Educational Leadership Commons^™

Data At The Diocesan Level: Common Data Practices And Challenges Among U.S. Catholic School Superintendents, Julie W. Dallavis

Journal of Catholic Education

Accountability pressures in education have risen steadily over the last two decades and public schools and districts now track school- and student-level data in response to state and federal mandates. Catholic schools and dioceses have not faced the same level of regulation over this period, and less is known about data access and use in the Catholic sector. This descriptive and exploratory research draws on survey and interview data from a national sample of Catholic school superintendents to examine data practices in diocesan central offices as well as barriers faced in the use of data. Findings suggest that although considerable …

Assessing The Costs And Benefits Of Principal Time Usage And Ohio's Edchoice Scholarship, Adam J. Dufault Ed.D.

Journal of Catholic Education

This study explored the experience of Catholic school principals in Ohio whose schools have participated in the EdChoice Scholarship program. The researcher employed the lens of principal time usage to examine the experiences of Ohio Catholic school principals with EdChoice, with a focus on the direct experiences of principals participating in the program, the principal’s role in the supervisory aspects of operating the program at a school, and on the connections between workload and principal perceptions of the EdChoice program. The research questions were explored through semi-structured interviews with eight Catholic school principals and three administrative designees at those schools. …

Streaming With Butterflies: A Whole School Stream Project, Carey L. Averill, Janet M. Herrelko

Journal of Catholic Education

This study explores the commitment of a school faculty to use the pedagogical practices needed to employ a project-based unit of Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STREAM). The unit of study concentrated on environmental sustainability of butterflies through project-based learning (PBL). Teacher interviews were analyzed to reveal the similarities and differences, strengths and weaknesses in the teachers’ reactions to implementing a cross-curricula content unit designed for a pre-kindergarten (PK) to eighth grade school. Analysis of teacher data and classroom artifacts provided evidence of: content mastery at the student levels; implementation of scaffolding for developmental levels; and the need …

Understanding Leadership For Adaptive Change In Catholic Schools: A Complexity Perspective, Andrew F. Miller, Anna Noble, Patrick Mcquillan

Journal of Catholic Education

In an era of decline and crisis, Catholic school leaders have been encouraged to find innovative ways to enhance a school’s operational vitality. Yet to this point, most research on educational change in Catholic schools has focused on the technical tasks school principals can take to “save” individual schools. In this article, we apply a complexity perspective to educational change leadership in Catholic education: leadership for adaptive change. Based on a new empirical analysis of the professional experiences of two Catholic school principals working at four different parish schools, we demonstrate in this article how leadership for adaptive change can …

A Qualitative Follow Up Of The Maguire Fellows Program, A. William Place, Kevin Clapano, Robert H. Palestini

Journal of Catholic Education

This qualitative follow up sought the impressions of students after a two year program. The analysis of this data involved grounded theory qualitative methods. The primary means of data collection for the qualitative portion of this study was through digitally-recording and transcribing of participants’ voices in response to individual interview prompts. Seven themes emerged from the first interviews which included 1). Perceptions of leadership, 2). Changing perceptions the Jesuit ideas Magis/cura personalis, 3). Changing perceptions of social justice, 4). Perceptions of Motivation or desire to lead, 5). Catholic identification, 6). Theory to practice, and 7). Suggested changes to the program. …

A Framework For All: Building Capacity For Service Delivery In Catholic Schools, Michael Faggella-Luby, Christie Bonfiglio

Journal of Catholic Education

The challenge to include students with disabilities in Catholic schools requires a comprehensive system of service delivery to meet student need and avoid pathologizing individuals as problems. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), a framework for organizing resources, delivering services, and measuring success that directly addresses the mission of Catholic Schools to truly serve all students. MTSS is a research-based and systematic service delivery model that provides tiered supports based on individual learner need. MTSS is defined and contextualized to address both academic and behavioral supports for all students. A …

Why Inclusion Isn’T Coming, It Is Already Here: Catholic Schools And Inclusive Special Education, Michael N. Faggella-Luby, Max Engel

Journal of Catholic Education

Catholic school personnel are increasingly recognizing that many of their students, including students with disabilities, need and benefit from inclusive educational practices. These oftentimes ad hoc practices are motivated by the Catholic identity and mission of the school, as well as the diverse educational needs of students. This article responds to these recognized realities, arguing that Catholic Social Teaching (CST) and the practical reality of academically diverse students requires understanding disability as being unique to each student, though within categories recognized in the Individuals With Disabilities Act (IDEA) that serve as starting points for interventions. CST and the recognition of …

Service-Learning In Catholic Higher Education And Alternative Approaches Facing The Covid-19 Pandemic, Qianhui Tian, Thomas Noel Jr.

Journal of Catholic Education

Drawing on a review of the literature on service-learning in Catholic higher education and the development of online service-learning, as well as an empirical case study of 2020 Vincentian Service Day at DePaul University, this article examines an alternative way to develop service-learning in Catholic schools in response to the reality and needs of the world in front of us. Service-learning is widely practiced in higher education institutions and plays an essential role in Catholic schools as it integrates students’ faith, morals, and spiritual growth with social justice commitments. School closures due to COVID-19 significantly impede service-learning. However, a successful …

Subsidiarity & Innovation During The Pandemic, Timothy D. Uhl

Journal of Catholic Education

As the pandemic has unfolded, schools have been faced with challenges in finance, human resources, and curriculum, to name only a few. A system founded on subsidiarity provides an uneven capacity for each school. A system founded on allowing each school to make its own decisions has provided uneven results.

Preparing Catholic Educators To Educate And Evangelize In 21st Century Schools, Action Research Of An Analysis Of Educator Preparation Program Requirements Including Professional And Pedagogical, Relational, Formational And Evangelistic Education For P-16 Students (Profess), Mary K. Mcvey Dr., Susan R. Poyo Dr.

Journal of Catholic Education

Abstract

The preparation of effective, knowledgeable and caring educators whose mission is to serve society through direct contact with and instruction of students, is the topic of this action research. We sought to determine how we as a teacher preparation program within a dynamic Catholic university could ensure that our Catholic identity was truly evident and nurtured in our teacher candidates as they prepare to engage in the extremely important job of offering what is a universal right to an education to PK-12 students, in a variety of learning environments. The analysis of this teacher preparation program included a review …

Book Review: Indelible Leadership: Always Leave Them Learning, William Loose

Journal of Catholic Education

Review of Indelible Leadership: Always Leave Them Learning by Michael Fullan

Vision, Mission, And Technology Implementation: Going One-To-One In A Catholic School, Vincent Cho

Journal of Catholic Education

As one-to-one computing initiatives become commonplace, some Catholic school educators might find themselves wondering what, if anything, such technologies might have to do with Catholic identity. This case study drew upon survey and interview data to explore the intersection of Catholic vision and mission with the implementation of a one-to-one (BYOD) initiative. The study finds that Catholic values informed the school’s support of teachers, as well as its efforts to help students navigate the personal and social issues associated with devices. In the end, teachers were positive about one-to-one. Many teachers had experimented with devices in their classrooms, and some …

Catholic School Principals’ Decision-Making And Problem-Solving Practices During Times Of Change And Uncertainty: A North American Analysis, Walter Polka, Peter Litchka, Rosina Mete, Augustine Ayaga

Journal of Catholic Education

The authors of the article outline a historical review of Catholic education and student enrollment in North America and a recent perspective of Catholic school principals’ decision-making and problem-solving preferences. The purpose of this article is to provide the reader with an understanding of events which impacted the evolution of Catholic school boards and their administrators in America and Canada as well as current leadership practices. The authors utilize a survey instrument derived from Wayne Hoy’s decision-making and problem-solving research. Their quantitative findings come from 121 principals of K-12 schools situated across the United States and the province of Ontario. …

The Virtual Classroom And Catholic School Leadership Preparation: The Lmu Certificate In Catholic School Administration (Ccsa) Program, Anthony Sabatino

Journal of Catholic Education

Catholic Extension and Loyola Marymount University (LMU) have engaged in a partnership to offer a graduate level, virtual classroom-based Certificate in Catholic School Administration (CCSA) program for novice and prospective leaders in Catholic schools in mission dioceses throughout the United States. This synchronous online Catholic School Leadership Development Initiative is designed for those who currently hold leadership positions in Catholic elementary and secondary schools and those who have been identified for a leadership role in the future. Although leadership development is often identified as a strategic concern for Catholic schools in mission dioceses, these schools often lack opportunities for professional …

Bearers Of Diverse Ecclesiologies: Imagining Catholic School Students As Informing A Broader Articulation Of Catholic School Aims, Graham P. Mcdonough

Journal of Catholic Education

The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive, although not exhaustive, picture of the kinds of real concerns and concurrently inferred ecclesiological perspectives practicing Catholic students have. It reports findings from an interview study with 16 students at a private Catholic high school in Canada who self-identify as Catholic in order to demonstrate that it is in a Catholic school’s best interest not to rely on narrow or singular definitions of Catholic identity, especially insofar as these are tied to minimal and external markers of institutional affiliation. While the sample’s size and particularity do not generalizing to a …

Australian Catholic Schools Today: School Identity And Leadership Formation, Helga Neidhart Phd, Janeen T. Lamb Phd

Journal of Catholic Education

This article focuses on the challenge of faith leadership in Catholic schools. In particular, it reviews Australian research that aims to understand how principals conceptualize and enact their role as faith leaders. Consistent with American research, Australian research finds that principals see themselves as playing a leadership role in the evangelizing mission of the church by strengthening Catholic school identity and culture. At the same time, they are mindful of their limits in respect to their faith leadership capabilities. Moreover, the principals worried that the next generation of school leaders may lack the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to engage faith …

The Jesuit Social Justice Dialectic Within The Cristo Rey School Model, Sajit U. Kabadi

Journal of Catholic Education

This article reports findings from a qualitative case study of a Cristo Rey Jesuit high school. The Jesuit social justice dialectic strives to maintain a balance between the preservation of the virtue of the Jesuit mission and the selling of the Jesuit brand. The Jesuit mission consists of Catholic evangelization through cultural immersion and social justice. The Jesuit brand consists of the accumulation of financial wealth and political influence essential to the ambitions of the Jesuit mission coming to fruition. This journal article explores this Jesuit social justice dialectic in action looking at the corporate work-study program utilized in the …

What Can Jesus Teach Us About Student Engagement?, Glenn James, Elda Martinez, Sherry Herbers

Journal of Catholic Education

This article examines Jesus’s teaching methods as described in the four Gospels, highlighting the ways in which He led listeners to participate actively in their learning. We identify similarities between many of Jesus’s techniques and current practices in the field of student engagement, with a focus on applications for instructors in higher education. Several of His approaches, most notably storytelling and the use of analogies, point to recommendations for improving teaching practice by increasing student engagement in the learning process.

Qu'est-ce que Jésus peut nous apprendre sur l'engagement des élèves?

Cet article examine la manière dont les méthodes d'enseignement de …

Love, Charity, & Pope Leo Xiii: A Leadership Paradigm For Catholic Education, Henry J. Davis

Journal of Catholic Education

The treatment of workers is an ongoing social issue affecting society. No organization is immune to questionable employee practices, including Catholic educational institutions. For Catholic leadership to fully embody its intended justice-based role, it must first be aware of the social teachings put forth by the Roman Catholic Church. In this study, the researcher suggests Pope Leo XIII’s social writings as a guiding presence for beginning this formation, starting with the concepts of love and charity within labor. The analysis of Leo’s work shows love and charity as interchangeable virtues that enhance our God-given dignity by acknowledging other people’s inherent …

Catholic Labor Education And The Association Of Catholic Trade Unionists. Instructing Workers To Christianize The Workplace, Paul Lubienecki Ph.D.

Journal of Catholic Education

This article analyzes the effect of the American Catholic Church, through its program of specialized labor education, on the growth and development of organized labor in the twentieth century. With the proclamation of Pope Pius XI’s encyclical Quadragesimo Anno, he requested that the Church complete the work began by Pope Leo XIII in 1891 with his landmark social encyclical Rerum Novarum.

However, the American interpretation and utilization of the social encyclicals varied from their intended European meaning. The cumulative effect of these two encyclicals was support for the workers’ rights to organize and create Christian labor associations. From …

Critical Theory And Catholic Social Teaching: A Research Framework For Catholic Schools, Jill Bradley-Levine, Kari A. Carr

Journal of Catholic Education

In this article, the authors share findings from an ethnographic study drawn from an evaluation of an after-school program directed by a Catholic diocese to meet the educational needs of children attending urban Catholic schools. The authors used critical research methods within the context of Catholic social teaching (CST) as a theoretical framework for the data presented in this article. Two themes emerged during this data collection and analysis. The first theme, student interactions, describes the helpful ways that students engaged with each other during the after-school program, and also the manner in which students exhibited a need for greater …

Building Assets: The Strategic Use Of Closed Catholic Schools, Kristopher Knowles

Journal of Catholic Education

Review of Building Assets: The Strategic Use of Closed Catholic Schools.

Faith, Resistance, And The Future: Daniel Berrigan’S Challenge To Catholic Social Thought, Kurt Nelson

Journal of Catholic Education

Review of Faith, Resistance, and the Future: Daniel Berrigan’s Challenge to Catholic Social Thought.

Culturally Responsive Caring And Expectations For Academic Achievement In A Catholic School, Christian Dallavis

Journal of Catholic Education

This article draws from a larger dissertation study that applied ethnographic and historical research methods to explore the intersection of culturally responsive pedagogy and Catholic schooling in immigrant communities. In particular, this article presents qualitative data analysis to describe student achievement expectations at a contemporary urban Catholic elementary school. By examining teacher, student, and parent perspectives on academic achievement, the article explores the degree to which the caring demonstrated at the school is/is not consistent with a notion of “culturally responsive caring” in the scholarly literature surrounding theories of culturally responsive pedagogy.

Transforming Catholic Education Through Research: The American Educational Research Association Catholic Education Special Interest Group, Shane Martin

Journal of Catholic Education

Catholic schools in the United States and abroad face numerous financial, cultural, and structural challenges due to contemporary education policies and economic trends. Within this climate, research about Catholic education is often conducted and leveraged in efforts to serve schools’ most immediate needs. To be certain, research aimed at finding solutions to pressing problems is important—indeed, essential—to Catholic schools’ survival. However, it is also important that research on Catholic education connect to larger questions, issues, and discourses in education—both private and public—in order to contribute important insights and bring otherwise marginalized voices to bear in contemporary educational debates.

The Development Of Faith Leadership In Novice Principals, Barbara Stacy Rieckhoff

Journal of Catholic Education

This article describes the Catholic School Principal Support Program (CSPSP), a mentoring program for first and second-year Catholic school principals in a large urban diocese, and identifies key challenges, impacts and influences on decision-making. Ten school leaders describe their work and provide the lens by which they reflect on their role as faith leaders. The challenges these principals face along with the various roles they play are discussed. Based on the perceptions and insights of their roles as faith leaders and how that role is situated within other leadership roles, this study seeks to better understand how the faith leadership …

Editors' Comments, Mary Mccullough, Karen Huchting, Martin Scanlan

Journal of Catholic Education

We are pleased to announce the new name for the Journal: The Journal of Catholic Education.