Education Commons^™

Lived History Of A Transformative Leader With A Disability: An Evocative Autoethnography For Social Justice, Sofia Vergara

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

Despite legal advancements recognizing the rights of individuals with disabilities, societal barriers are still arising from the medical model of disability. These obstacles have resulted in marginalizing and isolating practices, in turn leading to the underrepresentation of individuals with disabilities in the workforce and, by extension, in leadership positions.

Grounded in the frameworks of critical pedagogy and critical disability studies, this autoethnographic study examines, using my personal experiences as contextual evidence, the determining factors underlying the struggle for equity and leadership, within the hegemonic society that people with disabilities must navigate. The study further explores the issue of empowerment and …

By Need And By Name: School Leaders Fostering Environments For Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, Rebecca G. Roach

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

Children raised by their grandparents are a steadily growing demographic in schools throughout the United States. When parents are unable to care for their children, grandparents sometimes assume the role of primary caregiver. This is especially true when they are faced with the threat of placing their grandchildren in the foster care system. More often than not, these grandparents are not adequately prepared for the challenges of raising children who have lost their parent through death, drug abuse or incarceration and few resources exist to guide elementary school principals to engage this demographic. Regardless of the growing numbers of caregiving …

Building Capacity Through A Community Of Practice For Students With Moderate To Severe Disabilities Seeking Inclusion In Higher Education, Jason L. Wheatley

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) is an urban school district in Louisville, Kentucky. While serving more than 100,000 students, JCPS is the 27th largest school system in the United States. JCPS serves students with moderate to severe disabilities (MSD) seeking to attain an alternative diploma upon exiting secondary school. Students with MSD enrolled in JCPS age 16 and older receive transition services to support post-secondary transition. Community stakeholders and JCPS central office staff are concerned about post school outcomes and transition for students with MSD. Based on a report by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), a majority of …

Leading Ladies: A Mixed-Method Study Of The Influence Of Gender Bias On Leadership Styles For Women Who Lead Secondary Schools, Angela S. Coaxum-Young

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed method study is to determine if women who lead secondary schools have gender bias experiences that might influence their leadership styles. The study focused on the accounts of five women who lead secondary schools, their gender bias experiences, their perceived leadership style and whether or not they believed the experience influences how they lead. Through in-depth interviews and survey completion, the data from both sources revealed the common leadership styles and gender bias experiences among the research participants. When examining the shared experiences three salient themes emerged: (a) A belief that gender bias still exists …

Shaping Leadership: Leadership Standards In The Organizational Language Of University Programs, R. Ben Meador Iv

Dissertations

According to institutional theory, organizations in complex fields like education seek legitimacy by aligning formal descriptions of their activities to institutional rules supported by regulators, professional groups and exemplar organizations. This study presents a new technique for measuring isomorphism and the strength of institutional forces within fields using quantitative content analysis of organizational language. This method is deployed to measure alignment between the formal descriptions of 321 university-based programs for educational leaders and themes from the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (i.e., technology, finance, research, and learning) and the influence of state licensure policy and professional affiliation in the University …

Self-Perceived Coordinated School Health Coordinator Leadership Styles And Practices, Heather R. Ledbetter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

School-aged children’s health needs have changed over the last several decades to the present day population of many overweight and obese children with health complications (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, 2015). Tennessee has implemented the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) model for Coordinated School Health (CSH) in all public schools. Leading each school district’s program is a CSH Coordinator. The role of CSH Coordinators is to provide leadership to district and school administrators while effectively and efficiently implementing the CSH program (Wechsler, 2012).

The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore the self-perceived leadership styles and …

Effects Of Eliminating The Cap On The Number Of Participants In The Statewide Parental Choice Program, Reginald Lawrence Ii

Dissertations

Funding provided for public education is also being utilized for charter, private and /or parochial voucher schools across the state of Wisconsin. Policy was passed that eliminates current enrollment caps in the statewide parental choice program. In 2016-17, enrollment is limited to 1% of the district’s school age population and increases by 1% annually until it reaches 10% then lifts entirely. In advocating against the proposed policy, three critical issues emerged – the cost of funding the additional program, the moral obligation to educate neediest students, and grading school performance. Policy recommendation includes, leave remaining enrollment cap in place, create …

Exploring The Use Of Teaching Strategies To Impact The Academic And Social Challenges Faced By First-Generation College Students, Susan Smierciak Lueders

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

Recent studies have shown that roughly one-third of the total students at four-year universities are the first in their families to attend college. These students are commonly referred to as first-generation college (FGC) students. The percent of total college students who are FGC students is expected to rise as the children of working-class, predominantly “blue collar” baby boomers, and the children of immigrants reach college age and enter the college arena. However, these students often enter college with unique academic and social challenges that result in an attrition rate of almost twice that of non- FGC students. While numerous studies …

The Illinois State Seal Of Biliteracy: A Policy Advocacy Document, John L. Finan

Dissertations

This report advocates for my district's participation in the Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy Program, which became law in August, 2013. This program places value on developing bilingual or multilingual citizens. Through the demonstration of proficiency in English and one or more foreign languages, students can earn the State Seal of Biliteracy, which is recognized on high school diplomas and transcripts. Due to the inherent educational value of language study and the importance of developing cross-cultural 21st century skills, this report analyzed the educational, economic, social and political contexts within which the decision to participate in this program was made. …

Identifying Organizational Containment And Its Effect On The Career Paths Of Black Educators, Risha Berry

Theses and Dissertations

The racial composition of the school workforce is the product of a complex interaction of social forces. School constituencies such as parents, students, and teachers impact new leader preferences. Their ideas influence decisions regarding who fits into school administration and who doesn't (Williams & Loeb, 2012). These "fit" preferences can shape school district ethos, which then influences access to social networks (Tooms, 2010). Limited entry to these networks may produce multiple disadvantages, particularly for Black educators. One way to think of this access is through the concept of containment. Restricted data from the 2011-12 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) will …

Culturally Responsive Leadership: A Case Study To Explore Stakeholders’ Perceptions Of Culturally Responsive Leadership In A K-12 Public Charter School In North Carolina, Kimberly Michelle Jones Goods

Dissertations

The purpose of this instrumental case study was to explore stakeholders’ perceptions of the culturally responsive leadership practices of charter school leaders. The goals were: (a) to explore how the school leadership team perceived culturally responsive leadership in a K-12 charter school in North Carolina, (b) to explore how the teachers perceived culturally responsive teaching and learning in a K-12 charter school in North Carolina, and (c) to explore how parents perceived a culturally responsive home-school connection in a K-12 charter school in North Carolina. Because this study involved an examination of stakeholders’ perceptions of culturally responsive leadership in a …

The Sustainability Of A Coaching Model For Beginning Principals, Virginia Loving

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract THE SUSTAINABILIY OF A COACHING MODEL FOR BEGINNING PRINCIPALS By Virginia F. Loving A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2011 Director: R. Martin Reardon, PhD, Assistant Professor, School of Education This phenomenological study sought to determine what coaching-induced practices are acquired during novice principals first year as principal, and the sustainability of coaching-induced practices once the coach has been removed. This study identified skills learned while novice principals participated in a coaching program, and the extent to which these practices continued into …

Learning Communities Or Support Groups: The Use Of Student Cohorts In Doctoral Educational Leadership Programs, Christy J. Brown

Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-method study explored how students in a doctoral educational leadership cohort at one university used the cohort structure as a learning community or as a method of social support. Survey data were collected from 45 past and present cohort students and qualitative data were collected from three focus groups of 15 participants total. The survey measured four factors: General Cohort Experience, Trust Within the Cohort, Network, and Community of Learners. Quantitatively, one cohort was found to be significantly different from the others in terms of Trust Within the Cohort; and the 60 hour cohorts were found to be more …

The Impact Of Pre-K Programs On Student Achievement And Instructional Leadership In Rural Mississippi School Districts, Jeremy Eugene Stinson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In 2011, Mississippi continues to be the only state in the southern region without a single state-funded pre-k program (NIEER, 2007), and all preschool funds in the state are currently allotted to Head Start. Witte and Trowbridge (2004) warned that the combination of pre-k programs could be the reason for highly fragmented systems of state funding, policies, and regulations. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to investigate whether differences exist between preschool groups in three North Mississippi school districts and to determine the degree to which stakeholders in the programs practice instructional leadership. From a quantitative perspective, the …

Perceptions Of State-Funded, School District-Based Principal Preparation Programs In Virginia 2004-2006, Kathryn Kirk

Theses and Dissertations

This mixed methods case study described and analyzed the 2004-2006 district-based principal preparation programs in Virginia. This dissertation explored goals stated in proposals for funding as well as program director and program completer perceptions of goals, content, processes, and outcomes for the 10 principal preparation programs that stemmed from the Commission to Review, Study, and Reform Educational Leadership. Data collection employed three phases: Phase I focused on the 10 grant proposals; Phase II involved semistructured interview questions centered on perceptions of nine participating program directors; Phase III investigated perceptions of 75 program completers who responded to a web-based survey. Data …

Principals Application Of Knowledge To The Structure And Support Of Special Education Programs In Florida Middle Schools, Lisa Fuehrer Bugden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was developed to determine middle school principals' knowledge about the structure of the special education program in their schools and the support given to the personnel who serve students with disabilities in that program. The principals' knowledge was compared to the application of their knowledge to determine if principals were applying what they knew when making decisions about structuring and supporting the special education program in the school and the teachers and staff who work within the programs. In addition, various personal and school factors were analyzed to determine if any of these variables were significant in explaining …

An Analysis Of The Relationship Between Job Satisfaction, Organizational Culture, And Perceived Leadership Characteristics, William Omer Dale Amburgey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this study were to determine if (a) there is a relationship between job satisfaction, organizational culture, and perceived leadership characteristics at a dual-residential private university based on location, gender, level of education, and length of employment and, (b) to measure those relationships if they were present. Understanding how these areas relate may enhance strategic planning and personnel decisions for leaders within organizations. The population of this study was the 1,478 full-time faculty and staff located on the residential campuses of the participating university. Participants in the study were asked to complete three test instruments: an Employee Demographic …

A Study Of The Spanish-American Normal School At El Rito, Carl Robert Jensen

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

The Spanish-American Normal School, a state institution located in Rio Arriba County, is a school in which the population of the state should be greatly interested, but aside from the meager information available in the yearly budget there is very little to be learned, expect by personal contact, about the school.

It is the purpose of this survey (1) to study those factors which surround the school, affecting it and even to some extent determining the purposes of the school; (2) to examine the internal structure of the school; and (3) to recommend such changes in the internal structure as …