Gender and race effects in the Indiana and Michigan Principal Assessment Centers
Abstract
This study had two purposes: (1) to look for a main effect for gender and/or race in Indiana and Michigan assessment centers in school leadership skills; and (2) to look for interaction between candidates' ratings and assessor group composition. A sample of 401 school principal candidates and their assessors were studied in a quantitative descriptive design. The gender and racial breakdown was 211 males, 190 females, 284 Whites and 117 Blacks. The subjects participated from 1986-1989 in the Indiana and Michigan National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) Assessment Centers. The assessment center concept was reviewed and defined and the subjects' ratings were studied with respect to gender and race effects. Hypotheses were tested through t-tests. It was found that: (1) the factors of gender and race did affect candidate scores; (2) Blacks' scores in Michigan increased as the assessor group contained more Blacks; (3) range of scoring was smallest when the assessor group contained two or more assessors who were Black or female and, (4) assessor groups were found to be more balanced with respect to gender and race in Michigan than in Indiana. There were significant differences in 10 skills (favoring Whites) in the Indiana ratings and only one significant difference in the Michigan scores (favoring Blacks). The skill of expressing educational values was significantly higher for females in both states. This study raised questions about the accuracy of assessment center ratings when the composition of the assessor group was unbalanced with respect to gender and race. It was found that females are scoring better than males in both Indiana and Michigan Principals' Assessment Centers, and that Blacks are scoring well in Michigan but not in Indiana. Even though the sample was small and assessor/assessee interaction was not found statistically, there were indications that Whites received more positive scores that did Blacks. Extensive tables and graphs are presented analyzing differences in ratings and suggestions for further research are presented.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
McInerney, Purdue University.
Subject Area
School administration|Minority & ethnic groups|Sociology
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