness on student achievement. Despite the national evidence, the question remains, are PLCs serving the commitment of enhancing student achievement in Wisconsin elementary schools? Subsequently, the purpose of this study was to clarify whether a difference exists in average test scores, as shown through Wisconsin knowledge and concepts exam (WKCE) results for Wisconsin elementary schools that have chosen to adopt or not adopt the PLC model. This study used data from two separate sources: A survey of Wisconsin elementary school principals and WKCE assessment data was collected. PLC and NPLC schools were matched paired by population size, socioeconomic status, and urban or rural status. The findings for the causal effect of PLCs on total test scores was statistically significant. After factoring in school size, school location, and socioeconomic status a minimal positive effect also was obtained. The relationship between the variables and PLC adoption was significant enough to assert the existence of a small effect on student achievement."--leaf 2.