Education Commons^™

Exploring Student Experience Through Photovoice: A Transformative Approach To Studying School Climate And Culture At Chs, Christopher W. Gold-Thomas

Education Doctorate Dissertations

Student data is an integral part of the decision-making process in classrooms, school buildings, and school districts. However, what is often missed within data collected is student voice. At Castle High School there is a current push to understand current school culture and make positive changes to enhance the student experience. Current forms of data collection methods conducted by the school include surveys and focus groups, but these methods exclude large parts of the student body. Photovoice, a form of qualitative participatory action research engages students in an emancipatory practice that allows them to photograph their experience in the school …

Culturally Responsive Education: Creating A Safe And Inclusive Environment For Lgbtq+ Students, Kassidi M. Adams

Culminating Experience Projects

This paper explores research that discusses the impact of a culturally responsive education and lack-of for LGBTQ+ students and recommends a solution to ensure all students are safe and represented in schools. The research cited varies in their definitions and uses of the term LGBTQ+. This paper will use the term LGBTQ+, an abbreviation for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and more communities; however, the abbreviation used in the referenced research may be shortened to LG, LGB, LGBT, or LGBTQ to reflect only specific communities included in LGBTTTQQIAAP (VandenBos, 2015). This paper will also focus on inclusion, which refers to …

Teacher Perception Of Administration’S Impact On School Climate And Overall Teacher Self-Efficacy: A Meta-Analysis Of The Literature, Victoria O'Beid

Major Papers

This meta-analysis examined how high school principals’ behaviour affects teachers performance. Through various peer reviewed literature dating from 2017 to 2023, various leadership competencies and behaviours were identified as impactful toward school climate and overall teacher efficacy. Seven articles were meticulously chosen and analyzed. Common themes identified throughout the collection of papers include the following: positive impacts of building relationships within the school staff, encouragement from leadership leads to high teacher performance and a willingness to grow and adapt as a leader is highly regarded by staff members. It is recommended that future research analyzes current principal policies in place …

School Culture And Implementation Of Future Teacher Recruitment Programs, Erin Ashcraft

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

The recruitment of new teachers to staff school vacancies has had a long history of difficulty in public schools across the United States. Strategies offered to improve teacher recruitment have often included intentionally and explicitly encouraging youth to consider pursuing a career in teaching through future teacher clubs. Educators Rising is a future teacher program, recognized by Kentucky as a Career and Technical Student Organization and supported by the Kentucky Department of Education. Despite its long history of promotion as a teacher recruitment strategy and the successes of other Career and Technical Education programs, Educators Rising remains highly underutilized across …

A Qualitative Study Of Leadership Tools And Traits That Foster Effective Relationships In Rural School Communities, Julie Boyer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify leadership qualities and practices that nurture relationships in school settings. The central question framing this study was: What leadership tools and traits foster effective relationships in rural school communities? I conducted semi-structured interviews in a small Northwestern school district. Non-classroom leaders and classroom leaders, who will be referred to using pseudonyms, were recruited from the elementary, middle, and high schools based on recommendations from the district’s superintendent. Prior to conducting interviews, participants were provided with a framework based on Kouzes and Posner’s (2017) exemplary leadership practices and asked to choose five …

Racial Microaggressions: Improving Work Climates For Black School Psychologists, Portia Randle

School of Education Capstone Projects

Few studies examine Black school psychologists' experiences of racial microaggressions in the work environment. However, based on the available literature on the impact of racial microaggression on Black school psychology graduate students, it can be argued that Black school psychology practitioners' experiences with racial microaggressions are similar to graduate students in school psychology training programs. Thus, school-based practitioners are at increased risk of psychological trauma, stress, burnout, and diminished self-efficacy, all of which threaten the retention of Black psychologists. This capstone project provides an overview of racial microaggressions, examines the impact of microaggressions on the practice of school psychology, and …

Teacher Perceptions Of The Impact Of Administrators On The Social And Emotional Health Of Teachers And School Climate: A Qualitative Case Study, Allison Breen

Doctor of Education Program Dissertations

This intrinsic, qualitative single case study took place at a suburban, public elementary school in Massachusetts with teachers from second through fifth grade. The study addressed the importance of administrative support and engagement on teachers’ social and emotional health and sustaining a positive school climate. The study aimed to help stakeholders understand the perceptions of teachers regarding the perceived impact of administrators’ support and engagement on teachers’ health and well-being. The online survey used convenience sampling that included seven topics from a pre-existing instrument. The semi-structured interviews were based on purposive sampling and included open-ended questions. A total of 16 …

Interventions Utilized To Improve Attendance Amongst Secondary Students Experiencing School Refusal Behaviors, Kristen E. Bronke

Dissertations of Practice

INTERVENTIONS UTILIZED TO IMPROVE ATTENDANCE AMONGST SECONDARY STUDENTS EXPERIENCING SCHOOL REFUSAL BEHAVIORS

This study examined the interventions utilized to improve attendance amongst secondary students at a Midwest suburban high school as well as their relationship to the research-based interventions presented in the literature review. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 12 student services faculty members to identify what interventions are being utilized to help students with school refusal, which interventions they felt worked best for returning students experiencing school refusal behaviors to consistent attendance, and in what ways the school district can best support school student services personnel when working with …

Evaluation Of Novice Teacher Practical Implementation Of Applied Behavior Analysis Strategies: A Single-Subject Research Design Using Behavioral Skills Training, Toniece Walker

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to provide a targeted training for novice teachers with the use of Behavior Skills Training model. Novice teachers struggle with behavior management in the classroom setting. While there is a growing need for strategic in-class intervention for students with problem behaviors, there is not a system training for novice and veteran teachers that prepares educators to address the increase of problem behaviors among students.

The researcher developed the targeted training that is grounded in the science of applied behavior analysis and incorporates its principles and strategies. With the use of Behavior Skills Training, the researcher …

Promoting The Positive: A Case Study Of The Influence Of School Climate On One Turnaround School From 2016-2022, Cynthia Gunner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Schools across the country are finding various means to address the social realities that often exist in high poverty schools. School climate is one of those social realities. While there is research related to school climate in high poverty schools, there are limited case studies related to this subject. This qualitative case study examined how one elementary school was transformed by creating a positive school climate between 2016-2022. This study also explored the impact that the pandemic and subsequent school lockdown had on the newly established school climate. Findings from this study indicated that PF Elementary School established a positive …

Associations Between Stakeholder Perceptions Of School Climate And Fidelity Of Implementation Of Key Features Of The Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports Framework In Rural Schools, Nathan Florin Anderson

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

School climate can be complex to measure and to change, but it is clear that it is a critical component of an effective school. One practice that has been shown to positively influence school climate is Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). PBIS is a framework of evidence-based practices and its power for initiating change has been shown to come from fidelity of implementation of its key components. Although there is a lot of research on PBIS implementation, not a lot is known about implementation in rural schools and the unique challenges that setting provides. This study measures baseline levels …

A Psychometric Analysis Of The Comprehensive School Survey (Css) Middle School Student Version., Stephen Leach

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

School climate is increasingly recognized by scholars and policymakers as a crucial factor associated with students’ educational experiences. Hence, practitioners endeavor to equitably measure and improve school climate to promote favorable student academic and behavior outcomes. Unfortunately, school climate research is fragmented, and a research-practice gap exists in best scale development and validity testing practices. The result is a proliferation of practitioner-developed school climate measures lacking solid theory-grounding and evidence to support intended score interpretations and uses. In response, Whitehouse et al. (2021) proposed a validity testing framework for practitioner-developed instruments aimed at supporting culturally responsive school climate measurement. Their …

Reducing Teacher Turnover: Factors Of Teacher Retention Success, Karrie Pederson Rage

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This post-positivist confirmatory correlational study examined four contributing factors found in the literature to influence teacher retention. The four factors were working conditions and school climate; administrative support and leadership practices; teacher self-efficacy; and the COVID-19 pandemic. The researcher developed two questionnaires (i.e., Teacher Retention Questionnaire for Teachers and Teacher Retention Questionnaire for Administrators) to gather the data for the study. A total of 324 teachers (30.39% return rate) and 26 administrators (50% return rate) from an urban Midwest P-12+ public school district participated in this study and anonymity was assured. Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory and Self-Efficacy Theory were used …

The Relationship Between Instructional Staff Training Expenditures And Teacher Retention: Comparing Georgia Public Schools, Sunita Holloway

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership Dissertations

The teacher shortage is a threat facing our nation as many school districts have difficulty filling vacancies with qualified, effective teachers. Research has shown that the greatest contributing factor to the teacher shortage is the considerable number of teachers exiting the profession preretirement (Becker & Grob, 2021; Geringer, 2003; Ingersoll, 2001; Shakrani, 2008; Sutcher et al., 2016). As a result, a vast amount of literature has focused on teacher retention, teacher turnover, and factors influencing teachers’ decisions to stay or leave. This quantitative research study contributed to the body of literature regarding teacher retention by considering a financial lens. Specifically, …

Student Achievement And Teacher Perceptions Of School Climate In Title 1 And Non-Title 1 Schools, Jennifer E. Pangle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there is a significant relationship between student achievement and teacher perceptions of school climate. An additional purpose of this study was to determine if there is a significant difference in teacher perceptions between Title 1 and non-Title 1 schools. The final purpose of this study was to determine if there is a significant difference in teacher perceptions of school climate among the schools according to overall student achievement. A series of Spearman’s Correlation analyses were used to analyze data to determine if there was a significant relationship between TVAAS composite …

It's The Focus On Black Girls For Me: A Mixed Methods Inquiry Into Perceptions Of School Climate, Eshe Price

Theses and Dissertations

Local and national context, along with some educational research, indicate the racialized and gendered challenges Black girls are facing in schools. Although there has been an increase in research centered on Black girls' schooling experiences, few studies investigate the realities Black girls face in rural communities. Accordingly, the aim of this three-article dissertation is to deepen our understanding of Black girls' schooling experiences in order to improve the climate in schools for Black girls in predominantly white, rural communities. The first article is a conceptual paper that unpacks the four tenets of critical race quantitative intersectionality (CRQI). The second article …

A Quantitative Study Of The Relationships Among Psychological Safety, Collaborative Capacity, And School Climate In Middle-Level Schools, Karen Brownfield

Dissertations

This quantitative study was conducted to investigate possible relationships between psychological safety, collaborative capacity, and school climate in middle level schools in order to identify specific leadership behaviors to increase collective efficacy. School leaders’ knowledge of the positive effect collective efficacy has on student learning is not enough (Donohoo & Katz, 2019; Parrett & Budge, 2020). Leaders must also be aware of functional behaviors to foster collective efficacy, thus increasing student learning (Donohoo & Katz, 2019). Based on the theoretical work of Bandura (2000, 2012), as well as DeWitt (2017), Garmston and Wellman (2013), Hattie (2017, 2019), and Rock (2013), …

Perceptions Of School Through The Lens Of Black Male Elementary Students: A School Climate Study, Erica Peek

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

This qualitative case study focused on the perceptions of 5^th grade black males at a suburban neighborhood elementary school in the southeastern United States. The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of how the participants felt about their teachers and school community. The theoretical frameworks that informed this study were Critical Race Theory and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Several data gathering techniques (qualitative questionnaire, focus group meeting, and student journals) were utilized and analyzed to describe the participants’ experiences regarding school climate at TES. From the data collected, several themes emerged such as Building Relationships & …

School Climate And Teacher Self- Efficacy: Teacher's Perspectives, Jennifer Prado

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

Teacher self-efficacy is used to describe how a teacher feels about their ability to perform the tasks related to teaching. This qualitative study focused on how teachers’ perceptions of their school climate affect teacher self-efficacy in eight middle school teachers in Arkansas. Participants were Arkansas middle school teachers with three or more years of experience. The typical participant was a 43-year-old female with an undergraduate degree in education, a master’s degree, and 16 years of classroom experience. A request for participants was sent to the superintendent of every district in Arkansas that had at least one middle school with the …

A Study Of The Comparison Between Teacher Perceptions Of School Climate And The Existence Of Professional Learning Community Dimensions, Ladwan Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has indicated that there is a direct link between student academic achievement and school quality. Research has also indicated that the leadership style of school principals influence teacher attributes, from adeptness and job contentment to academic focus and engagement levels. Even though the research on professional learning communities (PLCs) is extensive, there is a gap in the study of the perceptions that teachers and teacher leaders have on the essential dimensions that make up a community of learners and on whether the existing climate has an influence on making such a community possible within a school. The purpose of …

The Relationship Between Shared Decision-Making And School Climate, Sara Bardwell

Dissertations

The focus of this study was to determine the extent of the relationship between shared decision-making and school climate. In order to explore these constructs, a quantitative survey included SEDS-R, OCI, and demographic items. The 109-item survey questionnaire was made available to K-6 elementary teachers in Mississippi.

Two hundred twenty-nine teachers responded to the questionnaire using Qualtrics. Survey results from SEDS-R and OCI were downloaded into Excel and cleaned of incomplete data sets and participants who did not meet the specifications set by the researcher. SPSS was then used to average the results from SEDS-R and OCI. Demographic information gathered …

Modernizing The School Calendar To Fit The Needs Of The 21st-Century Student, David K. Baker

Dissertations

Ever since the 1983 landmark study, A Nation at Risk, was released, educators have been examining the effectiveness of instructional time in American schools (Pedersen, 2012). However, school calendars have remained stagnant and seemingly a product of society and economy, tied to agriculture, for over 100 years (Turner & Finch, 2018). In Missouri, a growing number of schools are reevaluating the five-day school week and implementing a four-day school week in response (Turner & Finch, 2018). As stated by Thompson (2020), the impact of the four-day school week on student achievement requires more study. This study involved investigating the impact …

The Influence Of Positive School Orientation And Teacher Attachment On Adolescent Mental Health Outcomes: Investigating Possible Group Differences, Within A Social And Emotional Learning Curriculum, Stefanie Diann Holloway

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Social and emotional learning (SEL) interventions can be delivered universally in schools to help equalize opportunities for diverse students and improve their mental health, as well as other outcomes. However, it is not always known or fully understood which underlying mechanisms may be at play that enable these interventions to achieve their effects –or how such mechanisms may develop over time, within an SEL intervention. The primary purpose of this study was to determine how one such intervention, Positive Action, was able to improve adolescent students’ mental health outcomes, by testing the potential mediational influences of students’ levels of …

Advancing Research Methodology And Educational Policy: An Application Of Mixture Modeling Using School Climate, Kathleen V. Mcgrath

Theses and Dissertations

School climate is a well-studied issue in educational research. However, surveys of school climate tend to be analyzed using item-centered as opposed to person-centered methods. The current study evaluated the 2018 South Carolina School Climate Survey using advanced applications of mixture modeling in an attempt to identify latent profiles at the student and school levels. The relatively new manual BCH 3-Step approach was applied given its usefulness in analyzing multilevel data with covariates and distal outcomes. However, its application to multilevel mixture models leaves room for advancement and prompted the adoption of an alternative analysis plan that included separate analyses …

Student Chronic Absenteeism And Perceptions Of School Climate, Misty Keller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there were significant differences in student chronic absenteeism between schools with high positive scores for perceptions of central components school climate and schools with low positive scores for perceptions of central components of school climate. This study assessed the difference in student chronic absenteeism among elementary schools rated high positive or low positive as well as among high schools rated high positive or low positive for perceptions of school engagement, school safety, and school environment. A series of chi square analyses were used to analyze data to determine if there …

Is It Better To Be Tough, Or Is Consistency Key? A Multilevel Analysis Examining The Effects Of School Disciplinary Procedures On Perceptions Of Climate And Safety Among Students And Teachers, Erica Nicole Bower

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

Though delinquency and violence have been steadily decreasing in American schools, research suggests that discipline use has not followed that same downward trend. This raises questions to why schools are reliant on certain disciplinary practices if rates of student misbehavior are not increasing. Due to zero tolerance mandates, schools often take a harsh approach to punishment, yet are also inconsistent in the punishment of similar misbehavior among students, which often leaves students feeling frustrated and sometimes, unsafe. How do school disciplinary decisions affect the ways in which school actors, such as students and teachers, perceive their schools’ environments? This broad …

Do Community Schools Make A Difference? Comparing Community Schools And Noncommunity Schools In Baltimore City, Tiffany Bonds Mason

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Schools are frequently seen as the hubs of the community, providing resources and a gathering place for members of the community. The process of surveying the community in order to identify unique needs within the community, and then intentionally forging partnerships capable of ameliorating the specific needs, are strategies used by community schools to support their students and the communities from which they are drawn. Baltimore City Public Schools has created a community school management system in of their elementary schools. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of community school management on the success of students …

Social Inclusion And Special Olympic Unified Programming And The Effects On School Climate, Terri Lynn Miller

Culminating Projects in Special Education

The purpose of this literature review is to examine how programming related to social inclusion impacts school climate. This chapter is organized into two major sections: studies that talk about inclusion interventions through programs like Special Olympics and Unified Champion Schools and the effects on students and staff within the school climate. Research in each of the two areas is chronologically ordered from older studies to more recent ones.

School Climate, Teacher Self-Efficacy, And Teaching Practices: Evidence From Talis 2018, Chengcheng Li

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Since the enactment of Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) in 2016, K-12 schools in the U.S. have responded to the challenge with various instructional reform initiatives. School climate, teaching practices, and teacher self-efficacy are important aspects of research as they affect students’ learning. The purpose of this study was twofold: first, to evaluate the goodness of fit of the three hypothesized mediation models with the data from the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM); and second, to determine the interrelations between teacher self-efficacy, school climate, and teaching practices. To address the research questions and hypotheses, …

School Climate For Lgbtq Youth: Principals’ Perceptions And Experiences, Jessica L. George

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study explored the practices that can mitigate a hostile school climate for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth and the barriers that negatively affect implementation of those practices. LGBTQ youth are at higher risk for bullying, harassment, and other characteristics of a harsh learning environment, which can result in negative outcomes, both short- and long-term. Principals of West Virginia public high schools were surveyed to collect data on the frequency at which LGBTQ-supportive practices are implemented in their schools and the barriers, if any, they faced. A total of n = 29 (x̄ = 27.6%) participants completed …