Education Commons^™

At-Risk Freshmen Student Retention After Stem Intervention, Edna Orozco, George Padilla

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) areas are one of the fastest-growing majors in the nation. Engineering is projected to add the second largest number of new jobs from 2016 to 2026 with 140,000 new jobs (Torpey, 2018).According to the National Center for Education Statistics despite all the research done throughout decades to improve the issue of retention in STEM areas about half of the students who pursue a degree in STEM will either leave or change majors.

Purpose: This study aimed to sample at-risk college freshmen students from the College of Engineering & Computer Science, to describe and …

University Faculty Perceptions Of Professional Development: Impact And Effectiveness, Claudia Vela, Velma D. Menchaca, Hilda Silva

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

The purpose of this study was to examine faculty perceptions of the effectiveness and impact of professional development programs and activities in the areas of teaching, research, and service. This qualitative phenomenological study was conducted in a four-year Hispanic-serving institution in South Texas. It focused on exploring tenured and tenure-track faculty perceptions and experiences of their participation in professional development to help them meet tenure and promotion expectations. Analysis of data showed that faculty had mixed feelings about the workshops and training sessions that were offered on campus. However, networking, collaboration, and access to resources and technology were practices that …

Managing Enrollment Strategically Both Formally And Informally, Magdalena Hinojosa, Paula Luff, Pj Woolston

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

The chief enrollment management officer (CEMO) is often responsible for optimizing institutional enrollment in ways that exceed the direct authority and responsibility of that office. To be successful, the CEMO needs to develop a high level of influence across the campus. Three particularly effective ways that the CEMO can exert influence to improve the student experience is by shaping institutional process, organizational structure, and overall culture.

The Impact Of Distance Learning On Nontraditional High School Student’S Attendance At A Predominant Hispanic Alternative High School In South Texas, Teresita De Saro, Alejandro Garcia, Velma D. Menchaca

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

High school dropout rates have long been a problem for school districts, and various contributing factors have solved the problem. Most of these students have been plagued by the inability to integrate into the mainstream of school life due to socio-economic standing, lack of parental support, and many other problems. This qualitative study examined how distance learning courses have the potential to increase high school graduation rates and attendance rates. This study was conducted at an alternative high school where the primary goal is to ensure nontraditional students' academic and personal support needed to graduate from high school. Five themes …

Texas School Social Workers: Who And Where Are They?, George Padilla, Velma D. Menchaca, Astrid Gandaria

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

School social workers have a long history in American education and much research is needed to better understand their role and impact in schools. Texas schools employ one of the highest numbers of school social workers in the country, but there is also little to no research related to their demographics, working conditions, or effectiveness. Only one recent study on Texas school social workers was found in the research literature. This report analyzes Texas state reports, available to the public on the internet or by specific request from the Texas Education Agency, to develop a descriptive and exploratory overview of …

System-Level Leaders’ Local Control Of Teacher Supervision And Evaluation Under Every Student Succeeds Act, Douglas Wieczorek, Israel Aguilar, Ian M. Mette

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

This article investigates school system leaders’ influence and control over local teacher supervision and evaluation systems (TSES) guided by the United States’ (U.S.) Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Using qualitative, textual document analysis methods, we analyzed 50 states’ ESSA policies to determine the extent to which local education agencies have flexible TSES authority granted by state and federal guidelines. The study findings indicate that a majority of U.S. state-level policies mandate standardized TSES tools and processes at the local district level. In order to optimally meet students’ and teachers’ needs, we recommend that systems-level leaders prioritize community driven visions for …

Lessons Learned: Effective Reading Practices For The Struggling Reader, Maria M. Salaiz, Marie Simonsson, Velma D. Menchaca

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study investigated schools who received Reading First (RF) monies to determine if student reading achievement in kindergarten through second grade was a function of the funding earmarked for implementation of the RF practices. The researchers also examined a seven-year reading progress trend to observe changes in Texas Primary Reading Inventory (TPRI) composite means of 37 participating campuses by grade level and by assessment measure from 2006 to 2012. Multiple linear regression and one-way repeated measures outputs were used for evaluating the evidence. A longitudinal progress trend was used over a seven-year period. Both a linear regression and a repeated …

Graduate Student’S Perceptions Of Academic Coaches In Accelerated Online Courses, Rosalinda Hernandez, Alejandro Garcia

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the graduate student’s perceptions of the effectiveness of academic coaches in asynchronous accelerated online instruction in a master’s Educational Leadership program. A mixed method research design was used to examine student satisfaction using surveys, focus student group interviews on an accelerated online master’s in educational leadership program. The sample population for this study included participants from former and current graduate students in an Educational Leadership Master of Education program. The study is a step forward in understanding the role of instructional coaches and the support provided to students and professors in accelerated …

Academic Pathways For Formerly Incarcerated Students: “If I Could Do 12 Years In Prison, Why Can’T I Do 12 Years In College.”, Melissa Abeyta

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

This qualitative study examined the experiences of formerly incarcerated students in community colleges. In this study, participants described how they made meaning of their postsecondary education experience through their decision to start college, the college preparation, and faculty interactions that collectively influenced their academic pathways. The students of this study were formerly incarcerated Latino men enrolled in California community colleges located in northern, central, and southern regions. This study specifically sought to challenge the stigma that revolves around the experiences of the carceral system leading to a deficit perspective on this student population. The findings from this study aligns with …

Effective School Parent Relations In High-Performing Schools In South Texas, George Padilla, Roberto Zamora

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

A research study was designed and conducted to identify effective school characteristics of high performing, high-poverty schools. Four High-Performing Reward schools in South Texas were selected to study. An eleven effective school characteristics model including school processes was developed from the effective school research literature as the framework for the study: culture, leadership, instruction, improvement, home and community relations, curriculum, environment, professional development, vision/mission, resources, and staff. A mixed-research study was designed to collect data from professional school staff, principals, and parents related to the eleven effective characteristics and their processes used by the schools. Onsite data collection from each …

The Role Of The School District In High-Performance Title One Schools In South Texas, George Padilla, Roberto Zamora, Federico Guerra

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

A mixed research study was designed and conducted to identify effective characteristics of high-performing, high-poverty schools. Four South Texas Title 1 schools identified as High Performing Schools by the Texas Education Agency in 2016 were selected for the study. To be selected, these schools were also required to meet or exceed a set of criteria applied by the researchers. An effective school model, comprised of eleven characteristics and school processes, was developed based on a synthesis of effective school research and served as the theoretical framework for the study. The characteristics include Culture, Leadership, Instruction, Improvement, Home and Community Relations, …

Effective School Leadership: School Staff And Parent Perceptions, George Padilla, Federico Guerra, Roberto Zamora

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

A mixed-research case study was conducted to identify effective school characteristics of high-performing, high-poverty schools. Four High-Performing Reward schools in South Texas were selected to study. An eleven effective school characteristics model, including processes, was developed from the effective school research literature as the framework for the study. Onsite data collection from each school included a staff survey and focus group session, parent survey and focus group session, and principal interview. The study findings supported the eleven effective school characteristics model

An area of improvement in school application identified among these high-performing schools was Leadership. School staff and parent perceptions …

Latina Female Superintendents Securing Positions In Small Rural School Districts, Irma Castillo, Velma D. Menchaca, Veronica Lopez-Estrada

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

Underrepresentation of women in the position of school superintendent has been identified as an equity issue in the field of education. National demographics show that approximately 73% of school superintendents are male as compared to only 27% female. Of these female superintendents, Latina and nonwhite female superintendents make up a small percentage of this group (Kominiak, 2016) and scarce in the literature. This research study revealed that Latina superintendents were attracted to small rural districts with a familial environment with high levels of parental and community involvement. They shared the perspective that small rural communities seemed to be more receptive …

The Relationship Between Cardiovascular Fitness And Body Mass Index To Student Achievement In 5th Grade Hispanic Children Of The Lower Rio Grande Valley Of South Texas, Maricela Hernandez, Rosalinda Hernandez, Alejandro Garcia

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between cardiovascular fitness, body mass index and academic performance in 547 Hispanic children in 5th grade from a Rio Grande Valley school district. The dependent variable, academic performance, was measured by children’s gain score on the STAAR Progress Measure for Reading and Math assessments. The independent variables of physical fitness were measured by scores on cardiovascular fitness and body mass index from the FITNESSGRAM assessment. The statistical and data analysis method used by this study utilized multiple regression. The results revealed that body mass index was correlated with academic …

The Impact Of Gsas, School Size, And Geographic Location On School Climate In South Texas, Heraclio Flores, Israel Aguilar, Jonathan Mcphetres, Frank Hernandez

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

While gay-straight alliances (GSAs) play a role in improving the well-being and sense of safety for LGBTQ students, additional factors such as school size, geographical location, and the community climate at large may have more controlling implications for school diversity and acceptance. This survey research type, quantitative study, investigates the retrospective responses of subjects from two Hispanic-Serving Institutions to examine the impact of GSAs, school size, and geographic location on school climates in rural South Texas high schools. Results suggest that the effect of GSAs on school diversity and acceptance may be diminished in a conservative, rural setting. Other factors …

School Counselors' Use Of A Multitier System Of Support To Foster Safe School Experiences And Respond To School Violence, George Padilla, Clarissa L. Salinas, Javier Cavazos Vela, James F. Whittenberg

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

In this chapter, the authors introduce and identify current issues, controversies and problems that influence school safety and counselor preparedness. A brief overview of school violence in America, counselors' training to deal with school violence, and factors that influence school violence are provided. Following this, the authors present a multitier system of supports (MTSS) as a recommended model for counselors to (1) prevent, (2) prepare and plan, (3) respond, and (4) lead recovery efforts as related to school violence. Finally, a case study is presented in which the authors apply best practices within the American Counselor Association's national framework to …

School Districts And A University Principal Preparation Program Partnership: A Cohort Model, Alejandro Garcia, Velma D. Menchaca, Federico Guerra

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to discover the perceived benefits and challenges of preparing principal candidates for school district/university partnerships. Data analysis from focus group interviews revealed both benefits and challenges. Themes that were perceived as benefits were: 1) increased opportunities for graduate students in educational leadership preparation programs, 2) integration of field-based experiences, 3) a supportive learning environment, and 4) networking opportunities. Conversely, challenging themes were: 1) need for school district liaison, 2) better collaboration between school district/university partnerships, 3) employment consideration for graduates of educational leadership preparation programs, and 4) better school facilities and equipment. The …

What’S Love Got To Do With Educational Leadership? A Case Study In Principal Practice, Dessynie Edwards, Israel Aguilar, Juan Manuel Nino

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

The pressure to close the student achievement gap compounded by federal mandates and laws forces principals to hyper-focus on accountability as one of the major technical aspects of the profession; however, principals who can balance the technical (systems world) with the relational (lifeworld) and facilitate authentic care over aesthetic care, are warranted so that the achievement gap can be understood for what it really is, an opportunity gap. Thus, it’s important to document the processes, strategies, dispositions, or beliefs of school leaders who employ authentic care so that principal preparation programs can teach these as skill sets for preservice leaders …

Communities Of Practice Along The Texas-Mexico Border: A University And School District Leadership Partnership, Jesus Abrego

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

This chapter focuses on how one university leadership preparation program along the Texas-Mexico border made a deliberate and concerted effort to build a principal pipeline by establishing a local university school partnership with several local school districts along a border that is bilingual, bicultural, and binational. The preparation program focused on realigning to national standards, actively sought out collaborative feedback from district partners on the development of course assessments, the co-design of clinical experiences, establishing accessible in-district program scheduling, course instruction provided by highly qualified faculty, developing and implementing multiple program and course assessments, and established and implemented dispositions.

A Thirty State Analysis Of Teacher Supervision And Evaluation Systems In The Essa Era, Ian M. Mette, Israel Aguilar, Doug Wieczorek

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

We analyzed teacher supervision and evaluation policy systems in 30 states since the passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015 in the United States (US). This qualitative study of state ESSA policy documents and legislation examined how teacher supervision and evaluation systems (TSES) models have been developed under ESSA, specifically regarding how the construction of TSES models conflated formative feedback with summative evaluation. Despite evolving federal-level and state-level education accountability policies spurred by No Child Left Behind (NCLB) in 2001, we argue that TSES systems are influenced by state-level historical political culture (Elazar, 1994; Fowler, 2013), workplace …

Effective School Leadership In High-Performing High-Poverty Elementary Schools In South Texas, George Padilla, Federico Guerra Jr., Roberto Zamora

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

A mixed-research case study was conducted to identify effective school characteristics of highperforming, high-poverty schools. Four High-Performing Reward schools in South Texas were selected to study. An eleven effective school characteristics model including processes was developed from the effective school research literature as the framework for the study. Onsite data collection from each school included a staff survey and focus group session, parent survey and focus group session, and principal interview. The study findings supported the eleven effective school characteristics model.

An area of improvement in school application identified among these high-performing schools was Leadership. School staff and parent perceptions …

Technologies Frequently Used By Elementary Principals, Alejandro Garcia, Jesus Abrego, John Jauregui

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

Technology continues to be a driving force for change in instructional practices. Principals have transitioned from managers to instructional leaders that support innovative technology practices. This study sampled 30 elementary school principals’ technology usage from two school districts and focused on discovering the hardware and software used directly by the elementary principals and how they learned to use those technologies. Data analysis from the online questionnaire and the interviews revealed that the elementary principals used technology predominately for administrative purposes. All the elementary principals surveyed reported that the type of software applications used by them on a daily basis consisted …

The Relationship Between Organizational Health And Student Achievement In High Poverty Schools, Rosalinda Hernandez, Roberto Zamora

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between organizational health and student achievement of economically disadvantaged students in a large school district along the Texas-Mexico border that serves 99 % Hispanic students; districtwide approximately 95 % of the students are economically disadvantaged. All schools in the district are Title I schools and enroll 78%- 100% economically disadvantaged students. About forty-eight percent (48.3 %) of students served are English Language Learners. Student achievement was determined using the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) and organizational health was determined using an Organizational Health Inventory that measures the …

This Is My Story Of Language, Francisco Guajardo

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Latina School Leadership: Breaking The Mold And Rising To The Top, Velma D. Menchaca, Shirley J. Mills, Filomena Leo

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

For this qualitative research study, interviews with two Latina school leaders revealed their journeys to leadership. The theoretical framework used was Latina critical race theory, feminist theory, and counter storytelling. Identified themes were strong supportive mother, fervent faith, humble beginnings, mentors, intelligent, and challenges not obstacles. These guiding themes serve as a path for Latinas who aspire to public school leadership positions.

University Strategic Planning: A Process For Change In A Principal Preparation Program, Federico R. Guerra, Roberto Zamora, Rosalinda Hernandez, Velma D. Menchaca

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study describes a strategic planning process used for developing an educational leadership program that prepares principals for leading 21st century schools. The plan is based on recommendations received from the External reviewers representing Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the Texas Education Agency, survey responses received from former students currently serving in school leadership positions, and focus group forums. Recommendations received were used to develop a strategic plan that resulted in a more rigorous and accessible, field-based program to better prepare school leaders.

Principals’ Perceptions Of Their Knowledge In Special Education, Maria Banda Roberts, Federico Guerra

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

With the Every Student Succeeds Act continuing to legislate accountability for special education and Hispanic students, the appropriate content in principal preparation programs relevant to successful leadership of special education programs is vital. This mixed methods study analyzed the survey responses of 84 principals in South Texas from predominantly Hispanic schools to determine the principals’ perceptions regarding their legal, foundational, and contextual knowledge of special education and their suggested topics for inclusion in curriculum content of principal preparation programs to provide the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively implement and supervise special education programs. Results indicated that the principals’ greatest …

Using The Jigsaw Method For Meaningful Learning To Enhance Learning And Retention In An Educational Leadership Graduate School Course, Alejandro Garcia, Jesus Abrego, Robert Reguenes

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

This qualitative case study examined factors that were both successful and unsuccessful along with the attitudes and preferences of educational leadership graduate students towards working in an online cooperative jigsaw blog project in which each student had an active role for each topic addressed throughout the semester The theoretical framework for this study was based on the work of Novak 2011 and Ausubel 1960 Their theories explore how the learner processes large amounts of meaningful material from verbal and textual formats in classroom settings Analysis of the online questionnaire and face-to-face interview data indicated that the graduate students enrolled in …

Latina Titans: A Journey Of Inspiration, Velma D. Menchaca, Shirley J. Mills, Filomena Leo

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

This qualitative research examined the journey of renowned female leadership in higher education. Two top level Latina administrators of universities were interviewed extensively to discover their journey to leadership. The theoretical framework used was Latina critical race theory, feminist theory, and counter-storytelling. Themes that surfaced were strong supportive mother, fervent faith, humble beginnings, mentors, intelligence, and challenges not obstacles. These guiding themes serve as a path for Latinas who aspire to higher educational leadership positions.

Disparity In The Superintendency, Ava J. Munoz, Shirley J. Mills, Anita Pankake, Sandra Whaley

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper examines the career aspirations of female and male central office administrators and their reasons for or against pursuing a superintendency, in the Texas, K-12 public school arena. Information unique to seeking and attaining superintendencies by these central office administrators will be presented, to assist with illuminating gender specific commonalities and differences, between all of the superintendent aspirants, involved in the study. This study provides insight, as to why gender disparity persists in the office of the superintendency, despite the availability of similarly, talented female and male central office administrators who aspire to gain the position of superintendent.