Purpose: Efforts to compare schools nationally tend to focus on educational
outcomes (e.g., test scores), yet such an approach assumes that schools are
homogeneous with regard to their overall purpose. In fact, few studies have
attempted to systematically compare schools with regard to their primary
aims or mission. The present study attempts to fill this gap by exploring the
utility of school mission statements as a data source for comparing and systematically
reflecting on the core purposes of schools nationwide. Research
Design: A mixed-methods research design was implemented. In Study 1,
true random samples of 50 high schools were selected from each of 10
geographically and politically diverse states, yielding a total of 421 mission
statements that were ultimately coded and quantitatively compared. In Study 2,
structured interviews were conducted with principals from diverse high
schools to evaluate their perspectives on the usefulness of school mission
statements. Findings: Results indicate that mission statements can be reliably
coded quantitatively and that schools vary systematically and sensibly
with regard to both the number and types of themes incorporated into their
mission statements. Furthermore, consistent with prior research, the qualitative
results showed that principals generally regard mission statements as an important tool for shaping practice and communicating core values.
Conclusions: School mission statements are a valuable source of data that
can be quantified for educational researchers and administrators interested
in reflecting on school purpose, comparing schools with regard to their core
mission, and monitoring changes in school purpose over time.