Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration Commons^™

Leading A School District During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Teresa M. Murphy Phd

Educational Studies Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic altered the conditions of district leadership and required superintendents to make high-stakes decisions amid uncertainty, public scrutiny, and sustained operational disruption. Although scholarship on educational crisis leadership has expanded, fewer studies center superintendents’ own accounts of the knowledge, skills, and conditions that shaped their leadership during COVID-19, and its professional impact. This phenomenological study examined district-level crisis leadership during the first two years of the pandemic, with attention to crisis problem solving, role isolation, crisis communication, and superintendent sustainability. Three research questions guided the study: (1) What knowledge and skills did superintendents perceive necessary for leading during …

The Impact Of Targeted Remediation On Reading Growth Among Remedial Middle School Students, Jennifer Givens

Dissertations

Many middle school students enter secondary education with below grade-level reading skills and are unable to demonstrate measurable growth without structured intervention. This study examined relationship between participation in a targeted Remedial Education Program (REP) English Language Arts (ELA) course and reading growth, as measured by the Northwestern Evaluation Association’s Measures of Academic Progress (NWEA MAP) Reading assessment. A quasi-experimental design compared fall-to-winter MAP Reading RIT growth between students enrolled in REP and academically similar students receiving special education services but not enrolled in REP. This study also investigated whether the effects of the intervention varied based on gender or …

A Case Study Of Experiential Learning In A High-Poverty Middle School, Diona F. Brown

Dissertations

This study examined the impact of experiential learning on student achievement in a high-poverty Title I middle school and explored how school leaders perceive and support its implementation. Grounded in experiential learning, active learning, and social justice theories, this research aimed to better understand how instructional practices can improve outcomes for students facing economic and educational challenges. A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was used. Quantitative data were collected through pre- and post-assessments administered to two groups of eighth-grade mathematics students: one receiving experiential learning instruction and the other receiving traditional instruction. Qualitative data were collected through surveys of school administrators …

Grace Under Pressure: An Analysis Of School Administrator Personal And Professional Stress And Self-Efficacy, Andrew Mcdaniel

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Indiana public school administrators are one of the most important factors for a school’s academic success. If those administrators are effective, they can help maintain an excellent school’s academic success or perhaps even turnaround a failing school. Without a doubt, their performance is critical for a school’s success. If they have confidence in their ability to help create positive outcomes, their school can achieve great things. Unfortunately, assistant principals and principals are facing significant challenges, not only from schools, but also at home. How do these personal and professional stressors affect their sense of self-efficacy? The purpose of this study …

What We Want The Decision Makers To Know About First-Generation College Student Success: Insights From Students’ Perspectives, Monique N. Legendre

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

One-third of all undergraduates in the U.S. are first-generation college students (FGCS) (Center for First-Generation Student Success, 2020). Due to barriers such as inequitable access to rigorous college preparatory programs and coursework, limited resources and access to college and career counseling, financial constraints, and a lack of college knowledge such as the expectations, norms, and language of higher education, FGCS often arrive less prepared for college than continuing-generation students, impacting first-generation student success and persistence in post-secondary education (Broadhurst et al., 2023; Campoverdi, 2023; Cataldi et al., 2018; Hamilton et al., 2016; Katrevich & Aruguete, 2017; Osborne, 2023; Pratt et …

Future Ready Young Adults: Building Creative And Adaptive Thinkers, Robell Yeung

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

Abstract of Project

Future Ready Young Adults: Building Creative and Adaptive Thinkers addresses a developmental gap in educational practices that prioritize technical proficiency over the psychological frameworks necessary for navigating systemic ambiguity. This project introduces an interdisciplinary, modular curriculum specifically designed for the challenges of emerging adulthood. By synthesizing Creative Problem Solving (CPS), James Clear’s habit architecture, and Martin Seligman’s PERMA model, the curriculum provides a structured pathway for cultivating creative self-efficacy and financial capability. Moving beyond traditional views of innate creativity, this model employs asset-based frameworks to treat cognitive agility and ambiguity tolerance as developable competencies. The project culminates …

Educator Perception Of Principal Leadership For Developing Teacher Self-Efficacy In Inclusive Education, Jessica L. Jones

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study explored general education teacher perceptions of the most impactful principal leadership actions for developing teacher self-efficacy for the education of students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms and schools. An Inclusive Leadership Practices survey was developed by the researcher using qualitative research from Whybrew (2018), the Essential Best Practices in Inclusive Schools Tool (Jorgensen et al., 2012), and leadership research by Hitt and Tucker (2016). General education teachers with experience teaching students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms who chose to participate in this study completed the survey as a measure of their perceptions on inclusive leadership practices. They …

Application Of The Mattering Model By Generation In The Context Of Teacher Retention In Indiana K-12 Schools, Byron C. Sanders Ii

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

When teachers see their actions as significant and recognize they would be missed if they were gone, they realize the significance of their individual impact (Wilfong & Donlan, 2024). Understanding what matters to teachers is an important factor in the process of teacher retention. This study examined the difference in four generations of Indiana K-12 teachers against the eight elements of mattering identified by Dr. Shelly Wilfong (2021). A survey instrument utilized the Foundational Elements of Mattering Survey for K-12 Teachers (Wilfong & Donlan, 2024) and the Rotter Internal-External Locus of Control Scale survey (1966a), and it was taken by …

Cracking The Hive Code: A Quantitative Examination Of Queen Bee Syndrome Behaviors In K–12 Education, Katie Renee Gordon

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Queen Bee Syndrome (QBS) has historically been used to describe women who distance themselves from other women and hinder the advancement of female peers (Staines et al., 1974). While early explanations framed QBS as rooted in individual competitiveness, more recent scholarship suggests it may reflect responses to gender discrimination and organizational context (Derks, 2017). In K–12 education, women comprise the majority of the workforce, yet remain underrepresented in upper leadership roles, particularly the superintendency. The purpose of this study was to examine perceptions of Queen Bee Syndrome behaviors among female leaders in K–12 educational settings and to explore how internal …

Qualitative Insights In Superintendent Habits And School Culture, Katy Eastes

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Superintendents are responsible for shaping the vision of a district, yet they are often removed from the daily interactions that define building-level school culture. This study examined the relationship between superintendents’ professional habits and their ability to identify and demonstrate ownership of school culture. Guided by Leader–Member Exchange Theory and Organizational Culture Theory, the research explored whether relational and organizational dynamics influence how accurately superintendents perceive culture within their schools. Using a dataset from the Indiana Principal Leadership Institute, public school superintendents who had nominated a principal between 2021 and 2025 were identified as potential participants. Ninetythree superintendents were invited …

A Phenomenological Study Of Educators' Perceptions Of The Impact Of The Building Assets, Reducing Risks Program On Foster Youth, Kelly S. Daly

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This phenomenological study explored educators’’ perceptions of how the Building Assets, Reducing Risks (BARR) program supports foster youth during the transition into ninth grade.  Ninth grade is an important year for later school success, but foster youth often experience school changes, disrupted relationships, and other challenges that can make this transition more difficult. Although BARR has shown positive results for ninth-grade students generally, limited research as examined its role in supporting foster youth.

This study focused on educators with experience working with both BARR and foster youth.  Data were collected through interviews and analyzed for shared meaning and themes.  The …

The Influence Of Intervention Strategies On Students With Disabilities Who Exhibit Challenging Behaviors In Rural Public Schools: Teacher Perceptions, Ben B. Robertson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological qualitative study addressed rural teachers' perceptions of the influence of intervention strategies on students with disabilities who exhibit challenging behaviors. The purpose of this study was to examine teachers’ perceptions of the effect of intervention strategies on academic achievement, student behavior outcomes, and teacher self-efficacy through the lens of Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory. This theory is a complex, dynamic interaction among people, their behaviors, and their environments. Data collection included 14 individual interviews, conducted on Zoom with educators from one school district in Southern Virginia, including seven general education teachers and seven special education teachers. Data analysis strategies …

What Are You Doing In My Classroom? -- Elementary Teacher Perspectives Of Instructional Coaches, Maria Erika Avalos-Fernandez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative study uses a constructivist grounded theory approach to explore elementary teachers' perspectives as they work with instructional coaches on their campuses. The primary purpose of the study is to examine teachers' perspectives and gain insight into how these interactions influence their professional practice. Participants included elementary teachers from a single campus in El Paso, Texas, all of whom have had experience working and collaborating with instructional coaches. The constructivist grounded theory provides a lens for examining participating teachers' lived experiences. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. Convenience sampling was used, allowing flexibility in selecting participants for the …

School Levy Passage Strategies, Brody Schaad

Honors Projects

This research was conducted on the impact of community support on school levies, strategies that impact levy passage, and the impact of levies on student success. Research was done through interviews with K-12 superintendents from various Ohio public school districts, following a review of the current literature available on this topic. It was found that transparency with voters of details such as use of funds and outcomes of levy success is the most important strategy to increase levy passage rate. The increased transparency leads to voters having trust in the district and a better understanding of repercussions, leading to a …

Perceptions Of Effective Co-Teaching Partnerships In High School Inclusive Classrooms, Korri-Lee S. Wood

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the characteristics and contextual factors that general education and special education teachers perceive as essential for effective co-teaching partnerships in high school inclusive classrooms. The study, which involved in-depth interviews with general and special education teachers in co-teaching partnerships, was conducted within a constructivist paradigm to shed light on interpersonal, communicative, and systemic variables that contribute to a positive, productive co-teaching experience. Purposeful sampling was employed to select general and special education teachers who were part of co-teaching partnerships. Thematic analysis was used to analyze data from semi-structured interviews, and an …

The Bridge Between Home And School: Assessing The Impacts Of No-Homework Policies On Primary School Students, Kate Castillo Galeote

Undergraduate Research Symposium Podium Presentations

The subject of having homework in primary school education has been an ongoing debate sparking interests amongst school administration, parents, and students. Homework serves as the foundation of learning to many children and the skills they develop. It has also been known to be an extension to the school day, providing at home practice to further develop skills. Primary school institutions are now shifting towards a no homework environment, disrupting many skills and habits during a child's development. Through analyzing academic works related to the effectiveness of homework in primary school institutions, I find a consensus among works that demonstrate …

Rural Vs. Non-Rural Higher Education Degree Attainment: A Study Of Higher Education In Nevada, Yiselle Olivas Ruiz

Undergraduate Research Symposium Podium Presentations

Historically, rural students attend four-year higher education institutions at lower rates than their urban peers. Similarly, they also obtain post-secondary degrees at lower rates. This paper examines the state of rural education in Nevada to illuminate disparities in academic outcomes between rural and non-rural students, particularly college degree attainment. The results show that, despite virtually equal high school graduation rates for rural and urban students, rural students face more obstacles to obtaining a college degree. The findings highlight the implications of Nevada’s recent K-12 funding formula change to a Pupil-Centered Funding Plan (PCFP) on college preparedness. Rural students’ academic experiences …

Beyond Memorization: Transforming Spelling Instruction For Grades K-Second, Victoria J. Mason

Student Scholar Showcase

Engaging students in effective instructional strategies in spelling influences overall decoding abilities and literacy development.  During this session, participants will explore how spelling patterns and word analysis strategies support literacy achievement throughout elementary grades. We will examine the developmental stages of spelling, learn how to explicitly teach spelling patterns and rules, and practice strategies for providing interventions that meet the needs of struggling spellers. Participants will partake in a lesson simulation to role play instructional strategies effectively during phonics instruction.

Exploring Teachers’ Perceptions Of School Counselor-Principal-Teacher Collaboration, Collective Teacher Efficacy, And Leadership, Rachel Louise Geesa, Sherri Barrow, Rochelle Maynard, Derien D. Kunce

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

Efforts to support students' academic, social/emotional, personal, and future professional well-being often rely on the collaboration among educational leaders, educators, and community partners. In this study, we examine teachers' perceptions of collaboration among school counselors, principals, and teachers to enhance school culture, with a focus on collective teacher efficacy. We also provide insights for school leaders (e.g., principals, school counselors, and teachers) to implement systemic changes that promote collaboration and student success. This study is framed through the social cognitive theory, where self-efficacy shapes how educators perceive their ability to impact the learning environment and engage students. Using a mixed-methods …

Leveraging Artificial Intelligence For Transformative Education: Challenges And Recommendations, Papia Bawa

Journal of Research Initiatives

The sheer force with which GPT models are inundating business, education and economic fields speaks to its ability to not only transform the ways in which we interact and act but also disrupt these ways. This systematic literature review applies the PSALSAR method to synthesize findings from 72 articles on AI applications in education, emphasizing its transformative potential across various domains. AI is transforming personalized learning by customizing content and feedback to individual needs, addressing challenges like data privacy and ethical concerns. It enhances administrative efficiency through automation and data-driven decision-making, improving institutional performance while managing biases and maintaining human …