Education Commons^™

The Politics Behind The National School Lunch Program, Jaylyn Brown

Master's Theses

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is one of the longest federally funded programs in the United States. The program is meant to provide food that is nutritious and affordable to schoolchildren. Indeed, most students receive free or a reduced price lunch highlighting the importance of affordability and nutrition in the school lunch system. Since the creation of the NSLP in 1946 debates about food quality and nutrition standards have consumed school lunch reform discussions. Many health organizations stress the importance of child nutrition, and advocate for the means to prevent diseases such as childhood obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. …

The Educated Hustlers And Divas: How Black Youth Use Black Television As A Tool To Communicate While In School., Kiersten M. Smith

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study is to determine how Black youth use television as a tool to communicate in their social interactions with their peers. The research question for this project is; In what ways do Black youth use Black television as a tool in school social settings? This study took a qualitative approach that called for the method of focus groups. Black students between the ages of 10-20 gathered into four focus groups to discuss how they use Black content to communicate with their peers. The results of the research show that Black youth use Black television as a …

Parents' Satisfaction In Non-Title-I And Title-I Schools Within The Archdiocese Of Chicago, Alex Hill

Dissertations

Parents' attitudes about their children's schools matter. Their views can shape their children's attitude about school and influence their residential and school enrollment decisions. This paper describes the use of two survey scales, an existing survey, Stakeholder Satisfaction Survey and a survey developed by the research, Parent Survey, to assess parents' level of satisfaction at their child's school. Specifically, one Catholic school that has students who are recipients of Title-I funds and one Catholic school that does not have students who are recipients of Title-I funds were used in this study. The Stakeholder Satisfaction Survey is a Likert scale used …

Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy With A Teacher Component: Outcomes Examined In A School Setting, Kelly Marie Holmes

Dissertations

Trauma exposure among youth is common and can result in long-term social-emotional, behavioral, and academic problems (Finkelhor, Turner, Hamby, & Ormrod, 2011; Kronenberg et al., 2010). Fortunately, there are interventions that can ameliorate these problems. In particular, trauma-focused, interventions are effective in reducing trauma related symptomatology and problems among youth (Cary & McMillen, 2012). Trauma exposure among youth is common and can result in long-term social-emotional, behavioral, and academic problems (Finkelhor, Turner, Hamby, & Ormrod, 2011). Additionally, most youth receive mental health services in schools (Green et al., 2013). Fortunately, there are school-based, trauma-focused interventions that have been found to …

Antidepressant-Associated Sexual Dysfunction In Patients With Depression: A Meta-Analysis Of Sexual Functioning Data Collected Via Prospective Questionnaire, Paula Jacobsen

Dissertations

Sexual functioning is associated with symptoms of depression, which occurs at rates much higher than that in the general population. Treatment of depression and remission of depressive symptoms can improve sexual functioning; however, antidepressants and other medications may cause or worsen sexual functioning. Assessment of sexual dysfunction in the past has predominantly relied on the patient spontaneously reporting problems with sexual functioning to their physician or other medical professional. Due to the sensitive nature of the topic, patient reporting is typically low and does not reflect the actual prevalence of sexual dysfunction. This research assessed the rate and level of …

Teachers' Perceptions Of And Collaboration Practices With Non-Traditional Families, Bonnie Kilfoyle

Dissertations

The "typical" American family is becoming more diverse with more families encompassing different configurations of individuals, such as blended families, multi-generational families, foster families, and single parent families (Lambie, 2011). This research study used qualitative research methods (teacher interviews) to investigate the extent to which teachers in a Catholic school received training on collaborating with non-traditional families and family diversity. Additionally, this study investigated the perceptions teachers had about working with foster families, kinship care-givers, grandparents raising grandchildren, and divorced parents and whether these perceptions changed after receiving a brief professional development on working with these types of families. Although …

Administrator Support Of Social-Emotional And Academic Needs Of Students At A Selective Enrollment High School, Therese Elizabeth Plunkett

Dissertations

As an administrator at a selective enrollment high school in an urban district, I experienced firsthand the lack of differentiation for students experiencing social-emotional learning (SEL) issues, which in turn affects academic learning. This self-study examines what strategies and interventions assist administrators in targeting the social-emotional and academic needs of students. School leadership is obligated to facilitate increasing and implementing supports that address the SEL and diverse-learning needs of all students. One way in which leadership can promote addressing differentiated learning is through ensuring Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) are implemented with fidelity. MTSS formerly known as response to intervention …

Intercultural Proficiency Of Principals Leading Ib Schools In Urban America, Ahlam Bazzi Moughania

Dissertations

This study, based on the qualitatively rendered experiences and perceptions of racially or ethnically diverse school principals leading International Baccalaureate (IB) public schools in the urban America, argues that intercultural proficiency development and intersectionality of race/ethnicity and gender identity influence school leadership practice. To make this point, I draw on the intercultural competence theoretical framework, intersectionality, and culturally responsive school leadership. Through a qualitative methodology, a comparative three-case study is identified from a larger sample of IB schools reported to be favorably employing the Learner Profile, a learner framework fostering the development intercultural understanding. Interview with school principal and visuals …

Undoing Giftedness: Considering Adolescent Latina Identity Performativity In United States Public Schools, Jenna Nelson

Dissertations

This dissertation employs a series of literary genres to navigate the reader through the importance of complicating normalized notions of giftedness and Latina identity as well as the interrogating the complexity of subjectivities. Using post qualitative inquiry (St. Pierre, 2014), I blend writing practices typically used in fiction and in theoretical inquiry. Fiction writing such as narratives, scriptwriting, poetry, visual-art, journaling, and poetry are implemented to analyze and represent the individuals in this inquiry. This dissertation consists of three Acts and an Intermission to carry the reader through the various stages of my inquiry. Through writing the dissertation in this …

Spanish Guided Reading And Phonics Instruction In Primary Dual Language Classrooms: A Self-Study Examining A Principal's Leadership And Actions To Improve Student Outcomes In A Neighborhood Urban School, Antonio Acevedo

Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine a principal's leadership actions while attempting to improve primary student outcomes in reading in a Dual Language (English/Spanish) neighborhood school by supporting teachers in implementing a balanced literacy approach to teaching reading in Spanish. The principal as researcher noticed at the end of the 2014-15 year that primary reading assessment data in Spanish revealed low percentages of Spanish-speaking English Language Learner (ELL) students reading at grade level in Spanish with kindergarten, first, and second grade students' results respectively at 24, 34, and 37 percent. Research in the field of Dual Language Education …

An Analysis Of The Implementation And Effectiveness Of Successmaker Reading On Closing The Achievement Gap Through A Separate Class Middle School Reading Intervention, Tanya Branch Housing

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if SuccessMaker Reading had an

effect on at-risk students when used with a Language Arts course. SuccessMaker Reading

is a web-based system that provides reading skills practice that align with state standards.

The sample of this study consisted of seventh (2019) and eighth (2018) grade classes

from a Midwestern suburban middle school district during the fall of the 2017-2018

school year.

At-risk Language Arts students who have not achieved proficiency in reading

were enrolled in SuccessMaker Reading. This study analyzed if SuccessMaker Reading

had an effect on growth on the NWEA-MAP winter …

Emotional Intelligence (Eq), Generational Status And The Successful Implementation Of The Common Core State Standards, Michael Allen

Dissertations

As education in the United States becomes more complex to provide for increasingly diverse students, it is extremely challenging to develop, recruit, and hire administrators to effectively lead 21st century schools. Many school districts all over the country are counting on their principals to successfully transition their schools to full implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The purpose of the research was to explore whether there was a correlation between emotional intelligence (EQ), generational status and principals' leadership abilities for the successful implementation of the CCSS.

Participants of this study included ten principals (two from the Baby Boom …

How Does The Classroom Teacher Promote Academic Success In The Spanish Native Speaker Class: A Study Of Classroom Teachers' Perceptions Of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy In The Spanish Native Speaker Course At The High School Level, Michael Angelo Ayala

Dissertations

The achievement gap between Latino and White students is a significant problem, prompting the need to address the cultural conflicts that hinder relationships and compromise learning opportunities for Latino students in the United States. This exploratory qualitative study focused on Spanish Native Speaker (SNS) teachers' perceptions and use of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP) at the high school level. Framed with theory related to CRP, data were collected through interviews and classroom observations with four SNS teachers who teach a SNS class at various high schools in the suburbs of Cook County. A thematic analysis and an analysis using Herrera's (2010) …

Home/School Collaboration And The Development Of A Growth Mindset Within Gifted Students, Lauren A. Carlson

Dissertations

Studies show that curricula related to mindset can have a positive effect on increasing growth mindset in students. Literature also suggests that messages students receive from parents about their skills and hard work can have implications for mindset development. In this project, the researcher explored the knowledge, exposure, and involvement of parents of gifted students in a small suburban K-8 school district with regard to growth mindset instruction. The researcher also explored how teachers can increase home school collaboration in regards to growth mindset concepts. The researcher used a survey questionnaire and a semi-structured interview through a focus group format …

The Mckinney-Vento Act: Moving Beyond Aspirations To More Effective Implementation, Michael Cermak

Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative research study is to investigate teachers' knowledge of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (McK-V; the Act) and their perceptions of how to best meet the needs of the population of homeless students in schools. The literature base has shown that implementation of the Act has been largely inconsistent due to the lack of formal implementing regulations and a lack of awareness on the part of many educators. A professional development presentation was developed for teachers in order to increase their knowledge, and following the use of a pre/post/ delayed post-test survey, ascertain the impact of …

Analysis Of A University-Informal Partnership For Teacher Education, Jenna Carlson

Dissertations

Mutual beneficial partnerships for teacher preparation are vital to universities. One of the untapped resources for teacher preparation are Informal Education Institutions (IEI). Some scholars believe that successful partnerships between universities and local IEIs are important for the future of teacher education (McKinnon & Lamberts, 2014; Kisiel & Anderson, 2010). Yet, there is little research to guide practice in this area (American Alliance for Museums, 2014; Buys & Bursnall, 2007). The purpose of this interpretive study is to add to the literature base reporting on university €“ IEI partnerships developed specifically to support initial teacher preparation and to make the …

Examining The Experiences Of Latinx Stem Baccalaureates, Marlene Chavez

Dissertations

Examining the Experiences of Latinx STEM Baccalaureates is a qualitative research study of Latinx who graduated with a bachelor's degree in an area of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). The purpose of this dissertation was to learn about the experiences of Latinx who have attained a STEM degree at a four-year university. This study holds implications for educational institutions, policymakers, and educational researchers that serve Latinx populations. More importantly, this dissertation will share the voices and knowledge of Latinx that have attained STEM.

This dissertation examined the following questions: What are the undergraduate educational experiences of Latinx students who …

A Case Study Of Literature Discussions With Spanish-English Emergent Bilingual Children, Amy G. Clark

Dissertations

This classroom-based case study examines how Spanish-English emergent bilingual children in a second grade one-way immersion classroom draw on prior knowledge and experiences and use comprehension strategies to discuss and comprehend three texts with different levels of cultural relevance. Through an examination of the rich range of cognitive, cultural-experiential, and linguistic resources evident in children's discussion responses, a detailed sketch of key features of high-level discussion emerges. Findings build a case for the intentional use of culturally relevant texts as part of the literacy curriculum. Teacher pedagogy and classroom conditions also emerge as fundamental components for the achievement of high-level …

The Real Deal: A Program Evaluation Of A Teen Pregnancy Program, Sejla Dizdarevic

Dissertations

Teen pregnancy rates within the United States continue to be the highest amongst developed countries. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the Real Deal, a teen pregnancy prevention program currently implemented in a high school in a Midwestern state, has a short- and/or long-term impact on students' a) perceptions of taking care of a baby by oneself, b) abstaining from sexual activities, c) delaying pregnancies until obtaining a post-secondary education, and d) delaying pregnancies until after marriage. Furthermore, the study evaluated staff perceptions on a) ease of program implementation and b) adequacy of the content within the …

Effective Leadership For The Implementation Of The Common Core State Standards: Principal Behaviors That Develop Professional Capital To Create Conditions For Positve Change, Eileen Beth Brett

Dissertations

Identifying specific leadership behaviors of elementary school principals that create conditions for positive change is critical to implementing educational reform. The purpose of this research is to identify specific leadership behaviors of principals that have positively impacted the implementation of the Common Core State Standards through the development of professional capital.

The Common Core Standards represent a recent movement to create national standards, founded on the belief that schools have an obligation to ensure that all students are college and career ready (McLaughlin & Overturf, 2012; Conley; 2014a). Implementing the Common Core has challenged principals to develop leadership skills to …

Innovation And Change In Jesuit Education: Horizon 2020, A Case Study In The Jesuit School Network In Catalonia, Spain, Hugo Nelson Gomez-Sevilla

Dissertations

Innovation has taken place in education as a necessity to respond to a rapidly

changing world. In their commitment to contribute to the creative and healing mission of the

Society of Jesus, the Jesuit School Network of Catalonia created HORIZON 2020 to

envision a new school to effectively educate in the 21st Century and adapt the Ignatian

tradition to the present day.

Understanding the case and extracting the main lessons from it were best

accomplished by using a qualitative research approach. Particularly, this study used

descriptive single-case design with embedded units. The project Horizon 2020 of the

Jesuit Education Foundation …

Wellness Interventions For Social Justice Fatigue Among Student Affairs Professionals, Sara Furr

Dissertations

This project explored the construct of social justice fatigue (SJF) among student affairs professionals. Utilizing racial battle fatigue (RBF) and compassion fatigue to construct the definition of SFJ, a thirty day wellness intervention plan was created and tested amongst participants. Social justice fatigue is the physical, mental, and/or emotional toll incurred through advocating for social change while serving as an agent of an institution of higher education. Using participatory action research design we learned this definition resonates with student affairs professionals; particularly those who are engaged in equity and social justice oriented work and share the marginalized identity of the …

Leading Effective Change In Schools Of The 21st Century: The Attributes, Behaviors, And Practices Of Effective School Principals, Jennifer Lynne Ferrari

Dissertations

In a period of tremendous change, as the educational landscape shifts to ensure our students are well prepared for new and unknown futures, the role of school principal is more essential than ever. The principal, as primary driver of change, sits at the helm of school improvement. He/she is charged with leading the complex orchestration of school efforts to develop and nurture the next generation of thinkers, problem-solvers, and innovators.

This study explored the attributes, behavior, and practices of effective K-12 principals through a mixed method design. Nine principals from the suburbs of Chicago participated in this study. Using 5Essential …

The Exemplary High School Principal: A Mixed Methods Study Of How Personal Motivation And Professional Core Values Influence The Practice, Priorities And Decisions Of Award-Winning School Leaders, Erin Luby

Dissertations

This study of award-winning high school principals was designed to distill lessons from highly effective school leaders. The research explored how personal motivation and professional core values influence the practice, priorities and decisions of exemplary principals. The research followed a sequential explanatory mixed methods design. Participants included school leaders across a 10-state region who won their State Principal of the Year award from 2007 to 2017. The first phase of data collection utilized a survey, and the second phase was comprised of semi-structured interviews.

Principals indicated they were motivated to become educators because of their desire to have a positive …

Are You A H.E.R.O.?: A Mixed Methods Study Of The Relationship Between Illinois Principals' Psychological Capital And School Culture, Karen Marie Ritter

Dissertations

Psychological Capital, developed by Fred Luthans as a byproduct of the positive psychology movement, involve the study of how applied positive states, attributes, and behaviors can improve performance in the workplace. An organization's leader needs a proactive, positive approach that emphasizes hope, self-efficacy, resilience, and optimism to improve an organization's effectiveness (Luthans, 2002a). This study explored how a school principal's Psychological Capital influenced the school's culture, and the psychological states that best supported the school to flourish. A school leader is key in building a positive school culture, where administrators, staff, and students share a sense of purpose and commitment …

Counter-Narratives Of Latino Men And Machismo In Higher Education, Hiram Ramirez

Dissertations

This dissertation study addresses the gaps in research concerning the gendered experiences of successful Latino men in higher education. As Latino men in postsecondary education continue to enroll and persist in low numbers, new lenses are needed to consider their educational experiences. This study attempts to add a gendered lens, in the form of machismo, to consider ways in which successful Latino men are persisting. Machismo, a construct with both positive and negative attributes, has the potential to influence Latino men's navigation of higher education. Research documents the negative ways in which machismo has hampered Latino men in education, however …

Social Scientists' Conceptualization And Implementation Of Research Ethics And Integrity, Heather A. Pease

Dissertations

The purpose of the current study is to identify core themes, values, and principles through which social scientists conceptualize and implement research ethics and integrity. Periods of rapid growth and interest in research ethics and integrity often coincide with significant scientific discoveries (e.g., mapping of the human genome) or scientific misconduct (e.g., Tuskegee studies). Even though research policies are being developed, they are done in a manner which does not maximize the opportunities to regulate ethics and integrity within social science research. The laws and programs aimed at mitigating acts of misconduct were originally intended for biomedical sciences, yet they …

Universal Design For Learning: An Examination Of Leadership Promoting Student Learning For All, Martha Ryan-Toye

Dissertations

Martha Ryan-Toye

Loyola University Chicago

UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING: AN EXAMINATION OF LEADERSHIP PROMOTING STUDENT LEARNING FOR ALL

This study examines the intersection of leadership, Universal Design for Learning and a framework for continuous improvement. Universal Design for Learning is a tool that unites beliefs and actions to address the needs of all children in our educational systems. We fall short in our efforts to close the learning gaps for children with disabilities, children of lower income and children of differing racial and ethnic backgrounds. Universal Design for Learning demonstrates a commitment to proactively addressing the variability of learners so …

Critical Conversations With Suburban Administrative Leaders On Special Education Disproportionality: Case Studies Of Suburban School Districts, Jennifer Colleen Sterpin

Dissertations

This dissertation study explored high school administrators' beliefs about why racial disproportionality exists, sought to understand the local practices that contribute to disproportionality, and identified interventions and supports that impact disproportionality in the special education referral, eligibility, and placement process. Research shows that students who are disproportionately represented in special education are negatively affected by factors such as stigmatization, substandard instruction, zero tolerance policies, and isolation from the general education setting (Sullivan, Kozleski, & Smith, 2008). Administrators were invited to participate in this study because they have a significant impact on student achievement and system-wide changes in schools.

This research …

Socio-Ecological Moderating Factors In The Grit-Academic Achievement Relationship, Keeshawna Brooks

Dissertations

There has been a recent focus in research on a concept that centers on an individual’s ability to be persistent in the pursuit of their goals. This concept, referred to as grit, is an addition to the conversation about noncognitive measures that show promise to positively affect student academic performance. However, with the salient focus on the individual qualities that contribute to student success, it is important to avoid looking at these student qualities in isolation from the socio-ecological milieu (Ysseldyke, Lekwa, Klingbeil, & Cormier, 2012). Situating individual student qualities within Bronfenbrenner’s socio-ecological framework can be particularly helpful when seeking …