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Full-Text Articles in Education

Promoting Equitable And Holistic Education: The Role Of Arts Education And Whole Child Policy In Unleashing Potential And Advancing Progress, Collette Ain Williams Alleyne Aug 2024

Promoting Equitable And Holistic Education: The Role Of Arts Education And Whole Child Policy In Unleashing Potential And Advancing Progress, Collette Ain Williams Alleyne

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

Inclusive arts education policy considers the arts a viable entry point to a holistic educational experience. It encourages educators to engage with students on a social and emotional level. Several studies have explored challenges with policy implementation that identify educators' interpretation of policy or assimilation to existing policy as a barrier to the full actualization of policy. Through a rigorous convergent mixed-methods study using convenience sampling, I present a thorough analysis of data that reflects internalized values, beliefs, and ideas. Seven contributors, five educational leaders, and two alumni completed interviews, and twenty-one educational leaders completed surveys utilizing Qualtrics (www.qualtrics.com/), a …


Serving Gender-Expansive Students In Catholic High Schools: Understanding The Perspectives Of Catholic School Leaders, Cassandra Elyse Gonzales Jul 2024

Serving Gender-Expansive Students In Catholic High Schools: Understanding The Perspectives Of Catholic School Leaders, Cassandra Elyse Gonzales

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

While there are many calls to maintain Catholic values in National Catholic Education Association (NCEA) and (arch)diocesan standards for Catholic school leaders, there is still a lack of guidance on operationalized support for gender-expansive students. This lack of clarity hinders the ability of leaders of Catholic schools to support and accompany gender-expansive students in their schools. This lack of guidance results in unclear leadership, which can adversely affect the well-being of gender-expansive students in Catholic schools. This qualitative study explored the experiences of principals and presidents of Catholic high schools in the United States as they work with gender-expansive students …


From Mandated Reporter To Community Supporter: Reimagining Schools And The Nexus To Address Intersectional Social Justice, Charity Chandler-Cole Apr 2024

From Mandated Reporter To Community Supporter: Reimagining Schools And The Nexus To Address Intersectional Social Justice, Charity Chandler-Cole

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

From Mandated Reporter to Community Supporter: Reimagining Schools and the Nexus to Address Intersectional Social Justice, explores the transition from mandated reporting to community support within schools, focusing on the implications for Black families and the broader goal of addressing intersectional social justice. The study critically examines the role of schools beyond their educational mandate, highlighting their potential as pivotal hubs for supporting vulnerable populations and addressing systemic issues such as racism, bias, and poverty. Through a mixed-methods approach, incorporating both quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews, the research delves into the impact of mandated reporting on Black families, the understanding …


Leadership In Uncertain Times: An Analysis Of Decision-Making Processes Among Catholic Elementary School Principals In Low-Income Serving Communities, Gina Aguilar Apr 2024

Leadership In Uncertain Times: An Analysis Of Decision-Making Processes Among Catholic Elementary School Principals In Low-Income Serving Communities, Gina Aguilar

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined the decision-making processes among principals of parish-based Catholic elementary schools in low-income communities within the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, against the backdrop of a decentralized governance structure and increased financial pressures intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was grounded in a conceptual framework derived from contingency theories of leadership and decision-making research and investigated three areas: (1) the principals’ decision-making processes, (2) the situational factors influencing these processes, and (3) the pandemic’s impact on their decision-making processes. The findings revealed dynamic integration of cognitive, social, and procedural processes, rooted in faith and community collaboration. The …


“Middle Schoolers Are Just This Special Kind Of Human Being”: Middle School Teacher Perspectives On Creating Hope For Their Students And Themselves, Sheeba Jacob Apr 2024

“Middle Schoolers Are Just This Special Kind Of Human Being”: Middle School Teacher Perspectives On Creating Hope For Their Students And Themselves, Sheeba Jacob

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

Anxiety and depression have increased for adolescent youth, particularly since the pandemic. For certain students, this anxiety and depression connects to trauma because of inequity and bias in schools. This qualitative study examined successful urban middle school teachers and their perspectives on conditions they created for hope in their classrooms and ways they created hope for themselves. Eight middle school teachers who taught humanities shared their insights through semi-structured interviews. Findings aligned with pedagogical practices the teachers used that centered hope and voice for students: culturally responsive practices, relational practices, and justice-oriented practices. These specific teachers cared deeply about their …


Mamás Metidas: Empowering Latinx Spanish-Dominant Parents In Independent Schools Through Culturally Responsive School Leadership, Silvia Salazar Rivera Apr 2024

Mamás Metidas: Empowering Latinx Spanish-Dominant Parents In Independent Schools Through Culturally Responsive School Leadership, Silvia Salazar Rivera

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

Latinx families, particularly those whose primary language is Spanish, are significantly underrepresented in independent schools nationwide and experience barriers to engaging in their children’s education. Recognizing the crucial role of parent engagement in student academic success and socioemotional well-being, this research aimed to understand the unique challenges faced by Spanish-dominant parents in navigating the independent school contexts. Grounded in Khalifa et al.’s (2016) culturally responsive school leadership framework, the study intended to identify effective practices and strategies that facilitate Spanish-dominant parent engagement. The narrative data, collected through both a group plática and individual interviews, offered valuable insights into the experiences …


Reclaiming Black Spirit: Redefining Social Justice Leadership With And For Black Youth In Jesuit Secondary Schools, Jeremy Divinity Jan 2024

Reclaiming Black Spirit: Redefining Social Justice Leadership With And For Black Youth In Jesuit Secondary Schools, Jeremy Divinity

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

There were contradictions from the beginning regarding Jesuit education’s mission of faith, which does justice and supports African American male students. Limited research examined the experiences of African American males attending Jesuit secondary schools and their perceived support from Jesuit school leadership in ensuring they had increased feelings of belonging, inclusion, and culture through social justice efforts. In order to address this gap, this qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study centers on the lived experiences of African American male alumni in Jesuit secondary schools regarding social justice leadership and how they make meaning of their racialized and gendered experiences while attending a …


When School Was Not Designed For Your Family: A Culturally Responsive High School Parent Engagement Guide, Julia Straszewski Jan 2024

When School Was Not Designed For Your Family: A Culturally Responsive High School Parent Engagement Guide, Julia Straszewski

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

Beginning with a brief historical analysis of how the education system came to be and an analysis of culture, themes came forth demonstrating the White Anglo-Saxon Protestant (WASP) roots of education no longer align with the diversity of society. Parental engagement in education has been veered as a pillar of overall success; however, it was consistently view through a nonculturally responsive lens and geared toward early childhood and elementary education, leaving out high school as an equally important facet of a child’s development. Synthesizing the themes of cultural responsiveness, parental engagement, and positive relationships, a culturally responsive guide emerges to …