Education Commons^™

A Historical Snapshot On The Progression Of Educational And Social Opportunities For Mexican American Students In The San Benito Public School System, 1909-2009, Marco Antonio Lara, Jr.

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This study investigates the barriers Mexican American students encountered in educational and social opportunities within the San Benito Public School System from 1909 to 2009. This qualitative research study was organized chronologically by collecting information on the city, school district, and students who attended the San Benito Public School System. Personal and telephone interviews, as well as emailed questionnaires/surveys were used to gather firsthand information from former students, and current/former teachers, administrators, and board member of the district. A review of school board minutes, high school yearbooks, newspaper articles, books, and other related materials were also included for use in …

A Study Of Mexican American Education In The Mercedes Independent School District, 1908-2008: Opportunities And Obstacles?, Beatrice De Leon Edwards

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This study investigates the educational history of the Mercedes Independent School District of deep south Texas during the twentieth century with a focus on the opportunities and challenges encountered by Mexican American schoolchildren who were served by the district. The methodology selected is qualitative research wherein the researcher is the primary instrument collecting the experiences of participants with direct or indirect knowledge of the school district. Also examined are archival documents such as high school yearbooks, graduate pictures, school board minutes, maps, and newspaper articles. The demographics of the school district have changed from an all-Anglo school district at its …

Social Networks And Beliefs Of Mexican-American Parents As Predictors Of Parent Involvement, Maria Filomena Leo

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Parents interact with school officials as social actors, with the cultural and social capital they possess. The school as a social institution operates within given processes to deliver educational services. The needs of both the parent and the school system may not always be suited to a harmonious relationship: still, it is possible to build a system to close that gap. In such a system each can reach across to help one another. This happens when schools understand the social forces that motivate parents to become involved with schools for the sake of their children. This study surveyed Mexican-American parents …

Mexican American Women: Unique Superintendents In Texas, Maria Cristina Quilantan

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The number of Mexican American women educators is disproportionate to the number of Mexican American women in administrative positions, especially at the superintendency level. During the school year 2001–2002, there were 1,175 superintendents in the State of Texas; 939 male, 66 Mexican American males; 159 White females, and 10 Mexican American women. The stereotypical sex-role expectations are evident among Mexican American women; these expectations are governed by a value system that follows tradition and culture in which docility and passivity are inculcated at a very early age. The organizational structure of the public school system also marginalizes the involvement of …

Academic Achievement As A Function Of Attributions Of Success And Failure And Socio-Cultural Variables In Mexican-American Students, Mary Alice Reyes

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The purpose of this research was to examine Mexican-American 8th grade students' attributions of success and failure in school-related contexts. The relationship between and among these attributions, socio-cultural variables and academic achievement was also explored and analyzed. Attribution theory formed the theoretical foundation for the study.

The study utilized three instruments as the primary sources of self-reported data: the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS ), Student Achievement Responsibility Survey ( SARS ) (Ryckman, 1985), and the Short Acculturation Scale for Hispanic Youth ( SASH-Y ) (Barona & Miller, 1994). Other data including gender and migrant status were obtained from …

An Analysis Of Key Leadership Behaviors Of The Principal In A High -Performing Elementary School Serving Mexican American Children In South Texas, Alda T. Benavides

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This study is based on the theoretical framework that defines leadership as an influence process, one that depends on the extent to which people eventually perceive leadership as a quality someone possesses and as a result of that perception, consent to be led (Greenfield, 1998). Leadership is the process of being perceived as a leader (Lord and Maher, 1993). Doing good work at one's school and being seen to do such work is likely to be the most powerful strategy for positively influencing teachers' perceptions of one's leadership. This study expands on the theory that it is what you do …

A Study Of Parental Involvement At A Blue Ribbon Elementary School On The Texas-Mexico Border, Jay Scott Hollinger

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The involvement of parents in their children's education influences student achievement. In 1995, researchers identified mechanisms necessary for effective parent involvement. Although substantial research has been done on parent and family involvement, few studies have described the phenomenon among low socioeconomic Mexican-American families. In 1996, one case study was conducted at a high school and another was conducted at a middle school on the Texas-Mexico border. These studies described strategies and tactics used by the principal, teachers, and support staff to influence parents to become more involved in their children's education. The present study expands on these works by investigating …