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Sustainable Change In Public School Districts, Angela Cheri Franklin

Education Dissertations

Reform is a reality for many school districts and schools. When faced with reform movements, districts and schools must address both the immediate implementation and the sustainability of the reform. This dissertation study is informed by two theories centered on reform implementation and sustainability: Organizational Learning Theory by Leithwood, Aitken, and Jantzi (2006) and Coburn’s (2003) Theory of Sustainability. Current empirical research in this field identified particular factors that lead to successful implementation of reform and long-term sustainability. A monitoring tool was used to investigate factors such as: vision for reform, decision making, professional development, innovation and change, effectiveness of …

International School Director Turnover As Influenced By School Board/Director Relationship, Zakariya Palsha D+Z30:Ae30

Education Dissertations

In recent years, public school superintendents have faced increased demands from rigorous federal and state accountability standards. Yet, researchers have reported that academic improvement does not happen by chance but rather through effective leaders with ample time to implement broad, sustainable reform. The purpose of this study was to examine the self-reported causes of turnover of international school directors, specifically, whether the relationship between the school board and the international school director is linked to length of tenure of the international director. The theoretical framework that addresses superintendent turnover as influenced by internal board dynamics, including school board/superintendent relationship, is …

Dynamic School Psychology: Perceptions Between School Psychologists, Teachers, And Administrators On School Psychology And Paradigm Shift Theory, Homero Flores

Education Dissertations

The purpose of this research paper is to gain current perceptions of school psychology services and paradigm shift theory in school psychology by school psychologists, teachers and administrators within public school systems. The paper will focus on the history of school psychology, federal legislation, and IDEA. Surveys were collected from school psychologists, teachers and administrators regarding perceptions of school psychology and paradigm shift theory in school psychology services. Although the results were non-significant, results of the surveys indicate similar results to previous perceptual surveys. While teachers and administrators would like more services in general from school psychologists, school psychologists remained …

Cognitive Style And Conflict On Superintendent-School Board Teams, Douglas J. Asbjornsen

Education Dissertations

Abstract

Cognitive Style and Conflict on Superintendent-School Board Teams

By Douglas J. Asbjornsen

Chairperson of the Dissertation Committee:

Dr. Thomas Alsbury

School of Education

Quality learning and high student achievement are primary goals of K-12 public school education. Superintendent-School Board teams can have a positive impact on both. Collaboration is critical to these teams’ effectiveness and efficiency. Research has suggested conflict can have a negative impact on collaboration and may be related to the diversity on the team. One type of diversity is cognitive diversity within the construct of cognitive style, as defined by the Kirton Adaption-Innovation Theory (A-I Theory). …