Education Commons^™

Leading Curricular Change: The Role Of The School Principal In Implementation Of The Common Core State Standards, Tiffany Marie Squires

Dissertations - ALL

Principals, whose jobs are increasingly being reframed as requiring instructional leadership (Lunenburg, 2013; Hallinger, 2005), serve as a vital link between standards-based reform and its successful implementation at the school level (Fullan, 2011; Hallinger & Heck, 1996; Leithwood & Riehl, 2005; Spillane & Hunt, 2010). Standards-based reform or guidelines for change mandated by state government significantly influence teaching and learning (Beane, 2013). Our nation’s latest iteration of standards-based reform is comprised within the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), which are currently fully implemented in 42 states. Despite the essential role of the school leader in implementation of standards-based reform, research …

Transformation From Within: Grounded Practice Of Teachers Amidst Cultural Change, Jesse Jovel, Brandi O. Lucas

Journal of Catholic Education

Francis High School (pseudonym) was opened in Los Angeles during the 1960s in response the Civil Rights issues facing the African American community at the time. In 2001, after years of declining enrollment, Francis High School became a Jesuit owned and operated school and began operating under the Cristo Rey financial model. Despite its historical presence in the community and its rich athletic and academic legacies, the demand for a dynamic approach to education was imminent. Fortunately, a transformation ensued as the school’s mission, goals, and policies changed in order to become more aligned with their new Jesuit, Cristo Rey …

Professional Learning Communities And School Culture: A Case Of Study In District-Wide Implementation Of A Plc, Jaime Lopez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The purpose of this study is to explore what influence a school district’s transformation to a PLC had on culture. In particular, the study examined what dimensions of a PLC are evident, how the district approached the change process, and its influence on student achievement. The methodology employed in this study is a Type 2 single-case study. Data regarding this district’s implementation of a PLC, and its influence on school culture was gathered via sources of evidence common in case study research; survey, documents, archival records, direct observations, and interviews. In summary, the findings suggest the following; (1) PLC work …

Desiring Diversity: A Phenomenological Approach To Understanding The Experiences Of K-12 Educators Who Volunteer For The District's Diversity Committees, Lisa A. Lindley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In the United States, K-12 public school classrooms are becoming increasingly diverse in ethnicity, culture, language, exceptionalities, religion, family, socioeconomic status and political backgrounds. Achievement gaps between students in these diverse subgroups and typical White students have prompted educational leaders to identify strategies to improve academic performance across all subgroups. One area of focus in K-12 school districts has been on improving inclusiveness through the utilization of school diversity committees. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the experiences and perceptions of K-12 educators in their role as volunteers on a diversity committee at the All Inclusive School …

An Evaluation Of Teacher Morale In Four Elementary Schools: The Difference A School Makes, Jennifer Blackburn

Dissertations

This Program Evaluation Plan (PEP) investigates teacher morale in several schools and explores how it may possibly relate to school grade. There are many factors that influence teacher morale, but I believe that school grade plays a major role; and this dissertation takes a closer look as to how some teachers and administrators feel about their schools and positions. By implementing a questionnaire, and conducting interviews with teachers and administrators, I was able to discover that school grade is weighing in teacher morale.

This study breaks down the findings from the questionnaire that was given and offers some recommendations on …

Building A Culture Of Hope For At-Risk Students, Emily Louise Gibson, Robert D. Barr

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

Presenters will share research on the school culture differences found between high-performing and low-performing high-poverty schools. Participants will learn about A Culture of Hope and the four Seeds of Hope. After learning explicit steps and strategies for collecting and using survey data, participants will practice using surveys to assess components of school culture, and develop additional survey questions relevant to individual circumstances.

Shifting Professional Culture In Catholic Schools: A Case Study, Mariagnes Menden

Dissertations

This action research study explores the implementation of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) at three Catholic schools in a large Midwestern Archdiocese and the impact on the schools' professional cultures. The three-article dissertation structure is used to reflect separately on the stages of problem identification, designing the solution, and implementing and evaluating the solution. The purpose of this project is to capture an insider's view of beginning the PLC journey.

Researchers first conducted problem-based consultations with principals and teacher leaders at the three schools in an effort to understand and define common barriers that prevented teacher collaboration and ownership of school …

Shifting Professional Culture In Catholic Schools: A Case Study, Sandria Morten

Dissertations

This action research study explores the implementation of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) at three Catholic schools in a large Midwestern Archdiocese and the impact on the schools' professional cultures. The three-article dissertation structure is used to reflect separately on the stages of problem identification, designing the solution, and implementing and evaluating the solution. The purpose of this project is to capture an insider's view of beginning the PLC journey.

Researchers first conducted problem-based consultations with principals and teacher leaders at the three schools in an effort to understand and define common barriers that prevented teacher collaboration and ownership of school …

An Analysis Of The Culture In A Foreign Language Immersion School, Amy Felicia Eybl

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to assess the culture in a foreign language immersion magnet school to determine the type of culture in the school, to discover how the culture in the school is perceived by the foreign language immersion and non-immersion staff members, and to determine the impact the presence of the foreign language immersion program has on the culture of the school. This study was designed to add to the knowledge base on school culture in the foreign language immersion setting.

The writer used the School Culture Triage Survey developed by Christopher Wagner to assess the culture of the …

Impact Of Transformational Leadership Behaviors On The Implementation Of A Multi-Tiered System Of Support With Emphasis On Cultural Leadership, Donna Johnson Heavner

Education Dissertations and Projects

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) are frameworks used to assess individual needs of students and the supports needed to meet those needs. An MTSS is complex with components which impact core instruction, curriculum, formative assessment, interventions, summative assessment, and problem solving. All of these components are a part of a school’s culture, and the success of this framework is dependent upon the leadership in a school. This study is important because it addresses the complexities of assessing individual student needs and the planning required to meet those needs. The purpose of this research was to study the implementation an MTSS …

School Culture And Leadership Of Professional Learning Communities, Daniel Carpenter

CUP Faculty Research

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore supportive and shared leadership structures at schools as a function of school culture policies and procedures.

Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative study was conducted at three secondary schools in the Midwestern USA. Administrators and teachers were interviewed, professional learning communities observed and artifacts collected to explore school culture policies, procedures and leadership in the implementation of professional learning community practice.

Findings
This study concludes that school leaders must provide supportive and shared leadership structures for teachers in order to ensure a positive school culture and effective professional learning communities that impact school improvement. …

Exploring Principal Leadership In Improving Elementary Schools, Brian A. Porter Phd

All Student Scholarship

As schools in Maine, and across the nation, are increasingly held to greater standards of accountability in terms of insuring higher levels of student academic growth and achievement, some schools are improving and some are not. Even beyond the constraints of tightening financial impositions and increasing accountability mandates, some are "defying the odds" and producing positive results. This research study sought to explore and understand the characteristics of principal leadership in improving elementary schools in Maine.

School Culture For The Mobile Digital Age, Helen Crompton, Diane Burke

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

School culture is a nebulous blend of traditions, values, beliefs, and rituals built up over time. Recent mobile technologies are disrupting this culture in favor of learning that is personalized, on demand, ubiquitous knowledge. This paper provides a historical overview of the adoption of mobile technologies in school culture. An epistemological dissonance is uncovered regarding a slow rate of adoption and effective pedagogical practices. Finally, building from existing literature, a new framework is presented to elucidate a new school culture that involves students as curators of the web, creators of knowledge, and custodians of learning.