Assessing School Through Parents’ Voices: Construction And Validation Of The Parents’ School Improvement Assessment Questionnaire (PSIAQ)

Abstract

Increasing attention has been directed toward understanding school improvement as a multidimensional and participatory process. Current researches have emphasised that parents contribute significantly to school improvement, but this factor remains insufficiently operationalised. To bridge this gap, this study aims to examine the factorial structure, reliability, and construct validity of a Parent-School Improvement Assessment Questionnaire (PSIAQ) that has been developed to identify important school improvement factors noticed by parents. The study sample consists of 282 parents of students enrolled in middle and secondary schools. The findings verify that for assessing parent-perceived school improvement dimensions, the PSIAQ is a valid instrument. The most prominent factors identify teaching and learning factors, supportive learning environment, leadership practices and community participation. Overall, the PSIAQ is recommended as a reliable tool for future research and practices aimed at strengthening parent-informed school improvement initiatives.