Digital Commons Network^™

Challenges And Issues In Child Care Centers Participating In The Child And Adult Care Food Program, Kristi L. Lewis Phd, Rdn, Shellie R. Hubbard Ma

Institute of Child Nutrition, Applied Research Division

The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) plays a critical role in supporting the provision of nutritious meals and snacks in child care settings. Understanding the challenges experienced by CACFP operators is essential for developing resources, training, and technical assistance that support effective program implementation. This study examined the challenges and issues faced by child care centers and other CACFP operators participating in the program.

Using a mixed-methods and participatory research approach, researchers conducted a literature review, consulted subject matter experts, and developed a national rapid response survey. The final survey assessed challenges related to food procurement, training, facilities …

Competencies, Knowledge, And Skills For Chefs Working In School Nutrition Programs, Marjuyua Lartey Gibson Phd, Rdn, Jane Peterson Phd, Rdn, Kymberle Gordon Phd, Shellie R. Hubbard Ma, Travis Brewington

Institute of Child Nutrition, Applied Research Division

As school nutrition programs increasingly employ chefs to enhance menu quality, culinary innovation, and operational effectiveness, there is a growing need to define the competencies required for success in these roles. Building upon previous research that identified the roles, responsibilities, and impact of chefs working in school nutrition programs, this study sought to develop a comprehensive competency framework for school nutrition chefs.

The study was conducted in three phases. An expert panel of school nutrition professionals, State agency staff, United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service representatives, and Culinary Institute of Child Nutrition staff first reviewed and confirmed …

Understanding Shifts In Student Satisfaction Between Peak And Post Pandemic, Brian Verkamp

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates student satisfaction in online learning environments at the University of North Florida (UNF), with a focus on how satisfaction levels have fluctuated between the peak-pandemic and post-pandemic periods. Utilizing a combination of descriptive and inferential statistical techniques, the research examines the relative importance and satisfaction ratings of various educational factors, including demographic influences such as gender, race, and academic program. By creating a composite measure of overall student satisfaction, this study provides a comprehensive analysis of the factors that most significantly impact student experiences in online courses. Findings highlight the critical role of both satisfaction and importance …

Stories Of Seventh-Day Adventist Teachers Of Color And Their Voluntary Job Mobility During Their Early Years Of Teaching, Dollene Trott-Smith

Dissertations

Problem

Teachers of Color in the Seventh-day Adventist school system experience voluntary job mobility and attrition, contributing to increasing teacher turnover rates in the U.S. Since the 1954 federal mandate to desegregate U.S. public schools, this phenomenon has become more pressing. Despite racial and ethnic diversification in school staffing, the White teacher population remains around 80%, with Teachers of Color making up only 20%. While extensive research exists on public school teacher turnover, limited studies focus on private school educators, including those in the Seventh-day Adventist school system.

Method

This transcendental phenomenological qualitative study explored the voluntary job mobility of …

Shattering The Glass Ceiling, Navigating The Glass Cliffs: A Case Study Of Andrea Luxton As The First Woman President Of Andrews University (2016-2023), Maureen Sakshi Pakalahati

Dissertations

Problems

Research shows glass ceilings are thicker in faith-based institutions heavily governed by traditional beliefs and dominated by men. Research also shows singlism is on the rise in churches. There is limited research on the lived experiences of single, never married woman who reached the presidency (shattering the glass ceiling) in a faith-based institution. Leadership pundits predict a “great resignation”, which is an era of high presidential turnover, due to mounting challenges in the higher education presidency. Great resignation is a gender-neutral phenomenon, but women presidents are subject to stern criticism and penalties, leading to more disproportionate resignations. Furthermore, the …

Food Insecurity And Academic Self-Efficacy: Military Students And Student Veterans, Kim E. Bullington, Matthew J. Smith, William L. Nuckols, Dennis E. Gregory, Joshua L. Howell

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

Food insecurity (FI) affects households worldwide and is also seen on college and university campuses with adverse effects on student success. We examine FI and academic self-efficacy levels of military students and student veterans enrolled in higher education in the United States which has not been extensively studied regarding FI. Military students and student veterans may have access to G.I. Bill funds and may not be perceived as requiring additional assistance. The results reveal that military students and student veterans have some level of FI. The qualitative analysis yielded five themes that center on FI, economic vulnerability, inequities in the …

Assessing The Content Validity And Usability Of An Implementation Fidelity Checklist For The Assessment, Evaluation, And Programming System, 3rd Edition (Aeps-3), Cameron A. Tyrrell

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

The included studies examined the content validity and useability of an implementation fidelity checklist for the Assessment, Evaluation, and Programming System (AEPS) for Infants and Young Children 3^rd Edition (AEPS-3). Study 1 assessed a revised version of an implementation fidelity checklist for item clarity and criterion clarity. After further revisions, Study 2 asked administrators of early childhood educational programs to implement the fidelity checklist in a classroom environment and assess the clarity of items, criterion, and feasibility of scoring different items. In addition, administrators included the length of time it took the implement the checklist and the strengths and …

Wmu Board Of Trustees Formal Session February 5, 2025, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

Acceptance of the Agenda

Approval of the Minutes (December 12, 2024 Meeting)

Remarks by the Vice Chair of the Board

Remarks by the President

Updates by the Faculty Senate President

Updates by the Western Student Association President

Updates by the Graduate Student Association President

Employee Graduates

Climb Onward – A Look-in on WMU Athletics’ Strategic Plan

Public Comments Regarding Action Items

Action Items

Western Michigan University Board of Trustees Annual Officer Election

Delegated Board of Trustees Authority to Confer Degrees

Faculty Senate Constitution Amendments

Campus Master Plan 2025 and Beyond

2025 General Revenue Bonds

Consent Item

• Personnel Report
• Curriculum Proposals …

Change Is People: How Faculty, Staff, And Administrators Engage With And Shape A Substantive Organizational Change Process, Karen Bellnier

Open Access Dissertations

Creating substantive organizational change (SOC) in higher education can face numerous challenges including navigating complex sets of rules and relationships, negotiating potentially conflicting perspectives, and balancing the motivations and goals of peers (Engeström, 2018b; Kezar, 2018). Each SOC change agent brings a unique perspective, identity and motivation (Eteläpelto et al., 2013; Gess-Newsome et al., 2003) to their conception of and relationship to the planned change (Hay et al., 2021; Weick, 1995). This dynamic nature makes SOC difficult to conceptualize as a whole - either as a researcher or a change agent - and therefore difficult to understand how change processes …

Latina Triunfadoras: Testimonios And Consejos Of Latina Superintendents In California, Marisela Kinn

LMU Theses and Dissertations

The current dissertation examined the leadership of six Latina leaders in the executive role of the superintendency, presenting valuable testimonios (M. A. Martinez et al., 2017) that detail the early educational and familial experiences shaping the Latina superintendents’ journeys to the superintendency. The qualitative study used the community cultural wealth framework (Yosso, 2005) and a feminista perspective grounded in Chicana/Latina feminist epistemology (Delgado Bernal, 1998) and Latina leadership (Bordas, 2013, 2023) to explore the leadership principles employed by the six superintendents. The study revealed three significant findings. First, Latina superintendents’ parents instilled a work ethic of perseverance, hard work, and …

An Exploration Of Ibdp Coordinator Leadership In Southeastern U.S. Public High Schools, Raymond W. Scheetz Jr.

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

Along with its brand, vision, and curricula, International Baccalaureate (IB) provides member schools with requirements and expectations, such as implementing a program coordinator. However, the need for flexibility that would allow for global implementation leaves the nature of IB’s required program coordinator positions subject to local discretion in many ways. However, while increasing in numbers globally, IB Diploma Programs are still not widely implemented in public high schools throughout the U.S. Southeast. As a result, the position of an IBDP coordinator is unusual in such schools in the region. Also, the IBDP coordinator position has not been substantially defined or …

How Elementary Schools Support Families In Mandatory Middle School Choice: A Comparative Case Study, Eleni Filippatos

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

This dissertation examines the role of New York City elementary school leaders in shaping fifth graders' middle school choice processes in two public schools serving predominantly economically disadvantaged, Latino families. As school choice increasingly influences students' academic trajectories, understanding how leaders engage families in this decision-making process is essential for promoting educational equity. The study explored how public elementary school principals, counselors, and teachers support families during the universal middle school application process.

Using a qualitative comparative case study design, I conducted semi-structured interviews, field observations, and document analysis to compare leadership practices at two demographically similar elementary schools with …

Pursue And Persist: A Mixed Methods Inquiry Of Female Leaders' Experiences As High School Principals And Superintendents, Katie M. Barbee

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This mixed methods study explored the experiences of female district superintendents and high school principals working in North Carolina and investigated the internal and external factors that contributed to their resilience and motivation to pursue and persist in top educational leadership positions. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected to explore how these women described their leadership experiences and the key factors that sustained their resilience in these demanding positions. By examining the challenges and motivators that influenced their journeys, the study will add to existing research and literature regarding female leadership. Findings from the study revealed that female leaders described …

Bridging University And Hospital Libraries: Evidence-Based Strategies For Developing A New Medical School Library, Dana Thimons, Nancy Hampton, Kelly Fogarty

Faculty and Staff Publications

This poster, presented at the Medical Library Association (MLA) Annual Meeting, describes how Xavier University of Louisiana and Ochsner Health partnered to establish a new medical school, requiring library leaders to address LCME Standard 5.8 (Library Resources/Staff) within the data collection instrument and self-study for preliminary accreditation. A cross-institutional workgroup undertook a multi-method approach to building an evidence-based case for library planning, including a literature review, comparator institution database analysis, mapping of needs to LCME Standards, informal stakeholder interviews, consultation of AAHSL statistics and Doody's resources, evaluation of current holdings, and price estimation for needed resources. Key challenges included communicating …

The Demand For Educational Functions Of Study Tour Products: From Students’ Perspectives, Yaqi Yu, Azizan Marzuki

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

Few academic studies have comprehensively examined the actual demands of students regarding the educational function of study tours. This paper develops a demand index system based on three dimensions: cognitive, affective, and behavioral demands. A questionnaire survey was administered to 397 students. Initially, student demands were categorized using the Kano model. Subsequently, the “dependence” and “expectancy” characteristics were analyzed through the dissatisfaction index (DI) and satisfaction index (SI). The impact of fulfilling each demand on dissatisfaction and satisfaction levels was then determined. The results indicated that among the three dimensions, there were 7 must-be demands, 6 one-dimensional demands, 8 attractive …

Including Conscientiously: How Charter School Educators Experience Inclusion Education Implementation, Joe A. Petty

Dissertations

This narrative inquiry examined how charter school educators experience inclusive education implementation while confronting ableist systems that maintain exclusion through seemingly neutral practices. This research emerged from my lived experience of how educational structures systematically marginalize disabled students while appearing progressive. The study investigated two research questions: how support structures and leadership practices either perpetuate or dismantle ableist assumptions embedded in educational practice, and how educators negotiate tensions between implementing evidence-based inclusive strategies and addressing environmental factors that create the need for those strategies.

Data collection employed semistructured interviews with eight credentialed educators across two Southern California charter school sites, …

Minding The Gap: How Do New Lcap Requirements Address Equity For English Learners?, Magaly Lavadenz, Ph.D., Raquel Gonzalez, Ph.D., Elvira G. Armas, Ed.D., Gisela O'Brien, Ph.D., Hannah Catron, M.A., Jeimee Estrada-Miller, Ph.D., M.P.P.

Reports

California’s Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), signed into law in 2013, centers equity as a key to increased and improved services for three targeted student subgroups, including English Learners (ELs), low-income students, and foster youth. As a component of LCFF, districts develop Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAPs) to specify their goals and strategies for using LCFF funds for equity and continuous improvement purposes. In this report, Lavadenz and colleagues use a sample of 26 California public school districts with high numbers/percentages of ELs, finding that although some progress has been made, public schools continue to miss the mark in …

Cultivating Counter-Stories To Deficit Narrative Of Students: A Literacy Problem Of Practice, Amanda Brown

Theses and Dissertations

In urban schools across the United States, literacy outcomes remain inequitable, especially for BIPOC students and those living in poverty. In District 17, the mandate to rigidly implement a purchased curriculum resource reinforces deficit-oriented views of student ability and limits teachers’ professional agency to adjust instruction based on formative data. As a result, instruction becomes disconnected from student needs and identities, further exacerbating literacy inequities.

Guided by Mintrop’s cycle of inquiry, this qualitative study examined how participation in a 90-day inquiry cycle influenced the narratives teachers constructed about their students’ literacy abilities. Kindergarten through third grade teachers collaboratively planned and …

Improving Student Behavior And Safety On Bus Route 40 Through A Team-Based Climate Intervention, Kathleen M. Lopez Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

Student transportation is a daily yet often overlooked component of school climate, safety, and equity. This Dissertation in Practice (DiP), aligned with Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED) principles of inquiry, collaboration, and continuous improvement, examined how a structured, team-based intervention could improve student behavior and bus climate on Bus Route 40 at Pinecrest Primary School. Guided by improvement science principles and grounded in a commitment to equity, the study applied a 90-day Plan–Do–Study–Act (PDSA) cycle to test and refine strategies aimed at fostering safety, belonging, and accountability among students. The intervention organized students into color-coded teams that earned …

From Likes To Enrollment: How Social Networking Sites Shape College Decision-Making, David Hermann

Theses and Dissertations

This study applied Chickering and Reisser’s seven vectors of student development (1993), MacMillan’s existential framework (2009), and Chickering and Gamson’s principles for good practice in undergraduate education (1999) as guiding theoretical and conceptual frameworks. These perspectives informed the analysis of voices from young adults in rural communities and explored how recently graduated high school students perceived their use of social networking sites (SNSs) in the college search and decision-making process. I developed five overarching themes from the qualitative data: 1) informational role of social media, 2) visual media and campus impressions, 3) authenticity, peer influence, and human connection, 4) frustrations, …

Turning The Page On Toxic Friendships: How Stories Can Transform Female Friendships, Ericka Renee Bush

Theses and Dissertations

Relational aggression, subtle behaviors such as gossip, exclusion, and social manipulation, can significantly undermine female students’ sense of belonging, peer relationships, and engagement in school. At Sinclair Intermediate School, Illinois 5Essentials Survey data revealed a sharp decline in peer relationship scores among female students, along with evidence gathered through student interviews, analysis of bullying report forms, and observation from an SEL lesson. This Dissertation in Practice investigates how a targeted intervention, Turning the Page on Toxic Friendships: How Stories Can Transform Female Friendships, can strengthen female peer relationships through bibliotherapy. Grounded in Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate principles and …

Enacting Change In Student Support Services To Meet The Needs Of Evolving Student Demographics, Justin Schuch

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined the change management leadership strategies employed by Chief Student Affairs Officers (CSAOs) to address the needs of an increasingly diverse student population at midwestern institutions of higher education. The change management leadership strategies employed by seven CSAOs to address the mismatch between the increasing diversity of college student populations and the institutions’ readiness to meet these students' diverse needs were drawn from using in-depth interviews, review of enrollment data, and institutional planning documents. The three research questions guiding this study yielded four major themes. The first theme is related to how CSAOs identify areas for development …

2024-2025 Ucf Center For Community Schools Progression Data, Ucf Center For Community Schools

Community Partnership Schools Annual Progression Data

No abstract provided.

A Reset For Virginia: Systemizing Leadership And Resource Support For Alternatively Prepared Special Education Teachers, Nicholas E. Olson Dr., Rebecca W. Harmon Dr., Elizabeth H. Morris Dr., Michael-Jon Rodney Dr., Matthew Seidita Dr.

Doctor of Education Capstones

Virginia continues to face the impacts of the national teacher shortage, particularly in special education. The scarcity of licensed special education teachers has led to an increasing number of educators entering the profession through alternative routes with limited classroom experience. These alternatively prepared special education teachers (ARSETs) require sustained, targeted support to implement high-leverage practices (HLPs) that improve student outcomes. Although numerous professional learning opportunities exist, the current system of support is fragmented, and resources are inconsistently applied. Compounding this challenge, many schools lack enough experienced educators to provide in-field mentors for every new hire.

To assist the Virginia Department …

Sealing The Deal: A Case Study Of A Private, Southeastern, Regional College’S Student Onboarding Practices, Alicia R. Gaston, Kristen Meyer, Tyler Ogden, Jennifer Perkinson, Casey Yocum Michaels

Doctor of Education Capstones

Each year, higher education institutions offer support to new, incoming students through an onboarding process that requires dedication and collaboration across multiple departments. Offering streamlined guidance and clear communication throughout the onboarding process is essential to ensure incoming students understand action steps without becoming overwhelmed with new terminology, processes, and environments. This explanatory case study is set to understand the current communication practices and technology use across onboarding departments at Brightside College – also referred to as Brightside or BC (pseudonym). The research team aimed to understand Brightside's onboarding staff's perspective of current processes and practices. With emphasis on the …

How District Administrators Further The Book Banning Agenda, Kim Reichenbach Krutka

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Book banning and censorship in school libraries remain a significant barrier to intellectual freedom. Drawing on ten years of experience as a Texas school librarian, this opinion article highlights how district policies and grievance procedures empower individuals to exclude books representing marginalized identities, particularly queer and Black experiences. Using Critical Race Theory (CRT), specifically the tenets of whiteness as property and counter storytelling, the article explains how these policies uphold white privilege and dominant narratives while silencing counter-stories that validate diverse student identities. The grievance process allows a single hearing officer to overturn committee decisions without transparent reasoning, often restricting …

Moving Goalposts: Unknowables, And Anxiety In Tenure And Promotion, Mark Diacopoulos, Ruth Monnier

Open Educational Resources - Teaching and Learning

In this study, two tenure-track colleagues (Mark and Ruth) examined their process of seeking tenure and promotion. They sought to answer the following question: To what extent do the unknowables in the tenure and promotion process lead to unnecessary anxiety?

The Munster Statement On The Principles Of Research Ethics And Research Integrity (English), Ingenium

Dissemination

INGENIUM is an alliance of ten institutions of higher education from ten European countries. This European University seeks to enable each member of the network to offer high-quality study and qualification programmes with digital components that are shared within the INGENIUM Alliance.

In Higher Education Institutions there is a growing emphasis on promoting good research practices in all aspects of research1,2, including everything from fundamental research to applied research to commercialisation. Research ethics (RE) and research integrity (RI) underpin research activity and excellence and are considered a critical component of the basis for researchers to trust each other as well …

La Déclaration De Münster Sur Les Principes D'Éthique Et D'Intégrité De La Recherche (French), Ingenium

Dissemination

INGENIUM est une alliance de dix établissements d'enseignement supérieur de dix pays européens. Cette université européenne vise à permettre à chaque membre du réseau de proposer des programmes d'études et de qualification de haute qualité avec des composantes numériques partagées au sein de l'Alliance INGENIUM.

Dans les établissements d'enseignement supérieur, l'accent est de plus en plus mis sur la promotion de bonnes pratiques de recherche dans tous les aspects de la recherche12, y compris la recherche fondamentale, la recherche appliquée et la commercialisation. L'éthique de la recherche (ER) et l'intégrité de la recherche (IR) soutiennent l'activité et l'excellence de la …

Out Of The Woods: Mount Lawley Teachers College, The First Decade 1970 - 1980, Glen Phillips, Sybe Jongeling, John Renner, John Sherwood

ECU Books

This book focuses exclusively on the visions and contribution of Robert (Bob) G.Peter, the first Principal, appointed to build a radically new teachers’ college, the first new tertiary institution in Australia since the end of WWII.It covers the first decade or so of the College,1970-1979.The story describes how Bob Peter based his visions on modern educational thought and practices and how he enthused his selected foundation staff to work with public works department architects to incorporate these new ideas in the design and building of this new tertiary institution.