Educational Administration and Supervision Commons^™

Block Scheduling For The 21st Century High School: A Change Leadership Plan, Tracey K. Landry

Dissertations

The needs of 21st Century learners require an overhaul in the way classroom instruction is organized and delivered. This Change Plan outlines how and why high schools may consider modifying the bell schedule to support needed change. The current high school structure was developed at the turn of the 20th Century, over 100 years ago, when the world was much smaller, and the vast majority of students did not go on to college or need advanced coursework to enter and compete in the workforce. Yet, this late 19th century concept is still the basic organizing structure of our modern day …

Advocating For Standards-Based Grading In A Suburban School District: A Policy Advocacy Document, Cody Huisman

Dissertations

This document focuses on a vision for “what ought to be,” in this case, a new grading system in a suburban district. The document takes the reader through numerous aspects of advocating for district-wide policy change. The vision for a new grading system is evaluated from several perspectives, such as: educational, economic, social, political, and moral, and ethical. Using publications and research from numerous practitioners, it was determined that a change to standards-based grading is the right decision for this district. This policy advocacy document shows the reader how to work through policy change from the beginning to the end, …

Perceptions Of The Effects Of Homework On Student Achievement At A Suburban Middle School: A Program Evaluation, Cody Huisman

Dissertations

The purpose of this program evaluation was to gain a clear understanding of how homework supports or deters the achievement of students, specifically the overall grade a student attains. This document details how students and teachers at a suburban Middle School perceive homework and its effect on student learning. The findings were that many students received failing grades in classes, primarily due to missing homework. The program evaluation used mixed methodology. Using survey and focus group results in conjunction with current literature, the conclusion revealed a need for homework policies that would support student learning without punishing students’ grades. Students …

A School District's Change To Standards-Based Grading: A Conduit To Student Learning, Perry A. Finch

Dissertations

Nothing can be more important in a student’s learning process than feedback. This study looks at what is needed to effectively guide an elementary school district from a traditional letter grade system to a standards-based grading system. Survey data were collected from 91 teachers across the district in order to measure their understanding of standards-based grading. A standards-based grading pilot was conducted with six teachers from the elementary and middle school level. Four of these six teachers participated in a group interview to share perceptions of this pilot. Survey data were collected from the 54 students involved in the pilot. …

Editor's Column, Jacob P.K. Gross

Journal of Student Financial Aid

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Competency-Based Education And Federal Student Aid, Stephen R. Porter

Journal of Student Financial Aid

Competency-based education is increasingly popular because of the flexibility it provides for students seeking a postsecondary credential. Current federal student aid, however, is geared toward supporting students in traditional, time-based degree programs. This paper discusses why current approaches to federal student aid are not supportive of competency-based degree programs and explores how federal statute and regulations could be changed, in ways that are not reliant on time and credit hours, to disburse aid to students while minimizing fraud.

Dr. Thelma Moore-Steward, 1948-2016, John M. Winslade

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

This is an obituary for Dr. Thelma Moore-Steward, professor of education at California State University San Bernardino who died in March 2016.

Update On School Searches, Charles J. Russo

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

School safety continues to present significant challenges for education leaders. Yet as educators work to maintain school safety, boards face a steady stream of litigation because officials have searched students suspected of putting themselves or others in danger. For example, students have been searched because they were suspected of bringing into schools such prohibited items as alcohol, weapons, and drugs.

Education leaders must develop up-to-date policies that ensure safety but that also comply with the Fourth Amendment’s prohibition of unreasonable searches and seizures.

Implementing Standards-Based Grading In A Suburban Middle School: A Change Leadership Plan, Cody Huisman

Dissertations

The purpose of the Change Leadership Plan was to describe a current issue facing a school district, creating a vision of change to end that obstacle. In the case of this particular change plan, the problem is the traditional grading system at a suburban middle school. The plan advocates for a change to a standards-based grading system. Several steps describing change are examined: describing the current situation, conducting research to support change, and designing a vision of what success will look like after standards-based grading is established. The research conducted was done through both surveys and group interviews. Research participants …

Leadership Development For School Principals: An Adult Learning Perspective, Hyun-Jun Joo, Taeyeon Kim

Department of Educational Administration: Faculty Publications

Although research has increasingly recognized the importance of principal leadership development for school reform, both the content and delivery system continues to be open to debate. In this paper, we review school principal leadership development and provide a conceptual framework for developing school principal leadership based on adult learning theories. We conceptualize school principals as adult educators and adult learners based on key assumptions of adult learning theories. School principals are understood as both adult educators and adult learners in that they need to develop their leadership as well as support teachers’ learning in the context of professional development. Relying …

Principals’ Perspectives On The Roles And Skills Of School Psychologists, Jill Mccaslin-Timmons

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Despite decades of literature on how school psychologists could be utilized to better meet needs in school, the way a school psychologist is used still varies and schools still admit that they have unmet needs. Teachers and administrators ask for more staff to help support student needs while taxpayers want to know why more staff are needed. The purpose of this study was to develop an understanding of principal perspectives on the roles and skills of school psychologists in order to better understand why roles vary, what barriers exist and what can be done to help both school psychologists and …

The Impact Of Moving From Two-Person To Four-Person Teams On Seventh-Grade Students’ Attitudes And Beliefs Towards School, Zachary B. Sedgwick

All NMU Master's Theses

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine the impact moving seventh-grade students from two-person to four-person teams had on students’ attitudes and beliefs towards school. The review of literature provided the reader a brief analysis of the history of the middle school philosophy and teaming, recommendations for schools to address the unique needs of early adolescents, a review of key literature regarding middle level programing and structure, and a discussion highlighting the importance and impact of smaller learning communities. Two main theories makeup the framework for this report: Social Cognitive Theory and Human Relations Theory. The …

Effective School Leadership Practices In Schools With Positive Climates In The Age Of High-Stakes Teacher Evaluations, Kristina M. Hansen

All NMU Master's Theses

The purpose of this research project was to understand the leadership practices and characteristics of school leaders within schools identified as having a positive school climate. In this qualitative study, three focus groups of teachers were interviewed and asked a series of questions about their principals’ professional practices and characteristics. The building principals from these schools were also interviewed individually. These responses were scripted and analyzed using an open-coding model and then compared to recent educational leadership literature. Key findings from this research include professional practices and characteristics of principals in schools with positive climate, as well as recommendations for …

The Perceptions Of Northeast Tennessee Educators Regarding Arts Integration, Philip A. Wright

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the perceptions of Northeast Tennessee Educators regarding arts integration. Specifically this study was an examination of the perceptions of district and K-8 school level administrators, K-8 general classroom teachers of math, science, social studies, or literacy, and K-8 arts specialists of dance, drama, music, or visual arts. Nine school districts in Northeast Tennessee agreed to participate in the study. Data were collected through an online survey system, SurveyMonkey.com. Data from 179 participants were used in the study. Seventeen items from the survey were measured on a 5-point Likert scale. Those items …

Elementary Principal Perceptions Of The Tennessee Educator Acceleration Model, Jason W. Vance

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Tennessee Educator Acceleration Model (TEAM) had been in a state of reform since being awarded the Race to the Top Grant. Few teachers admit that an evaluation influenced them significantly; additionally, few administrators agreed that when they evaluated a teacher, it did not significantly affect the teacher or students. The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine the perceptions of building‑level principals regarding the effectiveness (i.e., increased teacher participation and quality) and efficiency (i.e., produces the required results) of the TEAM in regard to teacher evaluations. Four elementary school principals from East Tennessee participated in the study. The …

A Study Of The Perceptions Of Racial Equity In One Early Childhood Education Program, Dawn M. Meskil

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although public education in the United States has had remarkable growth and improvement since its beginning, significant inadequacies concerning racial equity continue to cast a shadow on the system. Despite desegregation efforts and specific attention to providing integrated school settings there has been little progress in establishing educational justice. The purpose of this case study was to uncover perceptions about racial inequity within Asheville City Schools as well as potential facilitators of equity. A qualitative case study using 10 guiding research questions was conducted to evaluate the perceptions of parents as well as educators at Asheville City Schools Preschool regarding …

An Investigation Of Perceived Principal Stress And Its Impact On Principals In Southwest Georgia, Dorothy Young Ingram

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to determine to what extent southwest Georgia principals perceive they are stressed, identify principal stressors and how the stressors impact the principals’ work. Principals are leaders of school building who are experiencing increased stress. Therefore; it is important to understand what causes principal stress as well as how the stressors impact principal work. Principals are expected to maintain building safety, student safety, student achievement, retention of quality teachers, as well as act as instructional leaders. The mixed method study of public elementary school principals was conducted in four southwest Georgia school districts. The researcher …

Professional School Counselors : Integral Stakeholders In The Recruitment, Retention, And Support Of African American, Latino, And Low-Income Students In Advanced Placement Programs., Damien Sweeney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Numerous studies have been conducted that show the importance of diversifying Advanced Placement Courses. However, Griffin and Steen (2011) state that: Despite a vast body of literature that stresses the importance of school counselors in addressing inequities that exists in schools, few articles provide concrete strategies that school counselors can infuse in their practice. More research is warranted because many school counselors face barriers when trying to implement systemic change in the schools. (p. 76) This qualitative research study is based on a collective phenomenological case study of six participants (five Professional School Counselors and one Director of School Counselors) …

The Relationships Between School Climate, Teacher Self-Efficacy, And Teacher Beliefs, Paige Lacks

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study examined the relationship between school climate, teacher self-efficacy, and teacher beliefs. Teachers at two middle schools in rural southern Virginia participated in the study. Middle school teachers were surveyed using the School Climate Index to collect information about teacher-perceived views on their school’s climate and the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale to gather information about teacher self-efficacy. Pearson Product-Moment Correlations were used to measure the relationship between school climate and teacher self-efficacy as well as teacher self-efficacy and four teacher-perceived climate factors, including collegial leadership, teacher professionalism, academic press, and community engagement. Data analysis did not provide …

The Experiences Of University Faculty Expected To Implement Edtpa Within A Teacher Preparation Program, Lance Kilpatrick

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to examine the experiences of university faculty expected to implement a teacher performance assessment called edTPA within a teacher preparation program. This study synthesized the experiences university faculty members have when preparing and implementing the edTPA. A deep examination of 12 university faculty members who teach in teacher preparation programs in a Midwestern state where the edTPA is required for licensure offer their experience through a questionnaire, an individual interview, and a focus group interview. The data were collected, organized, and analyzed by employing transcendental phenomenological systematic data analysis procedures positioned to …

Examining Exemplary P-20 Partnerships Using A Mixed Methods Approach, Elizabeth Erin Smith

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Historically, P-12 schools and institutions of higher education have operated independently of each other, creating a gap that acts as a barrier between high school and postsecondary institutions. This gap is blamed for many societal issues including high college remediation rates, low college-going rates among minority groups, and low six-year college graduation rates. P-20 partnerships, agreements between P-12 schools and institutions of higher education with the purpose of improving the P-20 education system, have emerged as a way to address these problems.

From laboratory schools in the 19th century to modern-day professional development schools, P-20 partnerships in teacher education have …

Transformative Leadership: A Case Study Of Schools In A Network Designed To Improve Turnaround Schools, Ivan James Duran

Educational Leadership and Policy Studies: Doctoral Research Projects

This summary presents the findings of professional research conducted over one year by a doctoral student working in an urban school district. The purpose of this research was to examine the perceptions of school leaders and teachers in two turnaround school networks that used different approaches to improving student learning outcomes. The goal was to compare one network's approach with the other network's approach to assess what factors leaders and teachers perceived to make a difference in improving student achievement in turnaround schools. One network focused on addressing the turnaround challenge through transformative leadership theory, which includes the following tenets: …

Elementary School Tvaas Composites: A Comparison Between Title I Elementary Schools And Non-Title I Elementary Schools In Tennessee, Anthony W. Padelski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The goal of Title I is to provide extra instructional services and activities that support students identified as failing or most at risk of failing the state’s challenging performance standards in mathematics, reading, and writing. Low-income schools or Title I schools are the primary target of Title I funds. A school is eligible for Title I status when 40% of the school’s students are from low income families; these students are identified by their eligibility to receive free and reduced priced meals.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a significant difference in elementary schools’ TVAAS …

Managing One-To-One Initiatives: Implementation Analysis Through Expert Elicitation, Jordan R. Selvidge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A qualitative phenomenological study was conducted to identify and analyze issues in the implementation of one-to-one computing initiatives and provide solutions for improvement. An understanding of the implementation process was developed through the analysis of data collected through 27 interviews with teacher experts in the field who have worked with the implementation of one-to-one programs. Teachers were purposely selected from the following groups: those who were completing their first year of teaching, those who had between two and ten years of teaching experience, and those who had eleven plus years of total teaching experience. This study distinctly addresses one-to-one initiatives …

Teacher-Created Student Growth Assessments Used For Teacher Evaluation And The Effects On Teacher Efficacy, Perry A. Finch

Dissertations

The landscape surrounding teacher evaluation is changing as teacher accountability becomes more prevalent in this process. This study looks at how teacher-created student growth assessments (SGAs) for teacher evaluation affects teacher efficacy with respect to instructional practice. Survey data were collected from 110 kindergarten through eighth-grade teachers; additional data were gathered from three interviews. A majority of these teachers reported the work in creating SGAs benefitted their instructional practice. Teachers reported increased knowledge in learning standards, curriculum development, and assessment literacy as a result of creating their own SGAs. Qualitative findings suggest that when teachers are provided an opportunity to …

The Case For Cultural Proficiency For Teachers Of Students Of Color Who Live In Poverty: A Policy Advocacy Document, Perry A. Finch

Dissertations

This document explores how expanding educators’ cultural proficiency leads to increased learning opportunities for students of color who live in poverty. Through the development of culturally responsive curriculum and instruction, teachers might increase their abilities to meet the needs of previously disenfranchised students. A connection exists between differentiated instruction and culturally responsive instruction, as both require a heightened understanding of students’ schema, interests, and culture. This policy argues that increasing educators’ cultural proficiency should not be done simply to increase teacher effectiveness with instruction but rather because it is a moral obligation of schools.

Perceived Leadership Practices Across Two Generations Of Community College Deans: “Baby Boomers” And Generation Xers”, Donna J. Mccauley

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to examine what Illinois community college academic deans perceive to be important leadership practices to enhance faculty effectiveness. A sequential mixed-method study was performed with academic deans at Illinois community colleges across the state. In Phase I of the study, 70 of the 164 academic deans in Illinois completed an anonymous online survey ranking importance of leadership practices that enhance faculty effectiveness. Eight of the academic deans who are Generation X volunteered to participate in the second phase of the study which consisted of in-depth, one-on-one interviews to identify what leadership practices they …

Transfer Student Experiences At A Four-Year University, Virginia Kay Stewart-Hattar

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

In recent years attention has been concentrated on the experiences of traditional college students, with very little research or attention on the experiences of transfer students. The purpose of this causal comparative mixed-methods study was to describe the experiences of transfer students who engage in the experiential learning activities of service learning and/or internship activities at a four-year public Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) in the Inland Empire. Relationships were found between transfer students who participated in service learning and/or internship activities and those transfer students who did not participate in those activities on the following: level of satisfaction with their …

Increasing Superintendent Longevity In Kansas, Cory Lee Gibson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study aims to illuminate the factors that may impact a superintendent’s longevity in the same district. Specifically, this study is motivated by four research questions: (1) What factors do superintendents in Kansas attribute to remaining in the same position greater than six years? (2) What factors do superintendents in Kansas attribute as the causes for leaving a district? (3) What is the current level of satisfaction of Kansas school superintendents within their current roles? and (4) What are some changes in policy or practice that may increase superintendent longevity in Kansas?

According to Dale Dennis, Kansas Deputy Commissioner of …

Meeting Minutes, Wku Council On Academic Deans

Council of Academic Deans

Meeting regarding tuition waivers, library budget, distinguished professors, sabbaticals and student residency.