Education Commons^™

School Leadership: Development Of An Evaluation Instrument And Process For Administrators, Kathy L. Mccormick

Theses and Dissertations

This action research study was conducted for purposes of changing the formal evaluation for school administrators to one constructed around the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) 2008 standards, inclusive of multifaceted components aimed to increase the active participation of both the evaluator and the individual being evaluated. The previous instrument assessed leaders' performance on a set of generic indicators. There were no requirements for pre-evaluation conferences, nor did the school leader have formal opportunity for self-reflection. Outcomes were not linked to district goals, to individual or district professional growth plans, nor to standards or criteria-based process of leadership assessment. …

A Descriptive Study Of Funded Homeless Education Programs: Barriers And Supports In New York State, Kerri A. Canzone

Theses and Dissertations

With the issue of homelessness ever-present in our educational system, it is important to examine current barriers and supports in the education of students experiencing homelessness. It is also critical to examine the academic achievement of this special population of at-risk students. Descriptive information was sought about types of barriers to education access and success, as well as supports and academic achievement in New York State-funded Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and to ascertain what educational leaders are doing to meet the educational needs of their homeless student population. Regional differences among barriers and supports were examined, as well as English …

Satisficing: A Decision-Making Strategy For School Choice, Kristine Anne Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate parent decision-making regarding school choice. Data were collected through a survey on how parents approached the decision making task of choosing a school for their child. Parents of kindergarten and first grade students in one public school district in Minnesota and five private schools in surrounding communities were invited to participate.

Four bodies of literature provide the theoretical basis of the study. They are education reform; school choice in Minnesota; factors parents consider when choosing schools; and decision-making theory.

Satisficing, a concept drawn from Herbert Simon's (1955, 1956) theory of bounded rationality …

A Case Study: Transitioning From A Five-Day School Week To A Four-Day School Week, Brian Duane Duchscherer

Theses and Dissertations

For over a century, most PK-12 schools across the United States have been using the same format of five days of school a week for approximately 9 months a year. The discussion of a four-day school week is being considered as many school districts try to balance their budgets each school year. Some schools in the past 30 years have begun changing to a four-day school week. The four-day school week can create controversy within a community, concerns among parents and students, and benefits for the school district as well as for parents and students. The researcher studied one rural …

Perceptions Of Five Low-Income Parents On School Readiness, Roanne Eugenia Malm

Theses and Dissertations

This small-scale qualitative study explored the perceptions of five low-income mothers regarding their child's readiness for kindergarten. The study has the potential to help early childhood advocates and other stakeholders (a) understand how low-income environments influence school readiness, (b) understand the aspirations low-income parents have for their children, (c) discover ways to improve the transition to school for economically disadvantaged children, and (d) engage parents in a more equitable manner--ultimately helping all children start kindergarten with success.

Parents selected for this study had a child age 4-5 who was the oldest child in the family, on a Head Start waiting …

Examination Of The Relationship Between Amercian Indian Cultural Identity And Academic Performance Of Nursing Graduates, Elizabeth Ann Yellowbird

Theses and Dissertations

There are great health disparities within the AI/AN population according to IHS documentation. Historical events such as complex political issues, poor education, boarding schools, and loss of language have heightened this difficult healthcare situation. Furthermore, issues such as lack of health professionals (especially AI/AN nurses) and access to healthcare services add to the dilemma. The cause for the low number of AI/AN nurses who graduate from college varies, but one significant area to consider is the relationship between poor academic performance influenced by cultural conflict. The purpose of this research was to examine the relationship between cultural identities of students …