Education Commons^™

Yuli's Story: Using Educational Policy To Achieve Cultural Genocide, Katrina Johnson Leon

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

All children residing in the United States have the right to a quality education. At least that is our collective expectation. Through the lived experience of Yuli, a Native American woman from the Southwest, you will discover, due to her birth on a remote reservation, she was not given the same access to education you or I would expect. On Yuli’s reservation, the school system is managed by the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE). Rather than provide K-12 schooling, the BIE operates K-8 on her reservation and then Native youth who want to go to high school must move off-reservation. …

Female Superintendents: Perceived Barriers And Successful Strategies Used To Attain The Superintendency In California, Denise M. Wickham

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

There exists a discrepancy with the number of females in the California superintendency being twenty-three percent, whereas seventy five percent of all educators are female. This study examined the demographics of the typical female superintendent in California as well as the perceived perceptions of these females in attaining the position. This study examined barriers to the superintendency and successful strategies utilized by females in attaining the public school superintendency. Data for this study were collected through a survey of the perception of barriers and perceptions of successful strategies. All two hundred forty nine California female superintendents were mailed surveys, one …

A Grounded Theory Analysis Of Novice And Veteran Principals Through The Dreyfus And Greenfield Models, Shobhana Rishi

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this exploratory study was to develop categories of work meaningful to elementary school principals that are significant at the beginning of one's career and after ten or more years on the job. A total of 15 public elementary school principals were interviewed. Using grounded theory, the interview data were analyzed and coded for topics that represented work concerns in beginning and later career. The results were interpreted within the Dreyfus model of learning to identify the principals' levels of performance and through the Greenfield model to identify the areas of principal work that presented continuing challenges for …

Influences Of Censorship Challenges On State Textbook Adoption Criteria Which Affect School Curriculum, Karen Marie Moore

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This study explored censorship in the public schools through the analysis of the changing textbook adoption criteria of the twenty-two adoption states to determine if new, subtle challenges of censorship suggest previously undiscovered effects on the established school curriculum. Adoption criteria (1975-76 and 1985-86) from the twenty-two adoption states were requested. State statutes were also reviewed. A content analysis focusing on the specified criteria needed for text adoption and the amount of public participation in the adoption process was conducted. It was found that few requirements have been added to the textbook adoption criteria since 1975 although some changes have …

An Investigation Of The Effectiveness Of A Saturday School Program In Reducing The Rate Of Truancy Among Ninth And Tenth Grade Habitually Truant Students, Robert Howard Bell

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This study was undertaken as an empirical investigation to determine whether the rate of truancy, grade point averages and attitudes toward school of habitually truant ninth and tenth grade students were affected after the student's participation in a mandatory Saturday School Program. Subjects were habitually truant ninth and tenth grade students chosen from two selected schools within the Whittier Union High School District in Whittier, California. Of the total sample of 130 students, a total of 55 students participated in a traditional (control) Saturday School Program and 75 students participated in an experimental Saturday School Program. Comparisons were drawn between …

San Joaquin County Teachers' Perceptions Of Collective Bargaining, Richard Kent Rogers

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Purpose of the study. The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions teachers in California's San Joaquin County have regarding collective bargaining. The problem. To determine to what extent teachers perceive that collective bargaining has had an affect upon wages, working conditions, communications, and morale. Furthermore, to determine to what extent teachers support statewide collective bargaining. In addition, to determine if teachers' perceptions of collective bargaining vary based on the number of years taught, gender, grade level taught, and current level of association involvement. Methodology. The research was descriptive in nature and employed a survey questionnaire which consisted …

Perceptions Of California Continuation High School Principals Of Effective Non-Classroom Actions In Combating Student Truancy, George Stephen Mathiesen

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to gather and apply statistical treatments to measure the perceptions of California continuation high school principals relative to the effectiveness of various non-classroom actions in combating student truancy. This study was designed to develop a prioritized listing of non-classroom actions in combating student truancy and to determine if significant differences existed in perceptions of California continuation high school principals based upon respondents' school size as determined by the number of certificated staff members, sex, years of employment in education, years of experience in California continuation education, and years of employment as a California continuation …

Mentor Teachers In Selected Districts In Northern California: Profile, Selection, And Responsibilities, Sarah Elizabeth Taylor

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to develop a profile of California SB 813 mentor teachers in selected districts in northern California, to investigate selection procedures and responsibilities, to assess perceptions of mentor teachers regarding their helpfulness in improving instructional quality, and their satisfaction with the role. An analysis of the helpfulness of the mentor teacher role in improving instructional quality as perceived by teachers assisted by the mentor teachers and their principals was included in this study. Procedures. Ninety-three mentor teachers from twelve school districts and county offices of education in northern California, one hundred fifty-three assisted teachers, …

Retention Characteristics And Policy As Suggested By California School Administrators And Teachers, William Bryan Howell

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Problem. There has been no definite conclusions in the literature as to the benefit or harm of retaining students in grade. With the California Legislative Mandate of SB 813, school districts are now required to have policies in effect for the promotion or nonpromotion of students. This study reviewed retention characteristics currently used in retention policy, those mentioned in literature, and the perceptions of administrators and teachers as to the value of these characteristics in retention. A model retention policy was developed from the study. Purpose. The purpose of the study was to determine if there were differences between teachers …

Elementary School Principal Inservice: Practices And Perceptions Related To Pupil Academic Achievement Among Selected California School Districts (Staff Development), Richard Kingsley Sparks Jr.

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the relationships that exist between current practices employed by California school districts to provide inservice training for elementary principals and pupil academic achievement. Procedure. The extreme high and low school districts with respect to pupil academic achievement were identified using 1981 district scores and comparison score bands for the California Assessment Program, grade six test. The superintendents in all of the districts and all principals in a systematically selected sample of those districts were surveyed by mail to determine practices, policies and perceptions pertaining to inservice training for elementary principals. Content …

Perceived Leadership Behavior Of School Principals In Selected California Public Elementary Schools With A High Hispanic Student Population And High Or Low Sixth Grade Reading Achievement Scores, Frances Aguilar Berry

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to investigate perceived leadership behavior of principals in selected California public elementary schools with a high Hispanic student population. Two groups of schools were selected for comparison: those with high scores on the sixth grade California Assessment Program test of reading achievement, and those with low scores on the same test. Procedure. The population of this study was composed of California public elementary schools meeting specific criteria. Also included in the sample were all full-time teachers at the selected schools, the school principals, and a certificated central office employee knowing the principal. Participants …

Teacher Evaluation Process In Evangelical Christian Schools, John Alvin Farris

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The difficulty in developing an effective program of teacher evaluation is seen in the literature as stemming from the administrators' and teachers' different perspectives of evaluation. In this tenor the problem investigated four facets of an evaluation process: the need, purpose, procedure, and result of a teacher evaluation program found in evangelical Christian schools. The purpose was fourfold: To compare the responses of the experienced, Christian day-school teacher to those of the administrator of the Christian day-school as to the (1) need, (2) purpose, (3) procedure, and (4) result of an evaluation process found in their schools. The study was …

A Model Graduate Curriculum In Fund Raising Administration For American Higher Education, Ernest William Wood

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Problem. The problem of this study addressed the increased need for qualified professional fund raising administrators during a time when formal academic programs are not readily available. Purpose. The purpose of this study was to develop a model curriculum at the Master of Arts level as a professional academic program in fund raising administration. Objective. The objective of the study was to draw from a qualified sampling sufficient data to formulate the recommended model graduate curriculum. Procedure. A researcher-designed survey questionnaire was validated and mailed to chief Development officers at American colleges and universities raising a minimum of one million …

A Technology Education Inventory Among Northern California High School Principals And Recent Graduates, Linda Rae Markert

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Problem. The primary intent of this investigation was to ascertain the extent to which technological subject matter has been incorporated into the courses offered in Northern California high schools. Personal opinions as well as factual information regarding this issue were elicited from representative samples of high school administrators and recent high school graduates. Procedure. Random samples of high school principals and community college/university students enrolled in English 1A classes were assembled. A Technology Education Inventory was developed for each group surveyed. Survey questionnaire packets were disseminated to a total of 162 high school administrators throughout sixteen Northern California counties. From …

A Comparative Study Of The Effectiveness Of Bilingual Instruction Of Teachers With Competency Certification In Bilingual/Cross-Cultural Programs, Rafael Torres Ramirez

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether students in bilingual designated classes who received B/CC instruction by a teacher with a B/CC Specialist Credential have higher gains in reading and math when compared with students who received instruction by a teacher with a B/CC Certificate of Competence and a B/CC Waiver Certificate. This study measured bilingual instruction based on a statistical comparison between student achievement and the kind of bilingual certificate. Procedures. The data was collected from two school districts: Alum Rock Unified School District in San Jose California and Stockton Unified School District in Stockton, California. …

Implementation Of A Year-Round High School Program, David James Mussatti

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the feasibility of implementing a year-round high school program. Specific attention was given the following topics: (1) The process used in considering the feasibility of implementing a year-round program; (2) The steps taken in implementing such a program; (3) The effect of year-round operation on potential areas of concern. The study further identified the reasons why certain high schools dropped year-round programs. Procedure. The basic technique employed for this study was a descriptive approach utilizing a questionnaire completed by school districts implementing year-round high school programs. Questionnaire items were developed based on …

Influence Of Education Journals On The Classroom Practice Of California Public High School Department Heads, Jonathan Pearce

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Problem. Whether high school department heads were stimulated by professional journals to effect classroom change was an unanswered question. Needed was description of the effects of journal literature on the practice of leader-teachers in high school classrooms. Purpose. The study had companion purposes. The first was to discern the impact of journal reading on classroom practice as perceived by the high school department head practitioners themselves. The second was to describe the characteristics of the high school department heads whose practice had been influenced by the journals. Procedures. One thousand two hundred sixty-four California high school English, mathematics, physical education, …

The Effectiveness Of Administrative Pre-Service Training As Perceived By Public School Principals Trained Under The Ryan Act, Paul Michael Hewitt

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of administrative pre-service training under Ryan Act programs. The study was concerned specifically with (1) determining the competencies considered most important by principals, (2) determining the adequacy of training on identified competencies, (3) determining if principals from the elementary, junior high, and high school levels had different competency needs, and (4) determining if principals from the elementary, junior high, and high school levels view the adequacy of their training differently. Procedure. A survey instrument containing thirty-seven competencies organized into six general categories was developed through a review of the …

Attitudes Towards Public School Teachers Strikes, Kenneth Harold Arnold

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Problem. Teacher strikes have increased from a single strike in the late fifties to approximately 180 in the past year, 1980. This has presented quite a dilemma for the public school sector. The problem in this study was to investigate the attitudes held towards teachers' strikes by public school Teachers, administrators, board of trustee members, and members of the general public. The study also attempted to determine if there was a significant difference in the attitudes, held by these groups in communities which had experienced a teacher strike and those who had not. Finally, the variables of sex, age, marital …

A System For The Evaluation Of Urban And Suburban Elementary School Principals., Mary Kathryn Nebgen

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop a comprehensive system for the evaluation of the elementary school principal which would encompass the following aspects of the position: (1) the competencies of the position, weighted in order of importance; (2) the method of evaluation for each competency; and (3) the evaluator for each competency. The system was designed so that it could be utilized in any urban or suburban elementary school, in any district. It is anticipated that use of the system will provide districts with information useful in guiding the professional growth process and in making decisions regarding transfer, …

The Development Of A Consensus Model To Select, Establish And Implement Minimal Competencies In California Unified School Districts, Ralph Lee Blumenthal

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to provide a model for California unified school districts to establish minimal competencies and to provide added direction, guidance and support to those districts that had already adopted them. The model was based on a consensus of selected unified · school districts throughout California. It sought to establish a step-by-step process which any school district could follow. To accomplish this purpose, the following objectives were addressed:

1. To specify minimum competencies in identified curriculum areas

2. To ascertain who will recommend to the Board of Education the minimum acceptable levels of student performances and …

The Effectiveness Of Principals As It Is Related To Interpersonal Behavior And Bilingual/Crosscultural Education., Raymond Tom

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to examine the following questions: Are the ratings of principal effectiveness related to (1) the interpersonal behavior orientations of principals, (2) principalship experience , and (3) the principals' reactions to Bilingual/Crosscultural (B/CC) education? Are the reactions of principals to B/CC education related to (1) the interpersonal behavior orientations of principals, and (2) the principals' years of experience in B/CC education?

The Principal And Principalship Of Seventh-Day Adventist Elementary Schools In The Southwestern United States, Donald Ross Sahly

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This study is concerned with defining the principalship of Seventh-day Adventist elementary schools in the south western United States. Specific attention was given to the areas of academic and professional training and experience; membership in professional organizations and professional growth activities; perceptions about the improvement of the SDA elementary principalship; suggestions for the improvement of graduate study programs in education administration in Seventh-day Adventist colleges and universities.

The Comparability Between The Recorded Group Interview And The Standard Personal Interview In Teacher Recruitment For Parochial Schools, Ervin Hadley Bigham

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the evaluations of recorded group interview.s and standard persona.l interviews of prospective elementary and secondary teachers. The results could provide a possible alternate method for the preliminary screening of candidates on parochial school campuses.

Hierarchical Learning As A Function Of Concise Informational Feedback With Regard To Ability, Age, And Sex Of Identical Twins., Ingrid A. Rimland

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Originated by current demands for accountability in schools and resultant appeals for a return to the use of scholastic feedback, this study investigated the effects of feedback in light of certain characteristics of learning, and in light of student characteristics such as ability, age, and sex. The purpose of the study was to investigate the impact of specific informational feedback on hierarchical learning in a controlled laboratory setting, using the experimental controls inherent in identical twins. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children/Revised (WISC-R) was used “unconventionally” as a series of discrete hierarchical learning tasks subject to concise experimental manipulation. Possible …

Attitudes Toward Women Held By California School District Board Members, Superintendents, And Personnel Directors Including A Review Of The Historical, Psychological, And Sociological Foundations., Hilda Nees Beck

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Problem: Women, although comprising the preponderance of the teaching force, are represented in small numbers at higher level school district administrative positions. Their numbers have been decreasing :in California despite federal and state laws mandating equal opportunities for women. The low proportion of women in these positions has been attributed to their lack of qualifications, their lack of aspiration, and their poorer performance as administrators. Others have cited such factors as discriminatory policies and practices of school districts and the attitude toward women held by those who select administrators and responsible for that.under representation of women at higher levels. These …

The Development Of A Model For Preparation Of Educational Administrators With Implications For Iran, Sadegh Farzanegan

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to develop a model for the preparation of Iranian educational administrators through a comprehensive review of the literature.

Attitudes Of Specific Groups In Selected California Communities Regarding Female Participation In High School Interscholastic Programs, Frederick Bramwell Osmond

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to discern the attitudes of specific groups in sample school communities dispersed throughout California relating to various considerations regarding female participation in interscholastic athletic programs at the high school level.

A Comparison Of Music Programs In California Unified School Districts With And Without Music Leadership, Thomas David Hopkins

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

There was a need to determine if there was any evidence that people in official music leadership positions in school districts had performed a service which had demonstrated effects on various elements of the music program.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not school districts WITH music leaders, as compared to those districts WITHOUT music leaders, have more (1) music students, (2) music classes and performance group opportunities, (3) music staff and development opportunities, (4) adequate financial support and adequate inventories for music, and (5) goal orientation in music. Also, the study was to determine if …

A Model For Evaluation Of The Elementary School Principal, Herbert John Hemington

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop a model that could be utilized by school districts for the evaluation of the elementary school principal.