Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration Commons^™

A Relational Study Of Elementary Principals' Leadership Traits, Teacher Morale, And School Performance, Carla Jean Raines Evers

Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to determine if a significant relationship existed between elementary principals' leadership traits and teacher morale. The study sought to identify the impact of the principal-teacher relationship on school achievement as it relates to student performance on state standards as outlined in the Mississippi state academic frameworks and as measured using the Quality of the Distribution Index (QDI) on the Mississippi state end-of-grade test, Mississippi Curriculum Test, Second Edition (MCT2). The end-of-year assessments, collectively known as MCT2: Reading-Language Arts and Mathematics, administered to students in grades 3 through 8 in the spring of each school …

Fostering Positive Classroom Environments: The Relationship Between Teacher Qualifications, Facility Management, And Perceptions Of Leadership On Student Outcomes, Bryan Allan Marshall

Dissertations

This study attempted to determine the effectiveness of schools that have highly qualified teachers, along with a well managed facility, and the administration’s perception of the leadership role as an instructional specialist on the outcomes that students displayed. Also, the relationship between two instruments used to determine the quality of school facilities was measured. The findings of this study indicated that all three factors used to determine teacher quality had significant relationship at the .05 alpha level to QDI or Quality Distribution Index. The three categories were teacher advanced degree, teacher national board certification, and teacher highly qualified status. For …

How Do Teacher Qualifications Impact Student Achievement In Relation To The Achievement Model Established By The Mississippi Department Of Education?, Timothy Darren Holland

Dissertations

The following study was conducted in a six-county geographical region and involved teachers from various high schools that taught classes which were involved in the subject area testing program. Each participant taught one of the four state-mandated subject area classes that are tested to determine achievement levels and accreditation ratings for each high school.

The focus of the study was to collect information from each teacher regarding the qualifications they held during the 2009-2010 school year and to compare those qualifications with the mean scale score for each teacher’s subject area classes. The researcher focused on five separate teacher qualifications …

An Investigation Of Support, Goals, And Incentives Among Minority And Nonminority National Board Certified Teachers, Melissa Salana Collins

Dissertations

National Board Professional for Teaching Standards play a pivotal role in the classroom of National Board Certified Teachers (NBCT). NBCTs have been recognized for increasing student achievement. There are more than 90,000 NBCTs in schools across the United States, but the ratio of nonminority to minority NBCTs, according to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards report of 2004, was 89% to 11%. The intent of this study was to examine the levels of support among minority and nonminority NBCTs to determine which combination of support factors and incentives would best predict the successful completion of the NBCT process by …

Teacher Professional Development And Its Effects On Reading Instruction, Kristen Lea Suarez

Dissertations

The world of education is an ever-evolving profession. We, as a society, have learned so much about education and how we can better benefit our students. Students depend on education to equip them with the tools needed to become successful. This dissertation addresses the need for and adequacy of today’s teacher professional development in Reading instruction and how that training can translate into more meaningful classroom education.

The writer surveyed elementary Reading teachers in grades 3-6 from two school districts in southern Mississippi to determine their perceptions concerning various elements of the professional development training they received during the 2009-2010 …

Does A Co-Learner Delivery Model In A Mathematics Methods Course Affect Pre-Service Teacher Candidates’ Self-Efficacy In Teaching Mathematics?,, John J. Ribeiro, Denise Demagistris

Teacher Education

This study is related to a previous study (Ribeiro, 2009) that examined teachers’ perceptions of teaching self-efficacy. In the first study the sample consisted of two groups of teachers that took the same professional development course in mathematics. The comparison group took the course in their school district with other teachers and the experimental group took the course with pre-service teachers in a university classroom. After completing the course, both groups were measured in three dimensions of teaching self-efficacy: student engagement, instructional strategies, and classroom climate. Findings indicated that although both groups had significant gains in self-efficacy toward teaching mathematics …

Exploring Student Perceptions To Explain The Relationship Between Physical Activity And Academic Achievement In Adolescents: A Mixed Methods Study, Megan J. Hylok

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

A nationwide survey conducted by the Center for Disease Control in 2007 reported 65% of high school students did not meet the recommendation that youth participate in at least 60 minutes of physical activity most days of the week (CDC, 2008). While research has focused its attention primarily on bodily health, growing evidence supports the benefits of physical activity on brain health (Ratey & Hagerman, 2008). Physical activity is important and many adolescents are not meeting the recommendation, therefore, it is important to explore the adolescent perceptions to understand which factors influence physical activity participation. The significance of this study …

Cogent Leadership: Transitioning To Professional Learning Communities, Donna Markiewicz

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between traditional professional development and the implementation of professional learning communities (PLCs) in one suburban middle school in New Jersey. A mixed-methods approach was used to gather data. Quantitative and qualitative results were gathered from surveys from teachers (N=59) that attended the in-house professional development workshops. Twenty interviews were also used to gather data on the teacher perspective. Most of the teachers appreciated the paradigm shift from traditional professional development to a more collaborative model. They appreciated the time to work in their professional learning communities to develop common goals …

Autokinetics: A Group Intervention To Mitigate At-Risk Behaviors In Adolescents, Christine Abrahams

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores whether introducing autokinetics (self-movement) to at-risk sophomore and junior high school students would increase their self-concept, school connectedness, perception of their academic performance, and GPA. In this study, at-risk' students are defined as students who have possible drug and alcohol problems, come from single parent households, have social issues at school, and/or come from difficult family situations. The research was conducted in small groups of eight to ten students over a six-month period. The two experimental and two control groups were randomly selected. All four groups attended a forty-minute weekly group session while autokinesis was used only …

Program Evaluation Of Universal Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports In Kentucky, Kelly S. Davis

Dissertations

The current study was undertaken to examine the impact of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) implementation on schools in Kentucky. Research questions evaluated (a) whether schools in Kentucky implemented PBIS with fidelity and (b) how PBIS implementation impacted student outcomes. Results of the study indicated that elementary, middle, and high schools implemented PBIS with fidelity. Associations were noted between PBIS implementation and decreases in office discipline referrals, out-of-school suspensions, dropout rate, and student retention rate. Results suggested that the PBIS model of training and technical assistance used in Kentucky demonstrates a reliable model for schools to follow to implement …

School Administrator And Parent Perceptions Of School, Family, And Community Partnerships In Middle School: A Mixed Methods Study, Jackie Leblanc

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to identify, analyze, and compare the perceptions of parents and school administrators in regard to school-family partnerships in three middle schools in the State of Louisiana. The study investigated the similarities and dissimilarities between parent and school administrator perceptions, probed to determine underlying factors that may lead to apparent discrepancies, and solicited recommendations for improvements from parents and administrators. The study was based on Epstein's Six Types of Involvement framework which cites six specific areas of parental-school-community partnerships and explains how each component affects the educational process of students (Epstein, 1995; Epstein, et al., …

Getting The Girls To School: The Community Schools Project In Gilgit-Baltistan Of Pakistan, Mola Dad Shafa

Professional Development Centre, Gilgit

This paper reviews a ten-year, two-phase educational project that, amongst its main aims, attempted to increase significantly the enrolment of girls in schools. After discussing the constraints on the lives of females in the region, the paper analyses the effects of the project on enrolment. Although girls’ enrolment doubled, a large proportion of girls remained out of school and the drop-out rate of girls was significantly higher than that of boys. The paper examines the reasons for these trends and suggests that, contrary to some expectations, many parents are willing to send their girls to school, but only under strictly …

Keeping The Lid On Charter Schools: Capping And The Politics Of Education Reform In Connecticut, Lesley A. Denardis

Political Science & Global Affairs Faculty Publications

Charter schools, public schools that operate with greater autonomy than their traditional counterparts, first opened in Minnesota in 1991. Between 1991 and 2010, they spread to 40 states and the District of Columbia. In recent months, they have received renewed policy attention under the Obama administration’s Race to the Top competitive federal grant program which rewarded states for educational innovation including the creation of charter schools. While experiencing impressive growth, charter schools lag behind traditional public schools in size and in number, accounting for only 2.9% of the total public school population nationwide. State factors that are predictive of a …

Middle School Academic Performance: An Exploratory Analysis Of The Fulton County School District, Martina Madison

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects (Full IR Collection)

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact that race and economic status have on middle school academic performance in the Fulton County School District. Descriptive statistics were used to critically analyze how these demographic variables affect middle school academic performance. The mean Criterion Reference Competency Test (CRCT) scores in mathematics and reading were recorded for each of the 22 middle schools in Fulton County from 2006 to 2009 and compared according to race and economic level. The results were grouped together by grade, year, and test subject in order to find trends that occurred over the past …

Principal's Preparation Program: Managing The Learning Environment Using Elcc Standards, J. Eric Tubbs, Michael S. Heard, Adrian L. Epps

Faculty Articles

School principals need to be well prepared to manage school facilities assigned to their care. Educational leadership programs can make best use of the Educational Leadership Constituent Council (ELCC) Standards to develop a course of study to address school facility management issues. Every standard has its facility implications that lead to designing course activities to prepare school principals to be facility managers. A school facility management course can be effectively delivered by meeting all ELCC Standards.

Exploring A Paperless Business Administrative System (Bas) Implementation In A K-12 School, Marwan M. Issa

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The primary purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate how a paperless BAS can affect the overall performance of a school’s administrative activities. The research included direct observation, survey questionnaires, document review, and both structured and unstructured interviews.

The selected school, a K-12 charter school, was an ideal candidate for this study as it allowed unrestricted access. The effects of the move to a paperless BAS were overwhelmingly positive. These effects included enabling employees to complete their resource requests more speedily and accurately. The implementation also incorporated “smart” forms that did not allow users to submit incomplete forms. Employees …

Year-Round Calendars At The High School Level, Matthew Nohner

Mathematics Graduate Theses

The purpose of this paper is to explore the effects of a year round calendar on math scores at the high school level. Students forget facts, especially math facts, over long extended breaks. Year round calendars aim to address this dilemma by minimizing long breaks from learning. The results of year round calendars have been mixed. Some schools have reported both academic and monetary gains after switching from a traditional calendar, while other schools have seen modest gains in student learning. All studies cited in this paper report that at-risk and low socioeconomic students benefit academically from a year round …

Report On The Chelsea School Nursing Program, Edward J. Collins, Jr. Center For Public Management, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Edward J. Collins Center for Public Management Publications

At the request of the Chelsea Public Schools, the Collins Center conducted an analysis of the school health services delivery system. The research included: (1) Review of City and School documents, (2) Interviews and on‐site visits, (3) Review of related research, and (4) Conversations with other experts. Like most urban school systems, Chelsea is facing the challenges of increased educational, social, and health care needs of its students and dwindling financial resources. Despite this, it was clear that the nurses and staff care deeply about their work and the children they serve. An innovative and cooperative network within each school …

Change Agents’ Orientations To Change: Experience From Pakistan, Mir Afzal Tajik

Professional Development Centre, Chitral

In this article, I report on a qualitative study conducted in the rural, mountain district of Chitral, Pakistan. The study examined 5 Teacher Educators (TEs’) specific actions and methods (strategies) and their underlying assumptions and core values (orientations) of change in schools. These TEs work as change agents in the schools established by the Aga Khan Education Service, Pakistan (AKES,P) in partnership with local communities. The TEs’ mandate from AKES,P insists that educational change and community development must go hand-in-hand. They therefore play a unique role as both educational reformers and community developers, stimulating change in schools on the one …

Susan Miller Dorsey (1857-1946): Trailblazer For Women School Superintendents, Joseph Steven Strickland, Samuel J. Smith

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Though women are increasingly breaking the glass ceiling into the position of school superintendent, the profession continues to be predominately occupied by men. More historical biographs of successful female superintendents may encourage women to pursue the role. To that end, this study examined the impact of a progressive-era trailblazer for women in educational leadership, Susan Miller Dorsey, superintendent of Los Angeles City Schools from 1920 to 1929. Two critical questions were addressed: What factors influenced Dorsey? Can her experiences in administration reveal any critical influences for present-day female teachers who pursue administrative positions?

Cultivating Knowledge In The School Garden: New Ways Of Teaching Literacy To Esl Students, Michele Durivage

MA TESOL Collection

My thesis project includes a combination of materials development and classroom-based research. In my paper, I explore existing garden-related curricula, and create original garden-based lesson plans to teach literacy to fourth grade ESL students. This curriculum development project contributes to the field of ESL in its innovative garden-based pedagogy. The field study took place during the spring semester of 2009 at Increase Miller Elementary School in Westchester County, New York. Using nature as inspiration for writing descriptive essays and poetry, the ESL students at Increase Miller produced imaginative writing pieces, using their own voices to express their thoughts. The students’ …

An Investigation Of The Emotional Intelligence Competencies Of National Middle Schools To Watch Principals, Michele Reynolds

Online Theses and Dissertations

The link between emotional intelligence and successful leadership in all organizations, including schools, is becoming stronger as new research is continually added to the field. Although it has already been established that emotionally intelligent leaders have a positive impact on the performance of their organization, research on the emotional intelligence specific to leaders of high-achieving middle schools is still evolving. Since emotional intelligence is a learned trait, this is especially important at the middle school level, where our nations' middle school students are falling woefully behind the majority of their international counterparts.

The purpose of this study is to investigate …

Effective Professional Development Practices For Adult Educators, Jessica Lureen Mcgee

All Graduate Projects

Professional development has evolved from a one day workshop that is isolated from the school setting, into a process that is on-going based at the school site. In order for professional development to be effective in the school environment, administrators need to take adult learners' needs into account when planning training. Professional development needs to be ongoing in the school setting, meeting the needs of the adult learners and evaluated by its effects on student achievement. The administrator is an instructional leader who provides support for staff to continue their growth. This handbook will provide administrators with resources to assist …

A Relationship Among Public School Leadership, Ethics, And Student Achievement, Don Jones, Christopher Hughes

Walden Faculty and Staff Publications

ABSTRACT

Historically, it has always been important for school leaders to possess and adhere to high ethical standards. Ethical standards, when demonstrated by school leaders, inspire trust within students, parents and the community in general. This in turn builds support for the school and establishes an environment that is conducive to success.

However, with the advent of NCLB and high stakes testing, the pressure on schools to demonstrate improved student achievement has accelerated. Hence, the need for ethical leadership practices within public schools has never been greater. Yet, while much has been done to examine the relationship of various instructional …

Exploring Problem Based Learning To Promote 21st Century Learning Skills In Full Day Kindergarten, Jillian M. Tsoukalas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The kindergarten program at the study site transitioned from half day to full day, yet the curriculum was not updated to accommodate the full day schedule, or to include best practices. In order to prepare learners for their future in education, activities were implemented to determine how problem based learning can promote acquisition of the 21st century learning skills. The purpose of this qualitative study was to create and implement an effective, full day curriculum that promotes 21st century learning skills for kindergarten students. This project, rooted in constructivism which allows for active and social learning, supplements the existing half …

Effects Of Single-Gender Classes On Student Literacy And Engagement, Jacqueline Button

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Empirical evidence substantiating the effectiveness of engagement programs to support at-risk students is virtually nonexistent. In an attempt to improve student engagement and literacy for Grade 9 students enrolled in a developmental curriculum known as the essential-level program, the staff at one school implemented single-gender classes during the 2010--2011 school year. This project study was designed as a summative, goals-based, quantitative program evaluation to assess the effectiveness of the first-year single-gender program based on its stated goals and objectives. A purposive sample of 45 students, 6 teachers, and 2 educational assistants in the essential-level program was used to collect pretest …

Middle School Mathematics Students' Perspectives On The Study Of Mathematics, Christy H. Vaughn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative study addressed the perceptions toward the study of mathematics by middle school students who had formerly been in a remedial mathematics program. The purpose of the study was to explore the past experiences of nine students in order to determine what is needed for them to feel successful in mathematics. The conceptual framework of the study was grounded in philosophies of motivation, including achievement goal theory, self-worth theory, self-efficacy theory, expectancy-value theory, and attribution theory. The study used a phenomenological research design to answer the key research question, which focused upon the experiences of students and the meaning …

Examining The Impact Of Teacher Perceptions Of Barriers Of Parental Involvement, Frankie V. Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

One school in a Western United States was recently rated academically unacceptable by the state. That same school had an inactive Parent as Teachers organization, and teachers expressed concerns regarding low parental involvement. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the impact of teacher perceptions of barriers to parental involvement. Epstein's model of parental involvement was the theoretical framework for this study. The research questions focused on identifying perceived parental involvement barriers from the perspective of teachers and suggesting viable solutions to address these perceived barriers. This case study involved interviewing 8 elementary school teachers. Data analysis …

One Rural School's Initial Efforts To Assist Teachers In Improving Student Outcomes, Brenda R. Gingerich

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Across the United States, student achievement is a concern. The local district under study is not meeting adequate yearly progress (AYP), a standard initiated by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), which schools are expected to attain to avoid sanctions. The district's students are performing lower than state average on the state's standardized test, and the district wants to increase teachers' knowledge and use of differentiated instruction (DI). The purpose of this study was to describe teachers' DI practices, create a project that may increase the implementation of DI, and recommend further study to seek correlations between teachers' use …

Evaluation Of A Remedial Educational Program At A Southern Suburban Middle School, Mary K. Mills

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No Child Left Behind (NCLB) mandates that students be measured yearly on standardized state tests, rather than on classwork, to show adequate academic growth. During the 2007--2008 school year, 38% of eighth graders in one state failed the math portion of the Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT). The purpose of this quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest control-group study was to determine if there was a significant difference in CRCT scores between at-risk eighth-grade math students receiving instruction in (a) the Remedial Education Program (REP) and in (b) the regular program. The theoretical base for this study included Piaget's concrete operational theory, constructivist theory, …