Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration Commons^™

Transforming Educational Culture—Education Workshop 6-12, Steven R. Rogg Ph.D., Erika Croatto, Mike Morse

Steven R Rogg

What does it mean to generate a culture of reciprocity in classrooms and schools? What are its effects? Dialog will focus on interpersonal and group process among students, as well as among faculty and staff. Additional aspects include extracurricular activities such as clubs, performance groups, and sports.

No School Left Uncorrupted: How Cheating, High-Stakes Testing, And Declining Budgets Affected Student Achievement In Philadelphia, James R. Sadler

CUREJ - College Undergraduate Research Electronic Journal

The No Child Left Behind education act, signed by President Bush in 2002, imposed high-stakes testing standards on all schools in the nation. A decade later, amidst a cheating scandal and a budget crisis, the School District of Philadelphia experienced dramatic standardized test score declines after nine years of increases. This study aims to place these declines in the context of national, state, and local education policy and provide statistical evidence for the cause of the declines. School climate among schools flagged for cheating and budget decreases experienced by all Philadelphia schools significantly contributed to the declines. Nevertheless, the major ...

School District Of Philadelphia Student Achievement As Related To 2008-2009 K-8 Teachers' Perceptions Of Major Academic Indicators, Cheryl Mason-Dorman

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Qualitative Analysis Of Distributed Leadership And Teacher Perspective Of Principal Leadership Effectiveness, Jane O'Connor Lizotte

Education Doctoral Theses

In recent years, expectations for schools have increased to the point where they are now expected to ensure that all students are learning at high levels. This is a daunting, complex, and ambitious aspiration that requires leadership beyond that provided by the principal. The purpose of this qualitative study was to analyze teachers' perception of principal practices that positively or negatively influence distributed leadership in a school, as well as teachers' perceptions of the benefits and drawbacks of such efforts. In doing so, this researcher will improve ways in which a principal can best support a distributed leadership model.

The ...

Bereavement In The Classroom: How Teachers Respond To Grief At School, Gina S. Kahn

Education Doctoral Theses

Whether stemming from a tragic event in the life of a child such as the loss of a parent, or a community-devastating occurrence such as a natural disaster, it is likely that in every school year teachers will encounter some facet of bereavement in their classrooms. Despite the frequency of such events and the seemingly wide availability of training resources, there are questions about the degree to which teachers feel trained or prepared to respond (National Commission for Children and Disasters Interim Report, 2009). Several possible causes explain the gap, such as a lack of understanding of the needs of ...

Middle School Students' Perceptions Of Bullying And The Effects Of An Anti-Bullying Policy, Ann M. Jones

Education Doctoral Theses

The problem of bullying in schools is an issue of national importance. Research points to an abundance of negative impacts on students involved in bullying and require the attention of adults to address and resolve bullying incidents between students. This study, giving credence to the voices of eighth graders in one central Massachusetts middle school, sought to uncover not only student perspectives about bullying but also to determine what these perceptions revealed about the effectiveness of the school district's anti-bullying policy. Using a mixed methods design, employing a survey instrument and focus group discussions, this study found that about ...

Education's Perfect Storm: A Case Study Of The Transformation Of Worcester Technical High School, Sheila M. Harrity

Education Doctoral Theses

The purpose of this case study is to investigate how a low performing urban vocational technical high school transformed to become a national model for vocational technical education. Distributive Leadership and Organizational Change Theory are the two theories that informed the design and analysis of the case study. In addition, a literature review of vocational education and school change is also provided to inform the study. The research questions are as follows: (1) How did Worcester Technical High School become a high performing school?; (2) How did leadership in the school contribute to this school becoming a high performing school ...

Moving From Middle To High School: Making Sense Of The Freshman Transition, Rachel Dudley

Education Doctoral Theses

Educators have noticed students moving from eighth grade middle school programs to ninth grade high school environments encounter difficulties during the first year of the transition. Students who do not successfully transition to high school run the risk of repeating ninth grade, falling behind their peers and possibly dropping out of high school. The purpose of this study was to better understand how students make meaning of their freshman year to develop better programming to assist students during this vulnerable point in their academic career. This study was guided by a theoretical framework consisting of critical education theory and self-efficacy ...

Afterschool Participation And School Engagement: A Case Study Of An Urban East Coast Public Elementary School, Rafaela Mano Defigueiredo

Education Doctoral Theses

Students attending schools in urban areas with high concentrations of poverty are at risk for academic failure. Besides being more likely to live in poverty, urban students in comparison to suburban students are more likely to be English language learners and to be exposed to violence and other health and safety risks linked to negative school and life outcomes. Without meaningful intervention, many of these students will fail, presenting a problem for the student, their family, and society. The theory and empirical base that is termed "positive youth development" suggests that providing opportunities for youth to enhance their cognitive, behavioral ...

Avoiding Senioritis: Student Perceptions Of Engagement And Efficacy During Senior Project, Carla Woodman Blanchard

Education Doctoral Theses

The problem of senioritis can impact time on learning and may compromise a student's successful transition from high school to college or career. Researchers contend that students tend to be more motivated if they are given opportunities to engage in tasks that are relevant to their personal interests and goals. Senior project programs are designed to encourage independent and experiential learning by asking high school seniors to link their studies with a real-world application. This case study examines student perceptions of engagement and self-efficacy while participating in a senior project in a high school on the south shore of ...

Social Enterprise And Christian School Finance: Receptivity Of Acsi Christian School Leaders In Mid-America, Eric D. Schroeder

Master of Education Theses

This pioneering study draws on literature from both the educational and the nonprofit sectors to integrate the concept of social enterprise with the financial challenges faced by Christian schools. It then explores the receptivity of administrators and board chairmen of Association of Christian Schools International affiliated schools in the Mid-America region to social enterprise based fund raising practices. Findings show that while school leaders are cautious overall, interest varies widely with some school leaders being very receptive and other very opposed to these approaches. Analysis of specific subcategories indicates that school leaders have a greater interest in pursuing opportunities that ...

High School Decision-Making At Henry Lord Middle School In Fall River, Aimee A. Bronhard

Education Doctoral Theses

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate how students at Henry Lord Middle School in Fall River take into consideration their initial college and career aspirations when making their decision for high school. Self-efficacy theory, critical theory, and a literature review related to high school decision-making inform the analysis of data regarding the three research questions framing this study: (1) What influenced Henry Lord Middle School eighth grade students' decisions when selecting a high school of attendance?; (2) How are parents or guardians of 8^th graders at Henry Lord Middle School informed of the high school options ...

The Relationship Of The Implementation Of Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports To Improve Academic Achievement, Brenda L. Tracy

Educational Administration: Theses, Dissertations, and Student Research

The foundation for PBiS and its practices is that academic achievement and social behaviors are connected. It becomes difficult for students to learn when the student is spending more time in discipline-related interactions than in those related to learning academic content. School administrators and teachers have become increasingly frustrated with the impact of poor student behavior on academic achievement in their schools. The situation leads to the public perception that student behavior is out of control. Isolated situations of violence (e.g., school shootings) contribute to the perception. Teachers continually struggle to master classroom management strategies that are proactive, preventative ...

An Econometric Analysis Of Anti-Bullying Program Factors On Bullying In Public American Middle Schools And High Schools, Austin B. Beck

Undergraduate Economic Review

This paper seeks to answer the question: “Do typical factors of anti-bullying programs reduce the amount of bullying that takes place in American public middle schools and high schools?” An overview of the literature on bullying and anti-bullying programs is provided. Data from the School Survey on Crime and Safety is analyzed using a probit model. The model is tested for accuracy and the results are analyzed. Parental involvement and out-of-school suspension are found to be significant anti-bullying program factors. Other explanatory variables are also discussed and recommendations for further research are provided.

A Case Study Examining The Influence Of Dual Enrollment And High School Advising On Student Persistence In College, Maureen Ann Raia-Taylor

Education Doctoral Theses

This qualitative,descriptive single case study describes the problem of student persistence in college through the theoretical lens of Alexander Astin's Theory of Student Involvement, and Vincent Tinto's Theory of Student Departure. The decline in the college retention rate in the United States over the last twenty years and the high student attrition rate in colleges and community colleges is an issue of national concern. The theories enabled the researcher to narrow the scope of the study to focus on the precollege experiences, high school faculty advising and dual enrollment, of college sophomores and describe how the perceptions ...

Is The Sat The Root Of All Evil? Reviewing The Evidence On Admission Policies And Diversity In Higher Education, Loris Fagioli

LUX: A Journal of Transdisciplinary Writing and Research from Claremont Graduate University

It is imperative to achieve diversity in Higher Education. With affirmative action policies under fire, it is becoming difficult to enroll a diverse student body. Many critics see standardized tests, and the SAT in particular, as contributing to the problem. This paper reviews research on such criticism, about suggested alternative approaches, and regarding recommendations on how to improve the current situation. In general, this review finds little evidence against a judicious use of the SAT. Also, alternative approaches such as percent plans or abolishing the SAT have had little success in increasing diversity. However, most specialists agree that a comprehensive ...

Reconciling Student Outcomes And Community Self-Reliance In Modern School Reform Contexts, Brian R. Beabout, Andre M. Perry

Brian R. Beabout

Education for African Americans has historically been linked to the broad movement to improve their lot in life. Ceaselessly, from slavery and Jim Crow, toward full membership in American society, schooling was as much about academic learning as it was for ensuring the sustainability of the community in which the school was situated. This chapter provides a theoretical examination of the impact of these differing sets of values (student outcomes vs. community self-determination) and suggests a conceptual road map for improvement based heavily on our work with public schooling in post-Katrina New Orleans, perhaps the American city where test-based accountability ...

Criticality And The Pedagogical Reconstruction Of Leadership Standards In An Educational Leadership Classroom., William R. Black, Zorka Karanxha

Zorka Karanxha

The authors describe their attempt to develop students’ critical perspectives on the content and assumptions in the 2008 Florida Principal Leadership Standards (FPLS) through a reflective essay assignment in a class titled Ethics, Equity, and Leadership in Education. The authors conducted textual analysis of 92 student essays (a total of 922 pages) submitted in 5 sections of a class from the summer of 2008 through the spring of 2009. The authors describe ways students analyze knowledge claims in the FPLS in relation to the standards’ considerable silence around issues of ethics and equity, which were central to the class: 1 ...

Educational Leadership Or Followership?, David Gabbard

Democracy and Education

Opponents of the neoliberal privatization of schools must be cautious in formulating their opposition so as not to situate themselves as the defenders of an otherwise indefensible status quo. Though we might expect professors in traditional university-based educational-leadership programs to protect their institutional self-interests and their traditional monopoly on the preparation of school leaders against the challenge presented by Eli Broad’s Superintendents Academy, do we know for a fact that the curriculum of Broad’s Academy differs significantly from their own programs? It would be hard for us to name very many professors who have defended those programs as ...

Mathematics Educators And The “Math Wars”: Who Controls The Discourse?, David W. Stinson

Middle-Secondary Education and Instructional Technology Faculty Publications

In this editorial, the author expresses support of a colleague, Professor Jo Boaler of Stanford University, in her actions of going public with the harassment that she has experienced through professional and personal attacks by James Milgram of Stanford University and Wayne Bishop of California State University, Los Angeles.