Assessing school happiness: development and validation of a measurement scale for parents/guardians

Gramaxo, Patrícia Leonor; Dias, Álvaro; Abelha, Marta; Dutschke, Georg; Seabra, Filipa

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.2/19946

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Authors

Gramaxo, Patrícia Leonor

Abstract(s)

Introduction: Parents are one of the stakeholders in evaluating schools, and families’ perspectives about schools are increasingly acknowledged as essential to educational decision-making. However, little is known about how parents’ perspectives on school happiness can be assessed. This article proposes a model for evaluating school happiness as perceived by parents/guardians. Methods: Data were obtained through questionnaires administered to 641 parents. The model was tested using structural equation modeling techniques. Results: The results identified four main components: relationships and teachers’ characteristics (People), teaching practice (Process), learning/leisure balance (Process), and green school (Place). Discussion: The article discusses the development and validation of an instrument that can be used with parents/caretakers as one of the means of assessing a school’s overall happiness level and identifying key aspects to improve a school’s level of happiness. Implications for future research on the evaluation of happy schools are also discussed.