Educational Leadership Commons^™

Middle School Teachers' Perceptions Of Administrator Support, Teacher Retention, And Attrition, Tonya Kabia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teacher attrition has been an issue in the local urban area resulting in students being taught by teachers and substitutes who may not be knowledgeable about the content. The attrition of experienced teachers is a concern for administrators, fellow teachers, parents, and students. The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers’ perceptions of administrator support, teacher retention, and teacher attrition. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological system theory served as the conceptual framework that guided this study. A basic qualitative research design was used to capture the insights of 10 middle school teachers in an urban district in the eastern United States through …

Legal Literacy Of Educators: The Implications And Critical Next Steps In A Litigious Society, Tricia L. Rollerson

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation examines the concept of legal literacy in the field of education, specifically as it pertains to public school teachers and administrators and how adult learning theory could have a positive impact on the level of legal literacy. The dissertation is divided into three different parts, all of which support each other and all of which are critical when examining legal literacy within the field of education. Paper 1 encompasses a review of the literature that currently exists in the area of legal literacy. The first paper also examines the field of social work, where the level of legal …

No. 9, September 2021: Leaders’ Perspectives On The Preparation Of Bilingual/Dual Language Teachers, Magaly Lavadenz, Ph.D., Jongyeon Ee, Ph.D., Elvira G. Armas, Ed.D., Grecya V. López, M.S.Ed.

Education and Policy Briefs

This research and policy brief uplifts findings from a 2020 survey of 223 California school district leaders. Findings regarding the preparation of beginning bilingual/dual language educators indicate that leaders rated teachers’ linguistic competencies in two languages as the most important ability, followed by teachers’ understanding of bilingualism and biliteracy development and linguistic pedagogical knowledge. Respondents rated beginning bilingual teachers’ preparation to meet the needs of their districts/schools as “moderately well” (M=3.1 out of 5). The brief concludes by identifying policy recommendations for state and local levels as well as for institutions of higher education policies and practice in this statewide …

Women As College And University Presidents: Sharpening The Needle, Janell Emmaline Gibson

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

Women are underrepresented as college and university (school) presidents and currently hold about 30% of school presidencies. In 2014, the American Council on Education (ACE) launched an initiative to achieve gender parity among U.S. school presidencies by 2030. To support this initiative, Dr. Belle Wheelan, president of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), challenged member institutions to support ACE’s initiative in achieving gender parity among school presidents by 2030. The boards of trustees hire school presidents and play a pivotal role in achieving gender parity. The research addresses a gap in literature examining if there …

Culturally Responsive School Leadership Agility: A Journey Through Critical Self-Reflection, Deborah Mckelvey Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined how school leaders can differentiate their approach using a self-reporting psychometric instrument called the Emergenetics® Profile when engaged in critical self-reflection. Using a multiple case study approach, three urban school leaders engaged in the deconstructing and reconstructing of knowledge frameworks specific to deficit thinking. The Emergenetics Profile served as a lens to critically self-reflect in order to differentiate their approach to the disrupt deficit thinking practices in their schools (Browning 2007; Khalifa, 2018; Shields, 2018). This study integrated these insights from critical self-reflection and the awareness gained by school leaders through their Emergenetics preferences to change their …

Exploring The Impact Of Leadership Values And Practices To Support Equity And Social Justice In An Urban School, Susan-Marie Farmen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study explores the leadership values and practices of a principal in a sixth through twelfth-grade school in the Rocky Mountain West to determine how leadership values and practices support the implementation of equitable and socially just practices in the school. Five key themes emerged: (a) equity as a Black/non-Black construct; (b) a lack of knowledge and awareness of the historical contexts of marginalized populations; (c) moral courage for all members of the school; (d) equity as an initiative or program; (e) resistance to deep equity work. From these themes, I devise three recommendations to support substantial and …

Pulling Back The Curtain: A Student Collaborative Case Study Of Equity Issues In Colorado’S School Finance System, Amy Jo Schwartz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

After the Great Recession, a seven percent decrease in funding ended decades of academic growth and further widened the achievement gap between White and Black students (Jackson et al., 2020). Colorado’s school-finance system is particularly distorted and inequitable because of a series of tax-limiting policies which, combined, have led Colorado to become one of the lowest-funded per pupil states in the country (Resnick et al., 2015). The purpose of this study is to describe the policymaking context, as it relates to equity within Colorado’s school-finance system and explore policy alternatives to improve equity within the system. The study was designed …

A Comprehensive Audit Of Professional Development For K-12 School Leaders In The Commonwealth Of Virginia, Melissa Davis Hill, Melisa J. Naumann, Timothy M. Tillman, Major R. Warner Jr.

Doctor of Education Capstones

The intent of this paper is to provide a mixed-methods audit of professional development provided to K-12 school leadership in Virginia's diverse landscape to include identification of providers, funding, effectiveness, and expectations.

In the Commonwealth of Virginia, geographical, political, and socio-economical differences across 132 school divisions cause variability in leaders' experiences with professional development. A mixed-methods approach was used, including a review of current literature, an online survey, virtual interviews, and virtual focus group discussions. This data collection results in a comprehensive audit of professional development provided to school leaders in Virginia's diverse landscape. The study defines effective professional development …

The Effectiveness Of The Virginia Network For Women: A Mixed Methods Study, Stevara Haley Clark, Jenae' D. Harrington, Reshunda L. Mahone, Kristin L. Smith

Doctor of Education Capstones

Over the last 50 years, higher education institutions across the country have experienced growth in enrollment and degree attainment by women. However, despite the increase in educational merit, the representation of women in administrative and leadership roles within higher education is still not equitable to that of men. The Women’s Network, a non-profit subsidiary of the American Council on Education’s Inclusive Excellence Group, aims to identify, develop, advance, and support women in higher education at the local, state, and national levels. The Virginia Network is a state constituency of the Women’s Network that promotes women’s leadership in higher education throughout …

Sustaining A Balanced Calendar In Hopewell City Public Schools, Elizabeth Baber, Brandon S. Petrosky, Taylor M. Snow, Cleveland Walton Iii

Doctor of Education Capstones

As the first school division in Virginia to implement a division-wide year-round school calendar, Hopewell City Public schools requested assistance in evaluating the impact of their work. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic the division paused implementation, shifting the focus of the study from evaluation to providing recommendations for structural, philosophical, and fiscal changes to the year round calendar initiative and its associated communication plan that would positively impact the long term sustainability of the initiative. The study employed a mixed methods approach including survey and focus group data along with an extensive literature review, and internal document and analysis. …

Review Of Student Engagement, Assessment, And High-Impact Practice Implementation By Common Book Programs In U.S. Institutions Of Higher Education, Raymond (Wes) Hillyard, Carrie Newcomb, Richard M. Pantele, Andrea M. Perseghin, Leslie Winston

Doctor of Education Capstones

Common book programs are widely used by U.S. institutions of higher education to positively impact student engagement and student retention. This capstone project sought to determine the best practices in common book program assessment and high-impact practice implementation. A mixed-methods sequential explanatory research design was employed to answer the research questions. Data was collected utilizing an online survey and interviews. Quantitative and qualitative data was analyzed using chi-square, in vivo and thematic coding. This project aims to inform common book program administrators and other student engagement stakeholders in improving program assessment, high-impact practice implementation, and first- to second-year student retention …

Refugee And Asylee Housing Resettlement Experiences In King County, Washington, Alicia Al-Aryan, Chase Huffman, Obed Kabanda

Educational and Organizational Learning and Leadership Dissertations

Everyone deserves fair access to housing; yet, homelessness and housing insecurity in refugee and asylee populations continues to be an issue. This dissertation studied lived experiences of refugees and asylees located in King County, Washington. Specifically, we examined experiences about refugees and asylees accessing housing programs and information in the resettlement process. This study provided information to further understand housing programs available and how they are accessed by resettled individuals in King County, Washington to mitigate homelessness in the population and to increase access to stable housing. Additionally, the study provided further understanding of barriers to accessing stable housing, while …

Ethiopian Orthodox Church Leadership Support Of Youth From Ethiopian Immigrant Families In The United States, Beimnet Bekele

Educational and Organizational Learning and Leadership Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation is to investigate how the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC) in the United States can successfully attract and retain young adults ages 18–30. Additionally, this research examines the factors that cause young adults to leave or stay in the EOTC and makes recommendations for changes that can improve retention rates.

A significant challenge for the EOTC in the United States is that of youth retention. Young adults often leave the church following graduation from high school. According to a Religious Landscape Study conducted by the Pew Research Center (2015), the decline in the presence and …

A Seat At The Table: A Phenomenological Study Of The Gap In African American/Black Women With Nonprofit Executive Leadership Roles, Angela J. Griffin

Educational and Organizational Learning and Leadership Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of African American/Black women leaders in the nonprofit business sector in the Pacific Northwest. The intent was to understand how their experiences of inequitable opportunities in the workplace prohibited them from attaining and retaining executive leadership roles. A qualitative, transcendental phenomenological approach was used to explore the career pathway trajectory for African American/Black women in the nonprofit sector, to capture the essence of their experiences navigating inequities along the leadership pipeline. To examine their experiences, critical race theory and social cognitive career theory provided a multifaceted viewpoint of African …

Crisis Management: Pk-12 Leaders & Resilience Building Practices During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Shafiga Abramova, Oruba Anthony, Haley Brown

Educational and Organizational Learning and Leadership Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented evolving challenges for educational leaders. This study will explore the crisis management practices of PK-12 public school superintendents. Specifically, the team will consider effective resilience-building practices as a means for leaders to manage a prolonged crisis. A comparative case study was conducted to analyze publicly available documents across two cases (Eastern and Western regions) in the state of Washington. During the COVID-19 pandemic, school communities only had access to publicly available documents emphasizing the importance of exploring forward facing documents. The analysis of the study was informed by the theoretical framework of Critical Race Theory …

A Qualitative Study Of Lived Experiences Of Black Women In Leadership Positions In K-12 Educational Settings, Shukri Olow

Educational and Organizational Learning and Leadership Dissertations

Women, particularly African American women, have continued to obtain certifications and fulfill degree requirements, yet are underrepresented in K–12 leadership positions (e.g., administrators, principals, and positions of superintendency; Glass & Franceschini, 2007). This qualitative research study focused on lived experiences of African American/Black women in leadership positions in school districts in the region of King County, Washington. Three research questions guided the study and centered around participants’ lived experience in K–12 leadership positions, factors that contributed to the continued engagement of African American/Black women in K–12 leadership roles, and the extent to which an organization’s culture and espoused values impacted …

Out On A Stem: Gender Wage Gap And Factors That Impact Salary In Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics Careers, David R. Orozco

Educational and Organizational Learning and Leadership Dissertations

This study explores data of newly graduated students hired into the workforce. It uses data from the National Survey of College Graduates (NSCG), a longitudinal study started in 1993 by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The NSCG uses a questionnaire to collect data on demographic, education, employment, and occupation attributes from all graduating students and emphasizes those working in science and engineering fields. In addition, this study sought to identify any wage gap that may exist between STEM and non-STEM fields in the last decade. The study found average salaries of standard occupational codes were affected by race/ethnicity, gender, and …

School Leaders' And Teachers' Perceptions Of Preparedness For The Online K - 12 Setting, Deirdre Daniels

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Nearly half of new teachers leave the profession within five years of employment, and most would not recommend teaching as a profession. A shortage of highly effective teachers continues in public schools across the nation; hence, meaningful professional development needs to be implemented to adequately prepare teachers for the classroom, and this is further compounded in the online setting. The goal of this study was to ascertain school leaders’ and teachers’ perceptions of preparedness for an online K – 12 school by examining perceptions of preparedness in three categories: student learning and engagement, curriculum and instruction, and data driven decision-making. …

Dying For Change: The Impact Of Awareness Prevention And Intervention On Graduate Assistant Stress, Marla Bruner

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

As challenges surrounding mental health and well-being in doctoral graduate students (GAs), continue to rise, it is imperative that higher education institutions evaluate the stressors that GAs experience, their awareness and use of campus resources for dealing with stressors, and the impact that additional resources and programming may have on stress. The research questions for this study sought to examine the stressors experienced by doctoral level graduate students working in GA positions and their corresponding awareness and use of campus resources, and to determine what impact, if any, providing additional services, resources, and programming in had after a three-year implementation …

Career Commitment Of Women In University Stem Leadership Roles: Professors, Chairs, And Deans, Denise Mariko Garretson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the increased numbers of women in STEM over the last 2 decades, women are more likely than men to leave a STEM career. It is important to have women’s perspectives within the workplace and to have female role models from different backgrounds to support and encourage female students to move into STEM careers. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to identify how female STEM university leaders perceive the influence of their personal vision and work-life balance on their career commitment. The framework included two concepts: Boyatzis’ ideal self and Poulose and Sudarsan’s work-life balance. The phenomenological design …