Educational Leadership Commons^™

Response To Intervention Implementation With Culturally Diverse Students, Alysia R. Chatman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative descriptive study examined how elementary educators implement response to intervention (RTI) and multitiered systems of support with culturally and linguistically diverse students. Drawing on self-determination theory and culturally relevant pedagogy, the researcher conducted semistructured interviews with five participants, three classroom teachers, one interventionist, and one campus administrator from three Title I elementary schools in a large suburban Texas district. Transcripts were analyzed through thematic coding. Four themes emerged: (1) training and preparedness for RTI implementation, (2) administrator support and follow-through, (3) understanding and application of culturally responsive teaching, and (4) RTI meeting structure and process. Participants reported a …

The Effect Of Perceived Principal Leadership Styles And School Type On Elementary Teacher Self-Efficacy, Karen M. Gonzalez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of perceived principal leadership styles and school type on elementary teachers’ self-efficacy. The study examined two research questions. The first examined differences between teachers’ self-efficacy in Title 1 and non-Title 1 schools, and the second examined differences in teacher self-efficacy and perceived principal leadership styles (authoritarian, democratic, and laissez-faire). The convenience sample included 129 elementary teachers from social media teacher groups that taught in various Title 1 and non-Title 1 school districts. I used a quantitative, causal-comparative method to collect data and survey questionnaires that identified trends in leadership styles …

Breaking Barriers: Mentorship Pathways For Hispanic Women In Leadership Roles, Ana Paola Gonzalez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to understand the unique lived experiences of 10 Hispanic Latinas serving in leadership roles in 2-year community colleges in Texas. As the graduation rate of Hispanic women increases, institutions must identify mentorship programs that motivate women who continue to graduate to seek leadership positions within their institutions. Through life stories and lived experiences, the study's findings illustrate that mentorship is essential to creating, but that self-determination and self-advocacy also make it possible to find paths to leadership. Through thematic analysis, three themes emerged from the data: identity and representation, mentorship and support structures, and resilience and advocacy. …

The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence, School Culture, And School Leadership, Virginia Lorean Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This study was a qualitative instrumental single holistic case study as outlined by Robert Stake in

1995. It focused on three research questions. The goal was to gain perspectives from teachers

and a principal on teacher retention and the culture of a campus. The emotional level of the

principal was evaluated on social awareness, self-awareness, relationship management, and self-

management by the principal taking part in an emotional intelligence assessment. The single

holistic case study approach was used, which had six phases of analyzing the data. The results

were then compared to the teachers’ interviews and surveys that were …

Digital Leadership: Secondary Education Principals’ Perceptions And Change Competencies Toward Implementing Digital Citizenship Curricula, Waylon M. Randolph

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Secondary education public schools are increasingly being confronted with student misuse of information and communication technologies (ICTs). Students are using these technologies to engage in disruptive and harmful behaviors like cyberbullying and sexting. As a result, some public school districts have responded by banning the use of ICTs in the classroom, while others have turned to teaching digital citizenship through a dedicated digital citizenship curriculum. However, effectively implementing such a curriculum remains a significant challenge. According to the literature, the best way to implement a digital citizenship curriculum is by fostering a positive school culture where stakeholders model and support …

Impostor Phenomenon, Psychological Safety, And The Intent To Leave Of Novice Pa Faculty, Barbara J. Quillin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The growing healthcare demands of the aging population in the United States, along with the growth of physician assistant (PA) educational programs, has created a pressing need for qualified PA educators. This study examined the role of impostor phenomenon and psychological safety in shaping PA faculty members’ intent to leave. Grounded in the job demands-resources framework, the research explored how individual psychological experiences and perceptions of the organizational climate relate to faculty turnover intentions in PA education. This study aimed to provide PA program administrators with information that may reduce faculty attrition and improve the overall well-being of novice faculty. …

Differences In Peer Social Connections Between Traditional And Online Nurse Residency Programs, Tatum Leonard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The anticipated retirement of baby boomer nurses by 2030 will intensify the global nursing shortage, a crisis that demands innovative strategies for onboarding and retaining new graduate nurses. Nurse residency programs (NRPs) are designed to ease the transition from student to practicing nurse, reduce turnover, and foster professional resilience. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many NRPs rapidly transitioned from traditional, in-person seminars to synchronous, online formats. This study explored differences in peer social connections between traditional and online NRPs, focusing on three constructs: sense of community, collaborative learning, and peer social support. Using a quasi-experimental, mixed methods approach, this secondary data …

School Leaders’ Perceptions Of Restorative Practices On Student Behavior, Jennifer M. Herold Fontenot

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

United States public schools turned to a zero-tolerance approach to school discipline with hopes of improving school safety and climate in the 1990s. Administrators dispensed consequences such as suspension and expulsion without considering the whole student, regardless of the student’s conditions, motivations, or background. Many schools today focus on punitive measures rather than a holistic approach that considers the root causes of behavior, such as socioeconomic factors, mental health issues, or the student’s home life. Such actions can lead to disproportionately harsh punishments for marginalized students, particularly those from low-income backgrounds or communities of color, exacerbating existing inequalities. Thus, the …

Principal Self-Efficacy: A Qualitative Study, Vance E. Self

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored elementary principals’ perspectives on the importance of selfefficacy in relation to management responsibilities, instructional leadership, and moral leadership as they impact student achievement measured by the STAAR in a Central Texas school district. The research addressed the growing challenges principals face in high-accountability environments, focusing on how their beliefs in their leadership abilities affect school performance and student outcomes. The purpose was to examine principals’ views on selfefficacy across three domains and to consider implications for leadership preparation, district support, and policy. The study was grounded in a constructivist paradigm and employed a qualitative case study …

Overcoming Second-Order Barriers To Teachers’ Technology Integration: A Study Of Positive Impacts, Crystal Ann Hume

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explored K–12 public school teachers’ self-efficacy, value, and pedagogical beliefs about technology. The teachers worked in a medium-sized, semi-affluent public school district in North Texas. The study investigated second-order barriers to technology integration and what might positively impact teachers’ self-efficacy, value, and pedagogical beliefs. This study used a qualitative descriptive methodology to collect qualitative data about their beliefs by interviewing and observing K–12 classroom teachers who had completed a bachelor’s degree through a traditional teacher education program. Teachers with alternative certifications or noncertified classroom instructors were omitted. Findings revealed that external factors, failure, mistakes, confidence, and professional development …

Origin Of Purpose, Career Satisfaction, And Life Satisfaction: A Quantitative Study On Early Career Professionals, Anne Hocking

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since the early 2000s, research has increased on purpose and how it correlates with fulfillment outcomes in life and career satisfaction. This research has been valuable in professional and academic fields and helped develop leadership practices and interventions for organizations to increase satisfaction levels among employees and students. This study focused on the general problem that research dedicated to purpose has not adequately addressed whether origin of purpose affect its outcomes on fulfillment levels, particularly those of life and career satisfaction. To address this consideration, the researcher conducted a quantitative associative correlation to measure if and to what extent origin …

Efforts Of Public 2-Year Higher Education Institution Leadership Reducing Nonexempt Student Affairs Employees’ Intention To Quit, Christopher M. Viser

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This narrative qualitative study examined the influence of leadership support and workplace factors on the intentions of nonexempt student affairs employees to leave a public 2-year higher education institution (HEI) in Texas. The study addressed the issue of workplace factors contributing to these employees’ developing intentions to quit their jobs. The research focused on identifying the workplace factors that most significantly influenced nonexempt student affairs employees and explored how leadership support influenced employee experiences. The study used narrative inquiry as its methodology to gather employee narratives through semistructured interviews conducted via Zoom, a communication platform. Nine participants were selected for …

Iep Process As An Avenue Or Barrier To Inclusion For Autism Spectrum Students: The Importance Of Collaboration, Stephanie C. Holmes

Tapestry: Journal of Research in Education

Decades of research concerning the implementation of Individual Education Plans (IEPs) have shown that building and implementing an IEP for a student with additional needs can be adversarial between the child’s parents and the school system. In 1975, when Public Law 94-142 was passed, the idea behind the law was not only to provide a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) for children with needs and disabilities but also to give parents of these children a voice in the process of creating the child’s IEP. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) was not added to the list of needs to be served …

Refugee Student Perspectives On Educators’ Role In Fostering Resilience In U.S. Schools, Ann Marsh, Clementine Msengi, Sandra Harris

Tapestry: Journal of Research in Education

This qualitative study focused on five individuals who arrived in the United States either as refugees from conflict areas or as asylum seekers already residing in the country. The refugees were from Afghanistan, and the asylum seekers were from Iran. The researchers employed a phenomenological approach to conduct in-depth interviews with refugees, asylum seekers, and parents of such students, all of whom had experienced attending school after their arrival in the United States. The research question explored the role of teachers, instructors, and professors in fostering resilience among refugee students. Consistent with existing literature, the findings indicated that the teachers' …

Global Voices Of Research Fellows: Evaluating Learning Gains From International Research Presentations, Jennifer Butcher, Berenice Casas, Sandra Cleveland, Stacie Shelby

Tapestry: Journal of Research in Education

The underlying assumption of all study abroad programs is that they provide extraordinary benefits to students who participate in them with benefits that far exceed a course of study that is strictly domestically based. The concept of learning gains, briefly summarized as the improvement in knowledge, skills, work-readiness and personal development made by students during their time spent in higher education, has been hailed by some as an opportunity to measure “excellence” in teaching. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the learning gains acquired by research fellows through the process of developing and presenting projects internationally. The following …

Understanding The Persistence And Retention Factors Among First-Generation Online College Students: A Comprehensive Study, Lakeeta Q. Prunty, Tana Palafox

Tapestry: Journal of Research in Education

This qualitative descriptive study examined the impact of internal institutional support on retention, as perceived by first-generation Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) online undergraduate students at a private Christian university. Institutional support encompasses academic advising, tutoring services, mental health counseling, career guidance, financial aid, diversity and inclusion programs, faculty support, and technological resources for online learning. The virtual learning environment presented unique challenges, particularly for first-generation BIPOC students, who navigate multiple layers of identity requiring specialized institutional support. Factors influencing online student attrition, including school policies, instructional methods, and personal circumstances, warrant collaboration among administrators, advisors, and faculty …

Ensuring Success And Retention: A Review Of Key Factors For Diverse Online Scholars, Leila Romeo, Cicely Ward, Jesiah Brock

Tapestry: Journal of Research in Education

The widespread adoption of online learning in higher education necessitates a critical understanding of factors that promote the retention and academic success of diverse student populations. This paper provides a synthesis of existing research investigating the numerous elements that influence the educational experiences of distinct student cohorts, with a particular focus on literature pertaining to non-traditional Latina students in postsecondary online learning environments. This review critically examines established scholarship to comprehend the array of challenges and prospects these students encounter, identifying critical determinants of their academic trajectories as established in prior studies. Key determinants frequently cited in the literature include …

Online Learning And Private Christian Hispanic Serving Institutions: A Narrative Review Of The Literature, Daniela A. Hernandez, Brandi R. Munoz, Stephanie Ferrell

Tapestry: Journal of Research in Education

This narrative literature review explores the intersection of Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), online education, and the role of private Christian universities in addressing educational disparities for Hispanic students. It synthesizes existing research on the challenges Hispanic students face in higher education, including financial barriers, limited digital access, underutilization of student support services, and institutional identity issues. Drawing on social capital theory and student engagement theory, this review highlights how HSIs, particularly private Christian institutions, can develop culturally responsive initiatives and leverage federal Title V funding to support Hispanic learners. The paper also examines emerging efforts such as the “Seal of …

Authentic Leadership’S Impact On Black Student-Athletes’ Identity And Persistence, Edward Raimundi Iii, Chanel M. Bradden, Erika Stanley Wesley

Tapestry: Journal of Research in Education

This mixed-methods study examined the role of authentic leadership in shaping the identity development and persistence of Black student-athletes within collegiate athletic programs. Despite growing research on student-athlete experiences, a critical gap remains in understanding how leadership characterized by transparency, self-awareness, and ethical behavior influences Black athletes’ self-perception, resilience, and ability to navigate academic and athletic challenges. Drawing on surveys (Authentic Leadership Questionnaire) and semi-structured interviews with sports administrators and student-athletes, the study identified key themes: the importance of consistent communication, ethical decision-making, and holistic mentorship in fostering trust and empowerment. Findings revealed that while authentic leadership enhances athletes’ resilience …

Letter From The Editors, Jennifer Butcher, James Wiser, Cicely Ward

Tapestry: Journal of Research in Education

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Principals’ And Mexican American Parents’ Preset Perspectives On Parental Involvement And What It Means For Student Achievement, Brenda Fouse

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Parental involvement is crucial to increasing student achievement. However, elementary school principals do not always know how to provide effective parental involvement opportunities, particularly for second-generation Mexican American families. This phenomenological qualitative study was designed to improve the understanding of and describe the lived experiences of second-generation Mexican American families and their relationships with schools. A purposive sample of five second-generation Mexican American parents and five elementary school principals participated in semistructured audio and video interviews. The study offered insight into principals’ mindsets as they provided parental involvement opportunities for the families they serve. The major parental themes identified in …

Uses And Perceptions Of Student Leadership Roles In A Secondary Choral Program, Jenna M. Rickerhauser

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

This study examined student leadership structure in a high school choral program, including data from a junior high director in the district. It aimed to evaluate the role and influence of a designated student leader in a secondary choral program through perceptions from student leaders, student members, and directors. Collected data included surveys, focus groups, individual interviews, field notes, and observation notes. The researcher analyzed the data using the constant comparative method. The resulting data fit into four level 2 codes: program structure, roles of student leaders, influence/impact on the choir, and personal impact of leadership on student leaders. The …

Investigating The Role Of School Leaders’ Feedback In Texas Noncertified Teachers’ Professional Growth And Self-Efficacy, Sonja R. Long

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem addressed in this study was that the role of school leaders’ feedback in noncertified teachers’ professional growth and self-efficacy is unknown. The purpose of this case study was to investigate the perspectives of noncertified teachers’ understanding of their school leaders’ feedback and how those practices contributed to their professional growth and self-efficacy. A qualitative case study approach was used, with data collected from 12 participants across six Texas school districts through semistructured interviews, questionnaires, and classroom observation documents. Data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed thematically, with triangulation and member-checking ensuring credibility. Two key findings emerged. First, supporting professional …

A Qualitative Study Exploring Senior Leaders’ Experiences And Perceptions In Addressing Workplace Sexual Harassment In The U.S. Federal Government: A Systems Perspective, Karen Jane Dean

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sexual harassment (SH) is a prevalent, costly, and often unreported problem in the U.S. Federal Government. Despite decades of research from multiple perspectives and recommendations to address SH, the problem persists and remains complex. While some researchers and U.S. Government agencies have called upon leaders to commit to eliminating workplace SH, others have suggested using an integrated conflict management system (ICMS) to manage the complexity, nuances, and conflicts. Even though there is a call for leadership to address SH, there is limited documentation in the literature about leaders’ experiences and perceptions in addressing the problem. Therefore, this qualitative study was …

An Exploration Of The Influence Of Occupational Mentorship On The Success Of Black Female Executive Leaders In Educational Sales, Bashelia H. Ward

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The dearth of Black women in executive-level leadership roles within U.S. business organizations persists due to numerous barriers such as tokenism; racial fatigue; stereotypes; a lack of identity; and the intersection of race, gender, and social injustices impeding their upward mobility in the educational sales industry. Despite recognizing the potential for change through tools and programs, the absence of robust occupational mentorship emerges as a pivotal barrier hindering the transformation of Black women’s roles in these educational sales environments. The sample size for this hermeneutical qualitative study was seven Black women in the K–12 educational sales industry. Data collection methods …

It Starts With Trust: How Mid-Level Student Affairs Supervisor Trust Behaviors Impact Entry-Level Staff Leave Intention, Latonya M. Robinson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the impact of how higher education student affairs mid-level managers (supervisors) develop and maintain trust with directly supervised entry-level staff (employees). Intervention in complex student development-oriented activities, student crises, and political protests has increased since the 1930s at higher education institutions throughout the United States. Entry-level or frontline student affairs staff manage these challenges most frequently. Yet these professionals often leave their positions within 3 years. Studies have highlighted inconsistent supervision as one of three reasons entry-level staff vacated their roles. Although many researchers have investigated why these staff members exited the field, less knowledge exists about …

Non-Esl High School Teachers’ Instructional Training And Professional Development Needs And Their Emergent Bilingual Student Classrooms, Brynn E. Caddell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The U.S. emergent bilingual student population continues to grow and is projected to increase nationwide. The growing population of students has specific academic and social needs that need to be addressed and provided for emergent bilingual students to be successful. This qualitative case study examined the instructional needs of high school non-English as a second language (ESL) teachers who serve emergent bilingual students and how the district can support the instructional practices of high school teachers in an urban school district in Texas. The problem addressed in this study was the lack of instructional training and professional development for secondary …

An Examination Of How Professional Relationships And Professional Development Influence The Lived Experiences Of African American Women Serving As Superintendents In Texas, Tiffany L. Linwood

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative research study investigated the effects of professional relationships and professional development on the experiences of 11 African American women superintendents in Texas, a historically underrepresented minority in educational leadership. It explored the challenges these women have had in advancing to and excelling in superintendent positions, emphasizing the need for mentoring, networking, and ongoing professional development. Despite the variety of students, educational leadership, especially at the superintendent level, is primarily White and male. This study used qualitative approaches, particularly semistructured interviews, to explore the perspectives of African American women superintendents about how professional relationships and growth impact their careers. …

School Leaders’ Role In Supporting Teacher Well-Being, Olena V. Stuart

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Teacher well-being is a crucial component of thriving and successful schools and impacts multiple domains of education. A multitude of research shows the teaching profession is not easy and teachers continue to face daily challenges in their work, leading to increased stress, low morale, lack of commitment, and departure from the teaching profession. Teacher well-being continues to suffer due to the many challenges teachers face. While knowledge exists on what factors affect teacher well-being, there is insufficient research about how to support and enhance teacher well-being. The purpose of this qualitative single holistic case study was to explore the practices …

The Influence Of Leadership Behaviors On School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists' Perception Of Burnout, Emily Lambert

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Current research on burnout and attrition of school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs) focused on the reason for attrition, which has remained relatively consistent across time. Despite identifying the factors contributing to attrition, minimal research has focused on how SLPs can prevent burnout or how to improve SLP retention rates in schools. Self-determination theory, fulfillment of competence, autonomy, and relatedness increase intrinsic motivation. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify how SLPs employed in Texas school districts described the factors contributing to their resilience in remaining employed in the schools. Fifteen SLPs participated in semistructured interviews about their perception of …