Education Commons^™

The Impact Of Racial Segregation On School Performance In Charter Schools, Billie Wright Berry

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Now in existence for over two decades, charter schools have become a divisive issue in American public education. Advocates contend that charters provide students and parents greater control of their education and promote innovation. School choice critics indicate that charter schools serve as a means for racial re-segregation and have led to an increase in racially homogeneous public schools. This quantitative study seeks to determine differences among the racial composition of charter schools and the racial composition of traditional public school systems in the same community to determine if charters have served as a means of “White flight” for students …

A Multisite Case Study Of High-Performing Charter School Boards In Florida, Kristine Lynn Bennett

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this multisite case study was to describe the practices and behaviors of high-performing charter school boards. Through description of the practices and behaviors of high-performing charter school boards, the impact of charter school board governance on charter school closures in Florida can be better understood. The theory guiding this study was Coleman’s social capital theory, suggesting that the social capital of members of an organization working towards a common goal through bridging and bonding results in productivity and a positive impact on the organization; in this case study, the organization was the charter school governing board. The …

Job-Related Stress And Burnout In Charter School Leaders: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Jamie Douglas Mckay

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the impact of stress and burnout on charter school leaders in the western United States. The research questions were designed to understand how the role of charter school leadership impacts stress and burnout for charter school leaders. The theories guiding this study included the managerial stress cycle theory, and the multidimensional theory of burnout. While existing research has documented the stressors of traditional public-school administrators, little research has explored the distinctive challenges faced by charter school administrators. Data collection included individual interviews, a focus group interview, and observations. The identification …

How Intra-District School Choice And Competition Among Schools Impacts School Leadership: A Case Study Of Secondary School Principals, Chris Kohan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative, explanatory case study was to describe how traditional, magnet, and charter school principals in one Delaware school district responded to an environment of total school choice and how they made sense of their roles as a principal in the era of school choice. Hess’s (2010) organizational theory was the theoretical foundation for this study as selective enrollment schools, such as magnet and charter schools, would have direct and indirect effects on traditional schools The research questions for this study were: (a) How do traditional, magnet, and charter school principals make sense of the competition generated …

Interview With Bettina Love: Creating Spaces That Matter, Meca Williams-Johnson

Department of Curriculum, Foundations, & Reading Faculty Publications

This is an interview with Dr. Bettina Love on her work with the Kindezi Schools, a small, high-performing charter group in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Love’s thought provoking responses provide insight into the dynamics that make Kindezi Schools successful at reaching their students. Additionally, she shares concerns about the dilemma of Opportunity School Districts (OSD) and the schism OSD’s create in minority communities. Lastly, she shares how Kindezi became an opportunity school for Atlanta youth. This interview will be beneficial for parents, principals, teachers, and stakeholders who are interested in understanding how and why creating spaces to nurture student learning matters.

Preliminary Investigation Of Maine Virtual Charter School Costs Relative To The Essential Programs And Services Funding Model, Amy F. Johnson, Fleur Hopper, James E. Sloan

Maine Education Policy Research Institute

In 2015, the Maine State Legislature's Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs commissioned the Maine Education Policy Research Institute (MEPRI) to study the state's Essential Program and Services (EPS) K-12 education funding model in relationship to the funding for Maine's two virtual charter schools. The study was initiated with a review of available literature and reports on virtual school funding in other states. Because the structure of Maine's virtual schools differs from typical models in other states, most notably because core academic subject teachers are required to teach from one central physical location, further cost analysis was conducted …

Qualitative Case Study On The Perspective Of Pennsylvania Superintendents On Distance Education In K-12 Public School Districts, Stephanie Pennucci

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Distance education is rapidly changing the way K-12 students learn. School districts use it for course recovery, to supplement the curriculum with additional courses, and to offer alternative educational opportunities. Pennsylvania’s 500 public school superintendents face a unique challenge in an economic recession, severe cuts in state funding, and competition from cyber charter schools. The purpose of this qualitative intrinsic case study is to understand the impact of distance education on the experiences of Pennsylvania public school superintendents as they deal with the influence of distance education in their programs, particularly the implementation of cyber charter schools. As the educational …

Five High Performing Charter Schools Case Studies And Analysis: What Makes Them Successful?, Paul Haubrich, Robert Kattman, William Kritek, Julie Kremer, Alfonzo Thurman

School of Education Faculty Articles

Five charter schools were identified by high achievement (state-wide test results), high attendance, low turnover of students and staff, high parent and staff satisfaction and at least two contract renewals (met contract requirements) over a 10 year period. Four of five schools had 75% free and reduced lunch indicating low SES with minority population exceeding 80% enrollment. Each school was assigned a team member to observe all classes, interview teachers, school leadership and relevant staff over a 10 month period in the 2011-12 school year.

Results identified six elements across all five schools that contribute to successful schools. The variables …

The Challenge Of Inner-City Education, Lois Libby

Education Faculty Publications

There are two Connecticuts described in public education circles: One Connecticut includes a set of school systems that are suburban, educating primarily white and/or Asian students. The other set of Connecticut schools systems is urban, comprised primarily of students of color, and of low socio-economic status. The purpose of this chapter is to focus on the latter set of schools, provide some history of their development, look at the indicators of poor progress in more detail, review options of ameliorating the urban school systems, including assessments of state efforts so far, and offer some perspectives and conclusions.

Restrictiveness And Race In Special Education: The Issue Of Cultural Reciprocity, Howard P. Parette

Faculty Publications - College of Education

The issue of segregation of students with disabilities across cultural groups
is a function of cultural values demonstrated by charter schools and the
resulting dissonance between these values and those demonstrated by
families. Lack of understanding about school culture and diverse family
value systems can lead to varying family responses to the school culture,
including assimilation, integration, separation, and marginalization.
Assuming a posture of cultural reciprocity is suggested as a means for education professionals in charter schools to more effectively understand families of children with disabilities. This four-step process includes (a) identifying the education professional’s interpretation of family and child …