Educational Leadership Commons^™

The New Arkansas School Performance Report, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter

Policy Briefs

The Arkansas Department of Education has just released the Arkansas School Performance Report, a yearly report on academic achievement in all of Arkansas’ schools.1 One important addition to the Report this year is an academic improvement rating for all elementary and middle schools in the state. This rating should be of interest to all school observers who desire more nuanced information about school and student performance than is provided in commonly used school performance indices, such as the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) rating. We applaud the Arkansas Department of Education for collecting and releasing this invaluable information on student growth.

Koinonia, Connie Horton, Mark Davis, Eric Lowdermilk, Justin Heth, Caleb Farmer, Sharon Virkler, Philip D. Byers, David M. Johnstone, Jeff Rioux, Joshua Canada, Nicole Braddock Bromley, Kim Stave

Koinonia

Best Practices Features
Students of Concern Committee: Coordinating Care, Connie Horton and Mark Davis

Want to Change Student Culture on Your Campus? Do the CORE!, Eric Lowdermilk

Spotlight Features
You Only Get 1 Up, Justin Heth and Caleb Farmer

The Season, Sharon Virkler

Book Reviews
The Future of Christian Learning: An Evangelical and Catholic Dialogue (by Mark Noll and James Turner), reviewed by Philip D. Byers

Restoring Rebecca: A Story of Traumatic Stress, Caregiving and the Unmasking of a Superhero (by Christopher Marchand), reviewed by David M. Johnstone

A Review of Culture Making: Recovering our Creative Calling (by Andy Crouch), …

Systemic And Personal Change: A Retrospective Case Study Of Balanced Literacy Implementation As Perceived By Those Involved, Donna J. Anderson

Dissertations

This retrospective critical case study was conducted to learn more about teacher perceptions of deep, systemic change experiences. This study examined the successful implementation of a balanced literacy program at one Title I elementary school several years after completion of the implementation period. Participants were teachers who reflected on their experiences with the balanced literacy initiative implementation and discussed personal change associated with their experiences. Analysis isolated elements of teachers' recollected experience and compared those elements with factors that previous research has associated with successful change. Additionally, this study explored the lasting effects the experience of being a part of …

No.2, April 2009: Vision As An Impetus For Success: Perspectives Of Site Principals, Franca Dell'olio Ed.D., Kristen Anguiano

Education and Policy Briefs

Findings from the first two years of a 3-year evaluation of the PROMISE Model pilot are presented in this policy brief that seeks to understand the extent to which school principals know, understand, and act upon research-based principles for English Language Learners (ELL) and their intersection with the California Professional Standards for Educational Leadership related to promoting ELL success. Surveys and focus groups were used to gather data from school principals at fifteen schools throughout Southern California including early childhood, elementary, middle, and high schools. School principals identified several areas where PROMISE serves as a beacon of hope in promoting …

Review Of 'Handbook Of Multicultural Assessment: Clinical, Psychological, And Educational Applications', Susan C. Davies

Counselor Education and Human Services Faculty Publications

The third edition of Suzuki and Ponterotto’s Handbook of Multicultural Assessment: Clinical, Psychological, and Educational Applications provides comprehensive reviews on a variety of topics related to culturally appropriate assessment. The text includes updated chapters from previous editions, along with several newly conceptualized chapters that reflect the most current research in the field. Some chapters from previous editions were consolidated, resulting in a streamlined volume which will be useful to professionals and trainees in psychology, education, and social service disciplines.

Teacher Retention: Program Evaluation Of A Beginning Teacher And Mentor Program, Janet B. Anthony

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation evaluated a beginning teacher induction and mentor program currently used in a rural, county school system in western North Carolina and its effectiveness in the retention of teachers. The system has 29 schools, around 16,690 students, and employs approximately 1200 certified staff members. Using the CIPP Evaluation Model with a formative approach, information was gathered about the conditions that necessitated the program, procedures and practices used by the system to provide support and assistance to beginning teachers, whether or not established processes were being followed, and the impact of the program on beginning teacher retention. Individual and focus …

Case Study: The Effect Of The Implementation Of Professional Learning Communities On Teacher Behaviors At Two Elementary Schools, Rachel N. Clarke

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the impact of the implementation of a Professional Learning Community (PLC) model on teacher behaviors in two elementary schools. The research questions underlying and providing a research framework for the study were as follows: How does establishing a PLC change teacher instructional behavior? How does the implementation of a PLC encourage teacher professional growth? How do grade level meetings affect the instructional behavior of classroom teachers?

Written documentation and perceptions of principals and teachers, solicited through interviews and focus groups, were used to provide data for the study, along with survey data and grade level meeting documentation. …

Koinonia, Larry Crabb, Jesse Brown, Steven M. Conn, Michael Santarosa, Stephanie Santarosa, Steve Ivester, Kyle Lantz, Nathan Geer, Andrew D. Rowell

Koinonia

Spotlight Features
Sovereign Stumbling: My Life Journey to Date, Larry Crabb

Conversations About Racism, Jessie Brown

Anxiety: A Growing Problem in College Students, Steven M. Conn

Thinking Theologically
Teaching the Truth, Michael and Stephanie Santarosa

Book Reviews
Kingdom Triangle: Recover the Christian Mind, Renovate the Soul, Restore the Spirit's Power (by J.P. Moreland), reviewed by Steve Ivester

The Soul of a Christian University: A Field Guide for Educators (edited by Stephen T. Beers), reviewed by Kyle Lantz

The Outrageous Idea of Academic Faithfullness (by Donald Opitz and Derek Melleby), reviewed by Nathan Geer

I Once Was Lost: What Postmodern Skeptics …

Perceived Leadership Practices Of Female Superintendents In North Carolina, Deardre J. Gibson

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to add to the general existing body of literature which examines women's work lives as North Carolina school superintendents. This study investigated the perceived leadership practices of North Carolina female superintendents during the 2008-2009 school year. According to the literature on female superintendents, women comprise the majority of teaching positions, but are underrepresented in the top leadership position in U.S. public schools. Gender inequality and barriers to the superintendency for women may account for disparities among women in the position. The provision of this study may serve to enlighten women who may aspire to the superintendency, …

An Analysis Of The Connection Between A Principal Development Program And Executive Leadership, David (Jay) Jones

Education Dissertations and Projects

America faces the following problems related to the supply of school principals: shortage, poor understanding of the changed role, and inadequate training. In response to problems, the state of North Carolina has implemented the School Executive Standards to evaluate principals and drive the professional development of them. The purpose of this descriptive study was to report on the perceptions of principals and assistant principals regarding the connection between a district level principal development program and preparation to meet the "North Carolina School Executive Standards". A sequential QUAN-QUAL analysis was applied to data collected through a survey and individual interviews. Measures …

An Analysis Of The Perceived Effects Of The Welsh Inclusion Model On The Academic Growth Of Special Needs Learners In A North Carolina Elementary School, Stephen Ray Pickard

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the implementation of the Welsh Inclusion Model at a Title I elementary school in grades 4 through 5 in the Piedmont area of North Carolina. The researcher visited the Title I school, which was embarking in only its second year in the implementation of the Welsh Inclusion Model. During these visits, the researcher interviewed the principal, the Director of Elementary Education, and two inclusion teams. The entire group participated in a focus group interview. The surveys, interviews, ITTAP, and Co-Teaching rubric provided data that were triangulated to determine how well …

Program Evaluation: The Effects Of A District-Led Leadership Preparation Program On Aspiring School Leaders, Tammra Bethune Reel

Education Dissertations and Projects

The researcher of the dissertation evaluated a district-led school leadership preparation program using Stufflebeam's (2003) Context, Input, Process, and Product (CIPP) model for program evaluation. The study had a management-oriented approach to program evaluation because it will enable effective decision making regarding the program's design. In addition, the program evaluation took a formative approach as program characteristics were analyzed and collaboration with program participants occurred in order to determine which aspects of the Administrative Mentoring Program (AMP) were most beneficial to those directly involved.

Data for the study were obtained through the processes of a researcher-created participant survey and personal …

Evaluating The Impact Of The Beginning Teacher Induction Program On The Retention Rate Of Beginning Teachers, Monica Lynn Shepherd

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to examine the Teacher Induction Program of a rural school system in North Carolina. The effects of mentor assignment, ongoing staff development, master teacher observation opportunities, structured reflection and self-assessment, and other support offered at the system level to beginning teachers on the retention rate of beginning teachers in the school system were analyzed.

The researcher determined 10 themes based on the objectives of the school system's Beginning Teacher Support Program: improving beginning teachers' skills and performance; supporting teacher morale; communications; collegiality; building a sense of professionalism and positive attitude; facilitating a smooth transition into the …

The Effects Of Teacher Stability On Third Grade Student Achievement As Measured By The North Carolina End-Of-Grade Tests In Reading And Mathematics, Juddson W. Starling

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to examine the effects of teacher stability on student achievement as measured by the North Carolina End-of-Grade tests in reading and mathematics for third grade students. The perceptions of third grade teachers and elementary school principals concerning issues with teacher stability were also examined. Accountability for public schools in North Carolina has driven educators to find ways to increase student achievement. Teacher stability is a variable that can be controlled by educators in an attempt to increase student achievement.

The writer gathered test data from a target school district and analyzed test scores by the number …

Novice Superintendents And The Efficacy Of Professional Preparation, Theodore J. Kowalski, George J. Petersen, Lance D. Fusarelli

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

The preparation of superintendents is a critical component and essential element of systemic education reform. However, Cooper, Fusarelli, Jackson, and Poster (2002) remind us that, ―the process is rife with difficulties‖ (p. 242), including synchronization of preparation and actual practice, the theory-practice disconnect, the need for life-long learning, and development of an adequate knowledge base.

In light of these complexities, two facts are especially noteworthy: The vast majority of research on the efficacy of administrator preparation programs has focused on the principalship (Kowalski, 2006b), and most doctoral programs in educational administration have de facto become preparation programs for superintendents, even …

Campus Crisis Management: A Comprehensive Guide To Planning, Prevention, Response, And Recovery, S. Nicole Hoefle

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

The Schooled Heart: Moral Formation In American Higher Education, D. Andrew Parker, Kimberly S. Parker

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

Contributing Factors To Persistence Among African-American And Hispanic Students In Higher Education: A Phenomenological Qualitative Study At A Diverse Small Institution On The East Coast, W. Bernt King

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

The purpose for this phenomenological study is to understand the persistence of academically successful African-American and Hispanic students in an ethnically diverse higher education context where services and support targeting minority students do not formally exist. The research for this study has been conducted on campuses where the student body demographics are largely mono-ethnic. It would seem that as institutions of higher education become increasingly diverse, contributing factors to success for students of color may change. Themes that emerged include having a spiritual perspective, having a sense of purpose or the big picture, having support from family, having support from …

Residential Learning Communities: Facilitating Seamless Learning, Polly Graham

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

Research has shown that residential learning communities positively affect student outcomes. This study looked at the literature, finding a basis for this trend and uncovering the current impact residential learning communities are having on higher education. This study sought to challenge Christian higher education administrators and faculty to consider whether residential learning communities fit within their institution’s mission and vision.

Student Affairs Reconsidered: A Look Back, A Response To Barry Loy, David M. Johnstone

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

On the tenth anniversary of David Guthrie’s Student Affairs: Reconsidered (SAR), Barry Loy wrote an article entitled: “Student Affairs Reconsidered: A Look Back.” He observed, after identifying a number of seminal works, that many in Christian Student Development have not really engaged or grappled with what it means to be an educator outside of the classroom. In letter format, I have chosen to interact with Barry in his observations with the hope that this is a conversation which is not ignored or forgotten by our colleagues. My purpose is not to disagree but continue the conversation which was started a …

The Church: A Salient Support System For African-American College Students, Odelet Nance

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

This article builds on a previous qualitative study examining the role of religion in the lives of five African-American college students at a Predominately White Institution (PWI). Through a constructivist lens, the stories of first-year students revealed how their church informed their college experiences. This article describes how churches provided support for students through the theoretical frameworks illustrated by Alexander Astin, Jacqueline Mattis, and Robert Jagers. Churches and Predominately White Institutions are encouraged to form partnerships to strengthen and enhance support systems for African-American college students.

Research has shown that having an effective support system affects social and academic integration …

Assessment Of Living Learning Communities: Models For Campus Collaboration, Anita Henck, Jeffrey Jones

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

The First Year Out: Understanding American Teens After High School, Donald D. Optiz

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

Fostering Student Success In The Campus Community, Mary Ann Searle

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

Education's End: Why Our Colleges And Universities Have Given Up On The Meaning Of Life, Leslie C. Poe

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

The State Of The University: Academic Knowledges And The Knowledge Of God, David S. Guthrie

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

The Passionate Intellect: Incarnational Humanism And The Future Of University Education, David M. Johnstone

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

Deeper Learning In Leadership: Helping College Students Find The Potential Within, Kathryn A. Tuttle

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

The Small College Dean: New Directions For Student Services, No. 116, Mark J. Troyer

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

The Moral Idea Of A University: A Case Study, Todd C. Ream, Perry L. Glanzer

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

A common moral idea is necessary for not only providing shape to a particular college or university community but also for the cultivation of the virtues amongst students. However, what are the characteristics of an institution that models this type of approach? In order to answer this question, this article describes what we believe is the best exemplar from our study of 156 different Christian colleges and universities. Such a determination was made based upon an analysis of documents (academic catalogs, admissions view books, and student handbooks) gathered from all 156 institutions and then site visits made to nine institutions …