Organizational Culture and Schools: A Call for Leadership and Collaboration

The organizational culture of schools is often taken for granted, but it is a subject that needs greater focus and understanding of school-based professionals. In general, organizational culture “refers to a set of common values, attitudes, beliefs and norms, some of which are explicit and some of which are not” (Brown, 2004, p. 4). In many ways organizational culture is invisible—although it can be both conscious and unconscious—but at the same time, it serves as the glue that binds and builds a sense of cohesion within schools. Organizational culture can be found in shared relationships among colleagues, norms within the school environment, student and teacher relations, and sharing experiences (Haberman, 2013). A school's organizational culture provides a sense of identity, promotes achievement orientation, helps shape standards and patterns of behavior, creates distinct ways of doing things, and determines direction for future growth. Organizational or school culture has both positive and negative functions. Positive school culture is conducive to professional satisfaction, effectiveness, morale, and creating an environment that maximizes student learning and fosters collegiality and collaboration (Glossary of Education Reform, 2013). Moreover, to garner a positive school culture administration, teachers and staff must engage in healthy behaviors; promote collaborative decision making with input from students, staff, and parents; display high professional standards; and consistently hold students to high standards, with a majority of students meeting such standards. Converging this set of issues within the dynamics of a school setting requires leadership, teamwork, and attention to goal orientation that help shape organization culture in schools (Bush, 2015).