Educational Administration and Supervision Commons^™

Administrators’ Perceptions Of Knowledge Of Idea Regulations Related To Disciplining Students With Disabilities, Annette Jackson-Thomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThere is a nationwide concern among students, parents, and educators regarding high school administrators’ inequitable disciplinary practices and students with disabilities (SWD) policies in the U.S. The problem addressed in this study was that high school SWDs in a local Midwestern urban school district have higher rates of suspension from school than their nondisabled peers. Guided by Bandura’s social learning theory, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to understand local administrators’ perceptions of their knowledge of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) related to disciplining SWDs to gain insight into their decisions to suspend. The research questions …

Principals’ Transformational Leadership Practices In Increasing Reading Achievement For Ells, Michelle Jeffrey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Principals in public schools are being challenged to improve English language learning (ELL) student achievement through transformational leadership practices. This qualitative study aimed to explore the aspects of transformational leadership that principals use to reduce the disproportionate level in state summative reading assessments between ELL students and their non-ELL peers. The conceptual framework that supported this study was Burns’ theory of transformational leadership. The research question focused on how principals in public school settings employed transformational leadership practices to support a reduction in ELL students’ disproportionate achievement in reading. Semi structured interviews were used to collect data from 10 principals …

A Study Of The Comparison Between Teacher Perceptions Of School Climate And The Existence Of Professional Learning Community Dimensions, Ladwan Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has indicated that there is a direct link between student academic achievement and school quality. Research has also indicated that the leadership style of school principals influence teacher attributes, from adeptness and job contentment to academic focus and engagement levels. Even though the research on professional learning communities (PLCs) is extensive, there is a gap in the study of the perceptions that teachers and teacher leaders have on the essential dimensions that make up a community of learners and on whether the existing climate has an influence on making such a community possible within a school. The purpose of …

High School Completion Categories And Post-High School Plans As Predictors Of Ged Certificate Attainment In A Virginia Alternative Education Program, Joseph Knight

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractA state-wide Individual Student Alternative Education Plan (ISAEP) seeks to assist high school (HS) students at risk of not graduating in completing HS credentials. The problem was that there was no formal state-wide process for monitoring the program to understand its impact. The purpose of this quantitative exploratory study was to determine whether the graduation variables that were published by the state could be used to predict ISAEP GED attainment. The Theory of Action proposed by McPartland and Jordan guided two main research questions to see if ISAEP GED attainment could be predicted by categories of HS completion, and if …

Influence Of Medical Education Scholarships On Reducing Physician Shortages, Brendon L. La Grenade

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

For more than 44 years, the study site university and the Government of Grenada, a low- and middle-income country island, have collaborated to provide medical education scholarships for qualified citizens. These scholarships aim to provide an education pathway to medical school and a solution to the island’s physician shortage by having the scholarship recipients return to serve their country as physicians. However, the problem of a physician shortage persists because most recipients migrate to higher income countries, primarily the United States. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the perspectives of scholarship recipients and providers regarding how …

Exploring The Role Of Student Conduct Administrators In Holistic Student Development And Student Success, Lashan Lovelace

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Student conduct is a critical element of student development. The problem investigated by this study was that monetary fines as a punitive sanction tend to be overly represented in the student attrition group at the study site. The purpose of this study was to investigate how students and student conduct administrators (SCAs) at the study site perceive monetary sanctions and explore possible consequences of monetary sanctions on holistic student development and student success. The conceptual framework that guided this study was the model of transformational change for moral action. This study utilized a basic qualitative research design with research questions …

International Baccalaureate Teachers’ Perspectives On Integrating Approaches To Learning Skills To Enhance Transdisciplinary Learning, Nancy Macharia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

The International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum recognizes approaches to learning skills(ATLS) as an integral part of the Primary Years Programme (PYP) framework. This vital element of learning is designed to be embedded in the program standards and practices of the inquiry-based IB curriculum. After an evaluation visit by the IB school visit team members in 2017, a report was shared with the international primary school (IPS) study site located in Southeast Asia, which indicated that teachers were encountering challenges in consistent integration of ATLS to enhance transdisciplinary learning, which is the problem of this study. The purpose of this qualitative …

K-12 Administrators’ Perceptions Of Factors Contributing To Teacher Attrition In Rural Schools, Michelle Mcdonald

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teacher attrition is a debilitating problem that plagues education, contributes to the teacher shortage, and challenges administrators to staff schools with qualified teachers. The high teacher attrition rates in rural schools in the southeastern United States were the fundamental problem addressed in this qualitative case study. This qualitative case study's purpose was to explore how K–12 administrators perceived the factors influencing teacher attrition in a rural school district in the southeastern United States. Maslow's hierarchy of needs human motivation theory, emphasizing the concepts of the hierarchy of needs, provided support for the two research questions exploring K–12 school and district …

Influence Of An Afterschool Reading Program On Elementary Student Reading Achievement, Chapple Osborne-Arnold

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractMany elementary school students require and may benefit from supplemental reading support and interventions that can be provided by afterschool programs. The problem addressed in this study was that it was not known if third grade students benefited from an afterschool reading program in one East Tennessee District. The purpose of this quantitative study was to compare end of year scale scores on the Standardized Test for the Assessment of Reading (STAR) of third grade students who attended the afterschool reading program for 30 or more days and those who did not attend the afterschool reading program while controlling for …

Principals’ Perceptions Of How To Reduce Discipline Disparities For Black Students, Brandi Lee Pineda

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Disparity exists in disciplinary actions taken toward Black students compared to White students in the public schools of a county school district in a Southwest U.S. state. Successful school leadership practices are needed to minimize the disproportionality of Black students being expelled, suspended, and routed to the school-to-prison pipeline. The purpose of this basic qualitative case study was to explore school leaders’ perceptions of how to reduce the disciplinary actions taken with Black students in the public schools of a county school district in a Southwest U.S. state. The conceptual framework was critical race theory. The research questions addressed (a) …

The Relationship Between Kindergarten To Grade 8 Principals’ Epistemological Beliefs And School Success, Leland Stuart Sanford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although current research links teacher effectiveness and student success to epistemological beliefs, little is known about how those beliefs influence principal leadership and school success. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which epistemological beliefs of K-8 principals predict school success in a large U.S. metropolitan area (LMA). The theoretical framework was Perry’s theory of epistemological development and Schommer-Aikin’s theory of personal epistemology. In this quantitative correlational study, epistemological beliefs of K-8 principals were measured with the Schommer-Aikins Epistemological Belief Inventory and school success with School Quality Rating Policy (SQRP). Data were collected through a convenient …

U.S. High School Administrators’ Challenges In Creating Transgender Inclusive Policies, Kimberly Stilwill

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A gap in practice exists regarding the lack of inclusive policies in U.S. schools for transgender students. U.S. high school administrators experience challenges in creating inclusive policies that could potentially protect transgender students from being bullied or harassed. Guided by empowerment of minority students theory and minority stress theory, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the challenges U.S. high school administrators face in creating inclusive policies that protect transgender students from being bullied or harassed. Data were collected using semistructured interviews with 12 current high school administrators across the United States who have implemented transgender-inclusive policies. …

African American Women Leader Perspectives On Advancement Strategies In A Community College System, Laquanda Rena Thomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAfrican American women are not retained or advanced in the community college system, resulting in an underrepresentation of African American women in administrative decision-making roles. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to examine the experiences of African American female leaders in the community college setting and to explore the strategies that these women used to obtain these positions. Semistructured interviews were conducted with seven African American women in decision-making roles within a southeastern state’s community college system. Critical race theory and Black feminist theory helped to inform how race and gender impacted the selection of strategies used by …

Fidelity Of Implementation Of A Balanced Literacy Program In The Elementary Classroom, Shalonda Young

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe local problem is that literacy in the target school district continues to rank below the state average and the fidelity of implementation (FOI) of balanced literacy (BL) has not been addressed since BL was initiated in 2014 to address student literacy achievement. Teachers reported limited professional development (PD) and lack of motivation to implement BL as designed. The purpose of this basic qualitative research study was to explore elementary English language arts (ELA) teachers’ and support staff personnel’s perceptions of the FOI of a BL program in the target school district ELA classrooms to determine in what ways the …

Retention Of African American Male Teachers In Elementary And Middle Schools, Marla West

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe representation of African American male teachers in elementary urban schools has decreased. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to investigate administrators’ and African American male teachers’ perceptions of how administrators are challenged to support the retention of African American male teachers in elementary and middle schools in the focus urban school district. Social, cognitive, and transformational leadership theories were used as a framework to guide the study. Research questions addressed how administrators perceive the ways they support the retention of African American male teachers and how African American male teachers perceive that support. Purposeful sampling was used …

Elementary And Middle School Administrators’ Decisions About Professional Development For Bilingual Educators, Enid Montalvo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

K–8 school administrators are expected to provide professional development (PD) to bilingual teachers that will enhance instructional practices. PD is an important factor that may lead to student academic achievement. However, it was unclear in what ways K–8 administrators provided PD for bilingual teachers to enhance instructional practices for Latino English-language learners (ELL). The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore how K–8 administrators used reflective practices to identify ELL-focused PD for bilingual teachers within two Midwestern school districts. The conceptual framework for the current study was Schön’s theory of reflective practice. The guiding questions asked how K–8 …

Elementary Teachers’ Perceptions Of Professional Development Effectiveness, Justin C. Hose

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Through continuing education, educators improve their skills and become more proficient at their jobs. However, some educational leaders are unaware of the perception of teachers regarding professional development. Grounded in Desimone and Garet’s framework of best practices in teachers’ professional development, the purpose of this interpretive qualitative study was to compare that framework to what a sample of teachers believe is effective professional development based on their experiences. Data were interviews with 10 teachers with at least a year of experience in Virginia. The framework was used to compare the theory of what makes effective professional development to the actual …

An Exploration Of Medical Residency Program Managers Resolving International Medical Graduate Acculturation Challenges, Candice Melissa Love

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractInternational medical graduates (IMGs) undergo rigorous training and certification requirements for entry into medical residency programs in the United States. Despite having professional expertise and academic training, some IMGs experience acculturation challenges that negatively impact engagement and professional relationships during medical residency. Grounded in Berry’s Acculturation model and Portes and Zhou’s segmented assimilation model, the purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry was to explore the best practices medical residency program managers developed while leading IMGs. The participants consisted of 22 U.S. medical residency program managers, directors, and coordinators who had at least 3 years of experience managing IMGs. Participants responded …

Principal Supervisors Coaching Practices For Developing School Principals' Instructional Leadership Capacity, Jamila M. Mannie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Across the United States performance expectations of principal supervisors are shifting from a focus on compliance to a focus on instructional leadership development. The problem addressed in this study was that principal supervisors were applying feedback and coaching approaches inconsistently as they addressed school principals’ growth as instructional leaders. The conceptual framework was transformational leadership, through which leaders encourage, inspire, and motivate employees to innovate and create change that can help grow and shape future academic success for the students they serve. The research questions were designed to explore how principal supervisors provide feedback and coaching to develop school principals’ …

Developing Soft Skills: Faculty And Employer Perspectives And Recommendations, Naveen Ramnanan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many employers are concerned that recent business graduates lack expertise in soft skills needed to be effective in their professional roles. The COVID-19 pandemic has also highlighted the urgent need for workers with soft skills competence in communication, flexibility, and resilience. Guided by Goleman’s conceptual framework of emotional intelligence, this qualitative study examined potential solutions to reduce this gap among business graduates. The research questions investigated faculty and employer perceptions of and experiences with soft skills development and their recommendations to improve graduates’ soft skill proficiency. Eight semistructured interviews were conducted after purposeful sampling. The data were analyzed using open, …

Principals’ And Coaches’ Perspectives On Leadership Practices And Instructional Coaching, Shona Sandlin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Education reform is the driver for changes in principal leadership practices. Instructional coaching is a common lever used to meet reform mandates but has had inconsistent results. The problem in practice is little is known about how principals use leadership practices to establish effective instructional coaching in their school building. The conceptual framework used in this study was the distributive leadership framework, which was used to analyze how leadership skills are distributed throughout an organization to meet overall goals. In this study, the principals and the instructional coaches were asked to perceive and describe the principal’s leadership practices that influence …

Professional Dispositions And Perceptions Of Principals About Inclusion In Senior Secondary Schools, Desmond Prince, George Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractProviding inclusive education for children with special educational needs and disabilities entails educating these students in general education classrooms. There are no consistent practices or regulations for administering programs for such students in general education classrooms in Sierra Leone. This problem is supported by the lack of literature about administrative inclusive education practices. This basic qualitative study was conducted to explore the professional dispositions, perceptions, and rules or regulations that school principals hold for administering programs for students with special educational needs and disabilities in general education classrooms. The conceptual framework of the study was based on moral leadership and …

Leadership Practices Of K-12 Principals Regarding College And Career Ready Performance Index, Joyce Edwards Dean

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School principals are responsible for improving low College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) scores; however, little was understood about how K-12 school principals’ leadership practices were perceived to improve CCRPI scores in schools. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to examine the leadership practices of K-12 school principals to increase CCRPI scores in a Title I school district in the southeastern United States. The research question addressed the leadership practices of K-12 school principals that were intended to increase CCRPI scores in their Title I school district. The conceptual framework was the instructional leadership framework of Hallinger …

Administrators’ Perceptions Of Mindfulness Practices In Southeastern, Racially And Ethnically Diverse Urban Elementary Schools, Sakima Romero-Chandler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractMindfulness practices are increasingly used in schools; however, there is a gap in practice when it comes to their use. The problem investigated through this basic qualitative study was the implementation of school mindfulness practice (SMP) of elementary school administrators in a large, urban area in the southeast United States. The purpose of this project study was to understand urban elementary school administrators’ perceptions of the implementation of SMP in predominantly racially and ethnically diverse, urban elementary schools. The conceptual framework was the instructional leadership model of Murphey, Hallinger, Weil, and Mittman that emphasizes the importance of understanding administrative functions, …

Effective Educational Leadership Styles, Capabilities, Best Practices, Capacities, And Sustainable Strategies In Caribbean Countries, Finan Herbert Sabaroche

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractSecondary school leaders of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, a subgrouping of the Caribbean Community, were concerned with understanding and using effective leadership. The problem was that difficulties persisted in determining and applying the essential leadership features and related factors to influence and improve the learning outcomes. This generic qualitative study aimed to explore the features and leaders’ perceptions to understand and apply effective leadership to influence learning, school climate, and societal development outcomes in three Caribbean countries. The conceptual and empirical evidence and leaders’ perceptions of the features, factors, and archival data helped clarify the problem and guide …

Parental Involvement In College Application Decisions Of Low-Income Students, Felicia Nicole Simmons

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nearly 27% of free and reduced-priced meal (FARM) high school students in an eastern state graduated in 2016–2017. Of these students, about 50% enrolled in college within one year after high school graduation. The purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental correlational design study was to explore a possible reason for low college enrollment for FARM students by examining the relationship between parental involvement, FARM status, and low college application rates. The research question addressed the relationship between parental involvement, students’ FARM status, and the number of college applications. The theoretical framework was Epstein’s model of parental involvement, which is about how …

Challenges Faced By Executive Leaders At Schools For The Deaf, Michelle Therese Tanner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hiring and sustaining qualified executive leaders at schools and programs for the Deaf continue to be challenging for board members and communities. More information is needed to understand issues contributing to the retention and recruitment of these executive leaders. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand factors that contribute to retention and recruitment in these positions and to learn possible solutions for overcoming challenges. An economic labor market theory for superintendents informed the study. Data were collected via interviews with 11 executive leaders from public and private schools for the Deaf from different regions of the United …

Effects Of Educational Curricula On Recidivism In A Community-Based Correctional Facility, Todd Angello

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Recidivism in a community-based correctional facility (CBCF) was high. The average recidivism rate was 32.7%; however, in a Northeast Midwest U.S. state, the CBCF was 44%. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the effects of three educational curricula on recidivism at one CBCF. The Positive Reentry for Midwestern State Offenders certificate courses (vocational), the credit-bearing courses (college), the ASPIRE General Education Degree (GED), and no additional courses taken were tested on their predictive power of recidivism. The theoretical framework was Hirschi’s social bond theory. A binomial logistic regression was conducted to determine the effects of each …

Retention Of African American Male Teachers In Elementary And Middle Schools, Marla West

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe representation of African American male teachers in elementary urban schools has decreased. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to investigate administrators’ and African American male teachers’ perceptions of how administrators are challenged to support the retention of African American male teachers in elementary and middle schools in the focus urban school district. Social, cognitive, and transformational leadership theories were used as a framework to guide the study. Research questions addressed how administrators perceive the ways they support the retention of African American male teachers and how African American male teachers perceive that support. Purposeful sampling was used …

Retention Strategies To Ensure Financial Sustainability In Community Colleges, Claudia Yvette Provost

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractA rapid decline in student retention among community colleges reduces revenue and jeopardizes financial sustainability, meaning leaders of community colleges who lack strategies to retain students have lower revenue and financial sustainability. Grounded in the advocacy and participatory worldview conceptual framework, the purpose of this qualitative, single case study was to explore strategies leaders of community colleges used to increase student retention and revenues for achieving financial sustainability. A purposeful sampling of five leaders from a community college in Louisiana who successfully used strategies to increase student retention participated in this study. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and institutional …