Educational Leadership Commons^™

At-Risk Freshmen Student Retention After Stem Intervention, Edna Orozco, George Padilla

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) areas are one of the fastest-growing majors in the nation. Engineering is projected to add the second largest number of new jobs from 2016 to 2026 with 140,000 new jobs (Torpey, 2018).According to the National Center for Education Statistics despite all the research done throughout decades to improve the issue of retention in STEM areas about half of the students who pursue a degree in STEM will either leave or change majors.

Purpose: This study aimed to sample at-risk college freshmen students from the College of Engineering & Computer Science, to describe and …

A Qualitative Case Study: Exploring Elementary Principals’ And Teachers’ Perceptions Of Teacher Leadership, Cathy De Leon

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study examined the perceptions of one principal and 10 teachers from a school district in the Rio Grande Valley regarding how leadership is distributed in their schools through the lens of distributed leadership. This study contributes to the small body of literature regarding teacher leadership to foster dialogue and potentially provide opportunities for teachers to take on leadership roles. Recently, the expectations for schools have increased to the extent that leaders are now expected to ensure all students are learning at prominent levels. Today’s public-school principals may benefit from the support of teacher leaders. Results of …

Analyzing How Resiliency, Family Support, And The College Assistance Migrant Program (Camp) Contribute To Latina/O/X Migrant Farmworker Students' Ability At A South Texas Hsi To Continue Into The Second Year Of Study And To Degree Completion, Angelica Yvette Gonzalez

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study is to identify the primary difficulties Latina/o/x migrant farmworker students face compared to non-migrant farmworker students regarding completing higher education and how they can overcome those barriers. Latina/o/x migrant farmworker students experience educational inequity that affects their potential to continue into higher education successfully. Although there is extensive research that analyzes the CAMP program effectiveness, migrant farm-worker students experiences, and the difficulties faced by migrant farmworker students in education, there is a gap in the literature that focuses on migrant farmworker students and their success in …

The Importance Of Emotional Intelligence And Leadership Development In Principal Efficacy, Lorine Olivarez Bazan

Theses and Dissertations

Recently, public schools have seen an increase in obstacles and challenges in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and school leaders have had to pivot and adjust to meet these ever-changing demands (McLeod & Dulsky, 2021). Principals in today’s schools have had to discover new and innovative ways to successfully lead, motivate and support their school communities. This emerging leadership includes the leader’s ability to utilize emotional intelligence and leadership skills effectively and intentionally.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to take a deeper look at investigating the school principal’s utilization of emotional intelligence and effective leadership skills. This …

Texas School Social Workers: Demographics, Work Characteristics, Job Satisfaction, And Work Barriers And Facilitators, Astrid Gandaria

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the demographics, and job, services, responsibilities, barriers, facilitators, and satisfaction of Texas school social workers. A survey was emailed to Texas school social workers identified on a state list. A convergent parallel mixed method design was used to compare and discuss quantitative and qualitative data obtained. The data reveal consistency with existing school social work literature related to demographics and provided novel information on work characteristics, job satisfaction, work barriers and facilitators, and program preparation of school social workers. The data shows school social workers are highly involved …

University Faculty Perceptions Of Professional Development: Impact And Effectiveness, Claudia Vela, Velma D. Menchaca, Hilda Silva

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

The purpose of this study was to examine faculty perceptions of the effectiveness and impact of professional development programs and activities in the areas of teaching, research, and service. This qualitative phenomenological study was conducted in a four-year Hispanic-serving institution in South Texas. It focused on exploring tenured and tenure-track faculty perceptions and experiences of their participation in professional development to help them meet tenure and promotion expectations. Analysis of data showed that faculty had mixed feelings about the workshops and training sessions that were offered on campus. However, networking, collaboration, and access to resources and technology were practices that …

Establishing A Mentoring Program For Health Science Educators In A New Medical School, Karina Madrigal, Beatriz Tapia, Robert Nelson

Research Colloquium

Purpose: New Medical Schools need mentoring programs to enhance the personal and professional development of mentees and mentors. The need to establish a mentoring support mechanism is critical. This poster will share our progress to date.

Methods: A pilot mentoring program was established for junior faculty. These faculty members were paired with an associate professor or professor to serve as mentors for career development and engage in a focused scholarly project over a nine-month period.

Typically, the junior faculty is within the first three years of appointment and hold the rank of assistant professor. Each mentee will have 10% protected …

Qi In Resident Leadership Workshop, Heidi Y. Pareja, Chelsea H. Chang, Daniel Aragon, Deepu George

Research Symposium

Background: Many residency programs provide some type of leadership training for chief residents. As these emerging leaders transition into their role, it is imperative to provide them with skills and knowledge to help them develop their leadership style. UTRGV’s department of Graduate Medical Education (GME) organized their first “Resident Leader Workshop” for all rising Chiefs and GME Resident Leadership Council (RLC) members. Using a pre and post survey, participants provided feedback on the effectiveness of knowledge and skills presented during the workshop.

Methods: All residency and fellowship rising Chiefs and GME RLC members were invited. The workshop took place …

Forecasting Retention Among At-Risk College Freshmen Students Through Completion Of A Stem Intervention, Edna Orozco

Theses and Dissertations

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) areas are one of the fastest-growing majors in the nation, engineering, is projected to add the second largest number of new jobs from 2016 to 2026 with 140,000 new jobs (Torpey, 2018). Unfortunately, there is a disparity between enrollment and graduation rates (Chen, 2015; Lucas & Spina, 2022). According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) (2017) despite all the research done throughout decades to improve the issue of retention in STEM areas about half of the students who pursue a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) will either leave or …

Implementation Of Dual Language Programs For Emergent Bilinguals: Understanding Instructional Decisions Of Elementary Principals, Susana Marlet Arredondo

Theses and Dissertations

According to the United States Department of Education (2017), the number of K-12 Emergent Bilingual students (EBs) has been increasing over the years; in the year 2014 – 2015, there were over 4.8 million English Learners in our country. Therefore, a new norm for many school districts has been to incorporate Dual Language Programs to close the learning gaps between this subgroup and non-English Learners. There are different models used under Dual Language Program models such as the 90:10 and 50:50 model approach. Moreover, other districts provide a Dual Language Program for all students, not just English Learners. The purpose …

An Examination Of Factors Impacting Student Decisions To Engage In Physical Activity At A Hispanic-Serving Institution, Glenn R. Gray

Theses and Dissertations

College students at a large south Texas university have proven consistently that they have a higher-than-average Body Mass Index (BMI), spend less time per week engaged in physical activity, and in general feel that they are less healthy than students in a national cross-sectional survey of college students by the American College Health Association (ACHA, 2021). This project investigates the barriers to activity and the motivators to engage in activity. In this cross-sectional study, the Exercise Motivations Inventory-2 and the Barriers to Being Active instruments along with a demographic survey have identified motivators and barriers. The collection of basic demographic …

Faculty Perceptions Of Online Instruction And Educational Technology In Higher Education, Raul Nick Cabrera

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to obtain faculty perceptions of online instruction and educational technology in higher education. Data was collected from eight participants through interviews and open-ended questions at a higher education institution. Results showed that faculty consider that online instruction is only possible for certain programs and that it’s only for certain student populations. In addition, faculty perceive online learning environments as a repository for class information and serve as a communication medium between instructor and student. Furthermore, faculty believe that there is no substitution for traditional teaching methods regardless of the educational technology available. Theoretical and …

The Relationship Of Graduating Students (Alumni-To-Be)’S Sense Of Belonging And Their Intent To Give Back To Their Alma Mater At A Hispanic Serving Institution (Hsi) In South Texas, Lanlan Alvarado

Theses and Dissertations

Higher education institutions are increasingly relying on funding from the private sector (Council for Aid to Education, 2013) as state funding to higher education has decreased in recent years. Bridging the gap between university financial needs and available funding has become a high priority. In the process, higher education institutions have enlisted their advancement offices towards such bridging efforts by systematically bringing in financial support from donors, alumni, corporations, and foundations.

Funding from private sources fluctuates with changes in the macro-economic environment, laws, and regulations, as well as shifts in philanthropic interests in the public. Alumni giving constitutes a substantial …

Managing Enrollment Strategically Both Formally And Informally, Magdalena Hinojosa, Paula Luff, Pj Woolston

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

The chief enrollment management officer (CEMO) is often responsible for optimizing institutional enrollment in ways that exceed the direct authority and responsibility of that office. To be successful, the CEMO needs to develop a high level of influence across the campus. Three particularly effective ways that the CEMO can exert influence to improve the student experience is by shaping institutional process, organizational structure, and overall culture.

The Impact Of Distance Learning On Nontraditional High School Student’S Attendance At A Predominant Hispanic Alternative High School In South Texas, Teresita De Saro, Alejandro Garcia, Velma D. Menchaca

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

High school dropout rates have long been a problem for school districts, and various contributing factors have solved the problem. Most of these students have been plagued by the inability to integrate into the mainstream of school life due to socio-economic standing, lack of parental support, and many other problems. This qualitative study examined how distance learning courses have the potential to increase high school graduation rates and attendance rates. This study was conducted at an alternative high school where the primary goal is to ensure nontraditional students' academic and personal support needed to graduate from high school. Five themes …

Texas School Social Workers: Who And Where Are They?, George Padilla, Velma D. Menchaca, Astrid Gandaria

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

School social workers have a long history in American education and much research is needed to better understand their role and impact in schools. Texas schools employ one of the highest numbers of school social workers in the country, but there is also little to no research related to their demographics, working conditions, or effectiveness. Only one recent study on Texas school social workers was found in the research literature. This report analyzes Texas state reports, available to the public on the internet or by specific request from the Texas Education Agency, to develop a descriptive and exploratory overview of …

Navigating Through A Pandemic (The Unknown): The Effects Of Synchronous Learning For Online And In Person Students On Achievement Scores In Reading And Math In A Private Catholic School In South Texas, Israel Martinez Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

In the Spring of 2020, a wide world pandemic, specifically COVID-19, slammed the door on what we defined as normal life. COVID-19 and its associated pandemic exposed more explicitly great inequities such as access to devices, platforms, and/or places to do schoolwork outside schools in education systems (Fullan, 2020). It also interrupted international travel, it devastated economic growth, and it disrupted schooling globally (Harris & Jones, 2020). In the Summer of 2020, a Catholic school in South Texas set a plan in place to provide a 100% synchronous way of learning for students in elementary grades 1 through 8 to …

Student Success At One Borderlands Hispanic-Serving Institution, Neda Goerlitz Ramirez

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the perceptions of student success of campus leaders at one Borderlands Hispanic-Serving Institution. The study incorporated 4 interviews, 9 observations, analysis of 23 documents as well as additional research to answer the research questions. The three themes emerged from the study were: (1) encouraging and empowering students to succeed, (2) removing barriers to student success, and (3) serving by default. Recommendations for educational leaders included serving by design, setting high expectations, getting to know students, encouraging and empowering students, and removing barriers to student success. Additionally, the findings of this study suggest that studying student success, investigating …

Special Education Teachers’ Self-Efficacy During The Times Of A Global Pandemic, Vanessa G. Leal

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative dissertation aims to describe and compare the perception of special education teachers' self-efficacy amid the COVID-19 pandemic using the practice of distance and their self-efficacy pre-pandemic using face-to-face instruction and describe the perceived valuable supports teachers received from educational leaders during the pandemic and considered valuable. The study population includes special education teachers teaching in inclusive settings before and during the pandemic in grades 6–12 in districts located in South Texas. The current study's data was analyzed using a two-way factorial analysis of variance, with both factors including repeated measures within subjects (2 x 3). A descriptive statistical …

Exploring The Interpersonal, Leadership, And Organizational Factors Related To The Burnout Of Bilingual, Latinx Professional School Counselors [Explorando Los Factores Interpersonales, De Liderazgo Y Organizacionales Relacionados Con El Agotamiento De Los Consejeros Escolares Profesionales Bilingües Y Latine], Crystal Marie Prado

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the relationship between interpersonal competencies, educational leadership styles of campus principals, organizational practices, and the burnout of professional school counselors (PSCs). A mixed-methods research design was utilized to examine the correlation between identified predictor variables and the level of burnout as measured by the five dimensions of the Counselor Burnout Inventory (CBI; Lee et al., 2007), the three subscales of the Maslach Burnout Inventory: Educators Survey (MBI-ES, Maslach et al., 1986), and personal narratives documenting the participating PSC's most significant professional experiences. The investigation included 100 bilingual, Latinx PSCs from four urban/suburban school districts of border towns …

System-Level Leaders’ Local Control Of Teacher Supervision And Evaluation Under Every Student Succeeds Act, Douglas Wieczorek, Israel Aguilar, Ian M. Mette

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

This article investigates school system leaders’ influence and control over local teacher supervision and evaluation systems (TSES) guided by the United States’ (U.S.) Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Using qualitative, textual document analysis methods, we analyzed 50 states’ ESSA policies to determine the extent to which local education agencies have flexible TSES authority granted by state and federal guidelines. The study findings indicate that a majority of U.S. state-level policies mandate standardized TSES tools and processes at the local district level. In order to optimally meet students’ and teachers’ needs, we recommend that systems-level leaders prioritize community driven visions for …

Lessons Learned: Effective Reading Practices For The Struggling Reader, Maria M. Salaiz, Marie Simonsson, Velma D. Menchaca

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study investigated schools who received Reading First (RF) monies to determine if student reading achievement in kindergarten through second grade was a function of the funding earmarked for implementation of the RF practices. The researchers also examined a seven-year reading progress trend to observe changes in Texas Primary Reading Inventory (TPRI) composite means of 37 participating campuses by grade level and by assessment measure from 2006 to 2012. Multiple linear regression and one-way repeated measures outputs were used for evaluating the evidence. A longitudinal progress trend was used over a seven-year period. Both a linear regression and a repeated …

Graduate Student’S Perceptions Of Academic Coaches In Accelerated Online Courses, Rosalinda Hernandez, Alejandro Garcia

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the graduate student’s perceptions of the effectiveness of academic coaches in asynchronous accelerated online instruction in a master’s Educational Leadership program. A mixed method research design was used to examine student satisfaction using surveys, focus student group interviews on an accelerated online master’s in educational leadership program. The sample population for this study included participants from former and current graduate students in an Educational Leadership Master of Education program. The study is a step forward in understanding the role of instructional coaches and the support provided to students and professors in accelerated …

The Impact Of Distance Learning On Nontraditional High School Students' Attendance And Dropout Prevention, Teresita De Saro

Theses and Dissertations

High school dropout rates have long been a problem for school districts, and various contributing factors have excavated the problem. Most of these students have been plagued by the inability to integrate into the mainstream of school life, due to socioeconomic standing, lack of parental support, and many other problems. This qualitative study examined how distance learning courses have the potential to increase high school graduation rates and attendance rates. The research perspective was conducted at an alternative high school where the primary goal is to ensure nontraditional students' academic and personal support needed to graduate from high school …

A Study Of South Texas English Learners’ Academic Achievement: A Function Of Sense Of Belonging, Acculturation, And Student Perception Of Teacher-Student Relationships, Cynthia B. Olivarez

Theses and Dissertations

This study looks at a group of Hispanic English Learners from a region in deep South Texas that is situated along the U.S.-Mexico border, and how their sense of belonging, acculturation, and their perception of the teacher-student relationship impacts academic achievement on the STAAR End-of-Course state assessments for English I and English II.There are limited studies on this population of students and these independent variables. Results from this study would help educators and school leaders assess student needs to improve student learning and close academic achievement gaps.

Career And Technical Education Teacher Self-Efficacy Of Staff Development As Part Of A Beginning Teacher Induction Program: A Qualitative Research Of Cte Teacher Externs Of A South Texas School District…From The Classroom To The Job Site, And Back Again, Raul Alvarez Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Career and Technical Education (CTE) has proven itself through substantial research, to provide a positive impact on the U.S. economy and the job market in its college and career preparedness of high school students. However, the ability of school districts in retaining competent CTE teachers is not as reassuring. The progressive years for any beginning CTE teacher are during their initial tenure in the profession. Teacher self-knowledge is also developed during these years inclusive of the occupational reflection of either removing oneself from or continuing as a teacher. Therefore, it can be stated that it is during this period when …

Exploring How Latinx Gender And Sexually Diverse Youth In The Rio Grande Valley Experience And Confront Homophobia: A Qualitative Study Of Alumni Community Leaders/Advocates, Heraclio Flores Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Framed by queer theory, this qualitative study seeks to better understand the unique experiences of homophobia that occur amongst Latinx gender and sexually diverse youth (GDSY) in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV). Latinx GSDY in the Rio Grande Valley are less likely to be in schools that adopt affirming policies and are therefore more likely to experience homophobia. It is also likely that their social, emotional, physical, and academic wellbeing are impacted negatively. The study collected written journal responses from nine Latinx gender and sexually diverse alumni of RGV schools (including the researcher) that presently serve as community leaders …

School Leadership That Impacts Student Achievement In Blue Ribbon Schools In The Rio Grande Valley Of Texas, Sonya Y. Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to determine the leadership actions, behaviors, and practices of effective school leaders in Blue Ribbon Schools in South Texas who resulted in the schools receiving the distinction by the U. S. Department of Education of being a Blue Ribbon School. Data were collected through a series of interviews with principals and teachers from the selected sample of Blue Ribbon Schools in the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using inductive coding to determine themes.

Parental Engagement Of Families Living In Colonias: Engaging In Their Children’S Education, Eugenia Hernandez-Moreno

Theses and Dissertations

Parental engagement has been identified as a factor that influences the academic achievement of elementary children. Colonias are low income neighborhoods who lack the infrastructure and whose residents struggle with the accessibility of every day necessities to survive. Parents living in colonias are faced with unique challenges that influence the extent of their parental engagement in their children’s education. The purpose of this study is to examine the extent of parental engagement of families living in colonias in elementary children’s education in a school district in South Texas. Interviews, observations, and documents will be analyzed to determine the different factors …

Examination Of 21st Century Organization Development: An Ethnography Of A Distance Learning Support Department At A Hispanic Serving Institution Of Higher Education, Bobbie Myatt

Theses and Dissertations

This study used an ethnographic lens to examine the historic organizational development of a distance education support department within a Hispanic-serving institution of higher education. The Borderlands University (BU; pseudonym) Online Teaching, Learning, and Technology Center (OTLT) is representative of the structure and culture of a successful distance education support department for the 21st century. Through qualitative ethnography, this research study examined the development of cultural and structural components necessary for the success of this organization. This includes the internal community of support departments housed within institutions of higher education. Technologically raised generations emerging from traditional schools, “digital natives,” are …