Educational Leadership Commons^™

Leading The Charge: A Qualitative Descriptive Study Exploring How Public Middle School Principals Perceive And Enact Their Role As Advocates For School-Based Mental Health, Tanya Irby Tucker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Adolescent mental health concerns have increased significantly during the middle school years, requiring school leaders to expand their role in supporting students’ social, emotional, and psychological well-being. Although schools are uniquely positioned to deliver comprehensive mental health services, how public middle school principals perceive and enact their role as advocates for school-based mental health services remains underexplored. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how public middle school principals perceive and enact their role as advocates for school-based mental health services. Guided by social cognitive theory (SCT), this study examined how personal beliefs, behavioral practices, and environmental …

Exploring The Way Up: Career Paths, Challenges, And Resilience Among Women Leaders In Higher Education, Angela M. Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Women represent the majority of students and faculty in higher education students in higher education in the United States, yet they remain underrepresented in executive leadership positions. Women pursuing these roles encounter unique challenges, and institutions have increasingly recognized the value of mentoring and sponsoring women who aspire to leadership. Guided by Kumar’s CR8 resilience theory, this qualitative descriptive study explored how women leaders in higher education in the United States describe their career pathways to leadership, the challenges they encounter, and the impact of mentoring/sponsoring in developing their resilience for career progression. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 11 women …

The Perceived Barriers Of A One-To-One Technology Implementation: A Post-Covid Case Study, Adam Howard Creasy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative dominant, exploratory sequential case study aimed to identify stakeholder perceptions of technology within a one-to-one technology initiative and outline any possible barriers. The study examined the perceptions of teachers, parents, and administrators within a rural K-12 public school district in Pennsylvania. The study provided school district stakeholders with data they can use to improve existing and future initiatives by early intervention within areas of concern identified by the study. Data were collected using a two round approach which includes focus groups and targeted surveys utilizing research-backed electronic survey tools. The research questions addressed in the study were the …

Financial Incentives And Substitute Teacher Job Fill Rates, Anna Ruth Graham

Theses and Dissertations

Since the return to full-time, in-person instruction following COVID-related school closure, our district, Madison County Public Schools (MCPS), has struggled with a consistently low substitute teacher fill rate. MCPS is a small, rural district with a student population hovering around 1,560 students, pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade, and just under 300 total staff members. The county borders and is within reasonable driving distance to several higher-paying districts. As a result, we struggle to cover daily teacher absences. While the national average for substitute fill-rates is 80 percent, our substitute fill-rate at times averages below 50 percent. Kraft et al.’s study of …

The Role Communication, Collaboration, And Leadership Practices Play In Parents’ High School Volunteering Experiences: An Exploratory Qualitative Case Study, Julee Gould

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

This qualitative case study explored parents’ perceptions and experiences related to volunteering at a suburban high school in California, with a focus on both the motivations and challenges that shape involvement. Guided by two central research questions, the study explored (1) parents’ perceptions regarding the motivations and challenges for parent volunteering at the high school and (2) how parents feel about their experiences when volunteering as their children transition from elementary to secondary school. While existing research consistently links parent involvement to improved academic and emotional outcomes for students, parental engagement often declines during the secondary years. By integrating an …

Surviving The Hood: An Autoethnography On Violence, Trauma, And Agency, Deonte Tanner

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

The epidemic of gun violence is no secret in the United States. Many empirical studies have focused on gun violence, trauma, and race, and have even offered solutions to the phenomenon. However, limited research has called forward the voice of those most impacted (Black boys) and the counters they believe are feasible to their own experience. This work was grounded in critical race theory (CRT). At the same time, it attempted to supplement CRT with careful reflection on what helped me avoid the very kinds of historical and structural exclusions facing Black boys in the hood that CRT helps reveal. …

Merging For Success: A Case Study On School Mergers As A Sustainable Alternative To Closures In Urban Education, Darcy Lynn Maxim-Otterbacher

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

Urban public school districts across the United States continue to face declining enrollment, financial instability, and persistent racial and socioeconomic inequities. In response, school closures have often been used as a primary strategy to address these challenges. This qualitative case study examines school mergers as a potential alternative to closures by exploring the lived experiences of school professionals during the merger of two urban elementary schools in the Midwest. Grounded in Critical Race Theory and Transformative Leadership Theory, this study investigates how educators experienced the merger process from planning through implementation, the challenges and supports encountered, and the ways relationships, …

The Impact Of Leadership Of International Baccalaureate Schools In Low Socio-Economic Communities, Sheena Wallker-Carruthers

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

The International Baccalaureate (IB) has expanded rapidly into schools serving low socioeconomic status (SES) communities in the United States as part of broader efforts to increase access to rigorous, internationally recognized academic programming. While research has documented positive student outcomes associated with IB participation, less is known about the leadership conditions that support the long-term sustainability of IB programs in under resourced contexts. This quantitative, cross-sectional study examines IB leaders’ perceptions of implementation and sustainability challenges in low-SES school settings, the relationship between those challenges and perceived leadership effectiveness and program outcomes, and the adaptive strategies leaders identify as essential …

Leadership Approaches In Music Administration: Intra And Interconnections Of Adaptive, Servant, And Transformational Leadership In Music Educators Transitioning To Administrative Roles, Joel Raynald Defayette

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

Music educators who transitioned into administrative leadership roles brought a distinct set of pedagogical, interpersonal, and artistic leadership practices; however, these approaches were not always fully recognized or understood within broader educational leadership contexts. As leadership theory expanded across disciplines, a need emerged to examine how music educators’ leadership identities evolved as they moved from classroom instruction to administrative positions. This study addressed how leadership styles—particularly adaptive, servant, and transformational leadership—were experienced, interpreted, and enacted by music professionals who advanced into educational leadership roles. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore whether a dominant leadership style emerged …

Social Capital In The Puerto Rican Deaf Community, Javier Figueroa Quintana

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

There is limited literature regarding the social capital of deaf individuals in the United States (U.S.). There are few studies on deaf individuals in Puerto Rico (P.R.), and none explicitly examines deaf Puerto Ricans’ social capital. This qualitative study aimed to understand and capture the experiences of the deaf Puerto Rican community by focusing on how deaf Puerto Ricans utilize social capital to achieve success. The two main research questions guiding this study are: How have deaf Puerto Ricans utilized social capital to achieve success? What are deaf Puerto Ricans' perceptions of success? This study centers around Yosso's (2005) Community …

Assessing Shifts In Leadership Language: A Comparative Study Of The Aacc Competencies For Community College Leaders, Bethany A. Siehr

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Leadership competency frameworks are widely used in community colleges to guide hiring, professional development, and succession planning. However, little is known about how leadership expectations evolve within these frameworks over time or how revisions reflect shifts in what the field values as legitimate leadership preparation. This study examined longitudinal change in the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Competencies for Community College Leaders across four editions published in 2005, 2013, 2018, and 2022.

Using a structured comparative document analysis, the study applied an extraction grid, a modification classification framework, and the Semantic Aspect Scale to identify additions, deletions, augmentations, separations, …

Perceptions Of The Community Eligibility Provision (Cep) Program, Angela H. Napier

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

This study examined how educators and families perceive and experience the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) and its influence on student attendance, engagement, well-being, and school climate within one public school division. While prior research has established quantitative links between universal meal programs and academic outcomes, limited research has explored how stakeholders interpret and experience these effects in practice. Addressing this gap, this study employed a convergent mixed-methods design, integrating archival attendance data, surveys, and semi-structured interviews with principals, assistant principals, teachers and families. Quantitative findings revealed modest but inconsistent changes in absenteeism following the CEP implementation, while qualitative findings provided …

Identifying Professional Development Needs Of Deans At California Community Colleges, Matilda D. Chavez

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

This quantitative, descriptive study examined the professional development needs of deans, associate deans, and directors in the California Community Colleges System. Using the American Association of Community Colleges leadership competencies, the study analyzed how mid-level leaders rated the importance of leadership tasks and their ability to perform them. It also compared results by gender, race or ethnicity, years in the role, district type, and preferred professional development methods.

Data were collected with a 47-item, fixed-format survey using Qualtrics. The sample was a nonprobability quota drawn from 17 California community colleges (N = 71). Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses, including t-tests …

The Role Of Autonomy And Motivation On Teacher Retention: A Mixed Methods Study, Jordan Overton

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Teacher retention remains a persistent concern in the United States, with nearly 13% of classrooms unfilled by licensed teachers. Grounded in self-determination theory and basic psychological needs theory, this mixed methods sequential explanatory study examined the relationship between teacher autonomy, motivation, and intentions to leave, while also exploring the contextual factors that shaped teachers’ perceptions of autonomy within their work environments.

In the quantitative phase, survey data were collected from 123 elementary and middle school teachers across three school divisions in Southeastern Virginia. Measures included teacher autonomy, work motivation, and intentions to leave one’s school or division and the teaching …

A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Of The "Intervention Implementation Experience" With Department Chairs And Program Coordinators During A Performance Improvement, Courtney W. Schoolmaster

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Minimal research has been conducted on the experiences of department chairs and program coordinators with the implementation of performance improvement in learning outcome assessment. Focusing on a multidisciplinary college that offered associate degrees, technical diplomas, and certificates, located within the SACSCOC region, this transcendental phenomenology aims to understand the lived experiences of department chairs and program coordinators in a community college during the implementation/maintenance phases of a performance improvement initiative for the college’s program and general learning outcome assessment process.

This phenomenological study was conducted with eighteen department chairs and program coordinators, and two semi-structured interviews were conducted via Webex. …

Bullying Coping Strategies Among Students In Grades (9-11) Considering Social Support, The Mediating Role Of Emotional Regulation, And Certain Demographic And Contextual Variables: A Mixed-Method As Perspectives By Students And Counselors, Fahima Hamed Alsaidi

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

The study had an interpretive aim, focusing on understanding students’ bullying coping strategies used by students in grades 9-11 in Sultanate of Oman. It also explored differences in bullying coping strategies according to demographic and contextual variables. Moreover, it analyzed the causal relationships between coping-bullying strategies, social support, and emotion regulation. The quantitative findings were interpreted through counselor’s perspectives. The study used a mixed method with an interpretive sequential design. It involved (2,581) male and female students from grades 9-11 in the quantitative phase and (10) social and psychological specialists in the qualitative phase. Instruments included three scales (Social Support, …

Digital Citizenship Among Middle School Students In Oman: A Study Considering Various Variables, Suad Saleh Al Wahaibi, Khalfan Zahran Al-Hijji, Raja Maznah Raja Husain

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

This study examined the level of digital citizenship (DC) among grade 10 students in Oman with respect to gender, internet usage duration, and exposure to online threats. A total of 1,022 students participated during the 2022/2023 academic year. The study employed a questionnaire constructed on Ribble’s (2015) Respect, Educate, and Protect (REP) model and applied a random cluster sampling technique. Results revealed that students’ DC level was moderate overall. No statistically significant difference was found between male and female students, while there were significant differences in DC scores in terms of facing online threats and in terms of internet usage …

The Digital Dilemma: Social Media’S Influence On Children’S Well-Being In Developing Nations: A Systematic Literature Review, Hilal Hamed Al Busaidi, Ayman Al Shukri, Moosa Al Shukaili, Yahya Al Niyadi, Adil H Al Kindi

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

Social media has become an integral part of the lives of teenagers and children, particularly in developing countries. Though it opens avenues for communication and expression, it also plays a serious role in mental health. This paper conducts a systematic literature review (SLR) of published studies from 2015 to 2025, utilizing the databases of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, to assess the impact of social networking sites on the mental health of children’s populations in low- and middle-income countries. The review identifies three concern areas: cyberbullying, increased anxiety and depression rates, and socioeconomic factors’ effects. Literature suggests that adolescents …

Instructional Leadership Practices In Dual Language Bilingual Education: A Reflective Growth Model Perspective, Selene Canales-Garcia, Velma D. Menchaca, Michelle Abrego, Jose A. Ruiz-Escalante, George Padilla

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications

As dual language programs expand across the U.S., school leaders face growing pressure to support bilingual educators amid ongoing teacher shortages. This qualitative case study explores bilingual teachers’ perceptions of their principal’s instructional leadership practices at a dual language elementary school in South Texas. Guided by the Blasé and Blasé Reflective Growth Model (1999, 2000), the study highlights leadership behaviors that promote teacher reflection, collaboration, and professional growth. Findings reveal that supportive leadership—rooted in trust, shared decision-making, and targeted professional development—enhances teacher capacity and strengthens bilingual program implementation.

How Women Community College Department Chairs Experience Leadership Work, Stephanie L. Goldenberg

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Women remain underrepresented in higher-level administrative roles in community colleges, a disparity shaped by systemic barriers, limited mentoring, and inconsistent pathways into leadership. Department chairs occupy a critical midlevel position that influences faculty, students, and the implementation of institutional priorities, yet little is known about how women experience this role or how their pathways into leadership take shape. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how women community college department chairs experience leadership work and what experiences influence their entry into leadership roles. Guided by feminist standpoint theory and grounded in narrative inquiry methodology, this study centers the …