Educational Leadership Commons^™

A Study Of South Texas English Learners’ Academic Achievement: A Function Of Sense Of Belonging, Acculturation, And Student Perception Of Teacher-Student Relationships, Cynthia B. Olivarez

Theses and Dissertations

This study looks at a group of Hispanic English Learners from a region in deep South Texas that is situated along the U.S.-Mexico border, and how their sense of belonging, acculturation, and their perception of the teacher-student relationship impacts academic achievement on the STAAR End-of-Course state assessments for English I and English II.There are limited studies on this population of students and these independent variables. Results from this study would help educators and school leaders assess student needs to improve student learning and close academic achievement gaps.

The Impact Of Distance Learning On Nontraditional High School Students' Attendance And Dropout Prevention, Teresita De Saro

Theses and Dissertations

High school dropout rates have long been a problem for school districts, and various contributing factors have excavated the problem. Most of these students have been plagued by the inability to integrate into the mainstream of school life, due to socioeconomic standing, lack of parental support, and many other problems. This qualitative study examined how distance learning courses have the potential to increase high school graduation rates and attendance rates. The research perspective was conducted at an alternative high school where the primary goal is to ensure nontraditional students' academic and personal support needed to graduate from high school …

Economic Capital And Hispanic Economically Disadvantaged Student Persistence At A Hispanic-Serving Institution, Griselda C. Castilla

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between college persistence and family income, parental education level, and type of financial aid for first-time, full-time Hispanic economically disadvantaged students selected from a South Texas Hispanic-serving institution. The dependent variable, college persistence, was measured by completed college credit hours per academic year. Predictor variables included family income, collected from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and parental education level, collected from the FAFSA for Parent 1 and Parent 2, as provided, indicating level of schooling received. Type of financial aid was the category of aid received, such …

Parental Engagement Of Families Living In Colonias: Engaging In Their Children’S Education, Eugenia Hernandez-Moreno

Theses and Dissertations

Parental engagement has been identified as a factor that influences the academic achievement of elementary children. Colonias are low income neighborhoods who lack the infrastructure and whose residents struggle with the accessibility of every day necessities to survive. Parents living in colonias are faced with unique challenges that influence the extent of their parental engagement in their children’s education. The purpose of this study is to examine the extent of parental engagement of families living in colonias in elementary children’s education in a school district in South Texas. Interviews, observations, and documents will be analyzed to determine the different factors …

Examination Of 21st Century Organization Development: An Ethnography Of A Distance Learning Support Department At A Hispanic Serving Institution Of Higher Education, Bobbie Myatt

Theses and Dissertations

This study used an ethnographic lens to examine the historic organizational development of a distance education support department within a Hispanic-serving institution of higher education. The Borderlands University (BU; pseudonym) Online Teaching, Learning, and Technology Center (OTLT) is representative of the structure and culture of a successful distance education support department for the 21st century. Through qualitative ethnography, this research study examined the development of cultural and structural components necessary for the success of this organization. This includes the internal community of support departments housed within institutions of higher education. Technologically raised generations emerging from traditional schools, “digital natives,” are …

Career And Technical Education Teacher Self-Efficacy Of Staff Development As Part Of A Beginning Teacher Induction Program: A Qualitative Research Of Cte Teacher Externs Of A South Texas School District…From The Classroom To The Job Site, And Back Again, Raul Alvarez Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Career and Technical Education (CTE) has proven itself through substantial research, to provide a positive impact on the U.S. economy and the job market in its college and career preparedness of high school students. However, the ability of school districts in retaining competent CTE teachers is not as reassuring. The progressive years for any beginning CTE teacher are during their initial tenure in the profession. Teacher self-knowledge is also developed during these years inclusive of the occupational reflection of either removing oneself from or continuing as a teacher. Therefore, it can be stated that it is during this period when …

Exploring How Latinx Gender And Sexually Diverse Youth In The Rio Grande Valley Experience And Confront Homophobia: A Qualitative Study Of Alumni Community Leaders/Advocates, Heraclio Flores Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Framed by queer theory, this qualitative study seeks to better understand the unique experiences of homophobia that occur amongst Latinx gender and sexually diverse youth (GDSY) in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV). Latinx GSDY in the Rio Grande Valley are less likely to be in schools that adopt affirming policies and are therefore more likely to experience homophobia. It is also likely that their social, emotional, physical, and academic wellbeing are impacted negatively. The study collected written journal responses from nine Latinx gender and sexually diverse alumni of RGV schools (including the researcher) that presently serve as community leaders …

A Study Of Self Efficacy, Grit, Persistence, And Professional Development Of Select Texas Public School Principals Participating In The Principal Pipeline Program, M. Veronica Garza-Kortan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine if a relationship existed between the self-efficacy and grit of selected principals; the differences in self-efficacy and grit among the principals who did and did not participate in a principal development program; and the differences in self-efficacy, grit, and persistence in the job role of the selected principals with varying years of experience. The study focused on Texas public school districts in the Principal Pipeline program and included 101 principal responses. Data collection occurred via an electronic survey. In this quantitative study …

School Leadership That Impacts Student Achievement In Blue Ribbon Schools In The Rio Grande Valley Of Texas, Sonya Y. Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to determine the leadership actions, behaviors, and practices of effective school leaders in Blue Ribbon Schools in South Texas who resulted in the schools receiving the distinction by the U. S. Department of Education of being a Blue Ribbon School. Data were collected through a series of interviews with principals and teachers from the selected sample of Blue Ribbon Schools in the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using inductive coding to determine themes.

Academic Pathways For Formerly Incarcerated Students: “If I Could Do 12 Years In Prison, Why Can’T I Do 12 Years In College.”, Melissa Abeyta

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications

This qualitative study examined the experiences of formerly incarcerated students in community colleges. In this study, participants described how they made meaning of their postsecondary education experience through their decision to start college, the college preparation, and faculty interactions that collectively influenced their academic pathways. The students of this study were formerly incarcerated Latino men enrolled in California community colleges located in northern, central, and southern regions. This study specifically sought to challenge the stigma that revolves around the experiences of the carceral system leading to a deficit perspective on this student population. The findings from this study aligns with …

Effective School Parent Relations In High-Performing Schools In South Texas, George Padilla, Roberto Zamora

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications

A research study was designed and conducted to identify effective school characteristics of high performing, high-poverty schools. Four High-Performing Reward schools in South Texas were selected to study. An eleven effective school characteristics model including school processes was developed from the effective school research literature as the framework for the study: culture, leadership, instruction, improvement, home and community relations, curriculum, environment, professional development, vision/mission, resources, and staff. A mixed-research study was designed to collect data from professional school staff, principals, and parents related to the eleven effective characteristics and their processes used by the schools. Onsite data collection from each …

Latino/A Student Perspectives On Literacy Practices Affecting College Readiness, Danira Vanessa Cantu

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative collective case study examines how pre-collegiate literacy practices affect Latino/a student college success. Conducted at a South Texas border-region University, this study utilized a sample of six Latino/a students enrolled in a freshman level composition course. A focus group was used to explore how academic and social literacy practices play a part in college readiness for these transitioning college students. Additionally, personal narratives were conducted as a form of counternarrative. Modeled on the theoretical framework of removing racism from school structures and closing race-related academic divides, findings included the need for social and cultural acceptance, classroom adaptability, and …

The Journey Of Selected Latina Transnational Educational Leaders: Transforming Their Lives Through Educational Achievements And Successful Careers, Raquel Garcia

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the journeys of selected Latina transnationals and how they transformed their lives through educational achievements and successful careers in the borderlands of Texas. The researcher utilized a phenomenological collective case study approach that investigated how the selected Latina transnationals overcame challenges via a series of semi-structured interviews (Creswell, 2013). Latinas are forced through their journeys to negotiate multiple systems that could possibly impact their educational trajectories (Lechuga-Pena & Lechuga, 2018). Despite Latinas being seen as the other, the object, the minority, many are able to tell their own stories and liberate themselves …

A South Texas Elementary School’S Transition To A Constructivist Blended Learning Model Of Instruction In Math: Perceptions Of Students And Parents, Ana Holland

Theses and Dissertations

This exploratory transcendental phenomenological study delved into the perceptions of selected South Texas public elementary school parents and students as they transitioned from traditional math practices to a personalized pedagogy which incorporated the constructivist model of instruction—blended learning. This study focused on fourth and fifth grade students engaged in the transition to blended learning for a minimum of two years and their parents. The exclusion and inclusion parent and student survey data facilitated the selection and organization of participants into focus group interviews, which aligned with a purposive sampling (Rubin & Rubin, 2012a; Mills & Gay, 2016; Creswell, 2013). Along …

Factors That Contribute To Motivation And Student Achievement As Adolescents Transition From Elementary To Middle School Or Junior High In One Urban District In The Rio Grande Valley, Lizette Villarreal Longoria

Theses and Dissertations

This study will examine factors that contribute to the decline in achievement scores in reading and mathematics when students transition from elementary to their first year in middle school or junior high school. It will test the hypothesis that motivation is not a function of mentors, academic support, teams, parental involvement, transition experience, math perception, and reading perception for students transitioning from elementary to middle school or junior high school. In this quantitative research study, data will be collected using a multiple linear regression analysis to examine the factors that contribute to motivation and the achievement score decline in reading …

Understanding Teacher Perceptions And Experiences About Active Learning Techniques In High School U.S. History Courses At A Lower Rio Grande Valley School District, Juan J. Mendoza

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored the perceptions and experiences of teachers about the use of active learning techniques in high school United States history courses at a lower Rio Grande Valley school district. The study employed a phenomenology design for rich textural descriptions and a systematic exploration of the phenomenon of active learning techniques. Data were collected from individual semi-structured interviews and a focus group of 8 U.S. history teachers. Teacher lesson plans were examined to further corroborate evidence coded from the semi-structured interviews and focus group.

The research evidence suggested that active learning pedagogies create a progressive learning environment, they …

A Hispanic-Serving Institution, Its Strategic Human Capital Utilization And The Shift In Institutional Culture After The Merger, Trini Yunes

Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, there has been recent attention to mergers involving higher education institutions. The fact is that mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are not a novel topic but more common in business. The paper will present the findings of a case study of the merger of two Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) in Texas and how leadership used both legacy cultures to create a new organizational culture. The main focus of this study is to compare the relationships, as viewed by staff and faculty, between institutional performance and organizational culture. It will also determine how human capital (HC) utilization is related …

The Role Of The School District In High-Performance Title One Schools In South Texas, George Padilla, Roberto Zamora, Federico R. Guerra

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications

A mixed research study was designed and conducted to identify effective characteristics of high-performing, high-poverty schools. Four South Texas Title 1 schools identified as High Performing Schools by the Texas Education Agency in 2016 were selected for the study. To be selected, these schools were also required to meet or exceed a set of criteria applied by the researchers. An effective school model, comprised of eleven characteristics and school processes, was developed based on a synthesis of effective school research and served as the theoretical framework for the study. The characteristics include Culture, Leadership, Instruction, Improvement, Home and Community Relations, …

The Relationship Between Emotionally Intelligent Leadership, Leadership Style, And Student Achievement In High Poverty Schools, Roldan Castro

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study unfolds the amount of a relationship a principal's emotional intelligence, leadership style, and student achievement has in high poverty schools. Principal's emotional quotient was measured using the MSCEIT assessment in four areas: perceiving emotions, using emotions, understanding emotions, and managing emotions. Leadership style was measured using the MLQ 5X survey through the lens of their teachers, classifying a principal as a transformational, transactional, or passive leader. 2019 Texas Academic Progress Reports reading and mathematics scores were used for participating principals. The sample included eight participating school districts is the South Texas region, in which a range of …

A Phenomenological Collective Case Study Of Mexican American Gifted Dropouts In South Texas, Albert Irlas

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the shared experiences of formally identified gifted Mexican American students that decided to drop out of high school in the south Texas region. The researcher utilized a phenomenological collective case study approach that investigated the influences that led gifted learners to drop out of high school via a series of semi-structured interviews that collected and analyzed the shared narrative data (Creswell, 2013; Degand, 2015; Seidman, 2014). Prevailing studies have found that Mexican American gifted learners are more likely to live in economically depressed communities, more likely to suffer from linguistic and cultural …

Selected Texas University Stakeholders' Perceptions Of Threat Assessment Teams And Their Impact On Campus Safety, Elizabeth Silva

Theses and Dissertations

In response to the rising violence on university campuses many institutions of higher education (IHE) have formed Threat Assessment Teams (TAT) on their campuses (Randazzo, & Cameron, 2012). The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of the impact that Threat Assessment Teams have had on the campus safety at two large state universities in Texas.

To examine this perception, Threat Assessment Team members as well as selected stakeholders were interviewed, as a method of collecting data. The research design for this study was a Qualitative Collective Case Study (Creswell, 2015). This research investigated the perceptions university stakeholders …

Effective School Leadership: School Staff And Parent Perceptions, George Padilla, Federico R. Guerra, Roberto Zamora

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications

A mixed-research case study was conducted to identify effective school characteristics of high-performing, high-poverty schools. Four High-Performing Reward schools in South Texas were selected to study. An eleven effective school characteristics model, including processes, was developed from the effective school research literature as the framework for the study. Onsite data collection from each school included a staff survey and focus group session, parent survey and focus group session, and principal interview. The study findings supported the eleven effective school characteristics model

An area of improvement in school application identified among these high-performing schools was Leadership. School staff and parent perceptions …

Latina Female Superintendents Securing Positions In Small Rural School Districts, Irma Castillo, Velma D. Menchaca, Veronica Lopez-Estrada

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications

Underrepresentation of women in the position of school superintendent has been identified as an equity issue in the field of education. National demographics show that approximately 73% of school superintendents are male as compared to only 27% female. Of these female superintendents, Latina and nonwhite female superintendents make up a small percentage of this group (Kominiak, 2016) and scarce in the literature. This research study revealed that Latina superintendents were attracted to small rural districts with a familial environment with high levels of parental and community involvement. They shared the perspective that small rural communities seemed to be more receptive …

School Counselors' Use Of A Multitier System Of Support To Foster Safe School Experiences And Respond To School Violence, George Padilla, Clarissa L. Salinas, Javier Cavazos Vela, James F. Whittenberg

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications

In this chapter, the authors introduce and identify current issues, controversies and problems that influence school safety and counselor preparedness. A brief overview of school violence in America, counselors' training to deal with school violence, and factors that influence school violence are provided. Following this, the authors present a multitier system of supports (MTSS) as a recommended model for counselors to (1) prevent, (2) prepare and plan, (3) respond, and (4) lead recovery efforts as related to school violence. Finally, a case study is presented in which the authors apply best practices within the American Counselor Association's national framework to …

The Relationship Between Cardiovascular Fitness And Body Mass Index To Student Achievement In 5th Grade Hispanic Children Of The Lower Rio Grande Valley Of South Texas, Maricela Hernandez, Rosalinda Hernandez, Alejandro Garcia

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between cardiovascular fitness, body mass index and academic performance in 547 Hispanic children in 5th grade from a Rio Grande Valley school district. The dependent variable, academic performance, was measured by children’s gain score on the STAAR Progress Measure for Reading and Math assessments. The independent variables of physical fitness were measured by scores on cardiovascular fitness and body mass index from the FITNESSGRAM assessment. The statistical and data analysis method used by this study utilized multiple regression. The results revealed that body mass index was correlated with academic …

The Impact Of Gsas, School Size, And Geographic Location On School Climate In South Texas, Heraclio Flores, Israel Aguilar, Jonathan Mcphetres, Frank Hernandez

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications

While gay-straight alliances (GSAs) play a role in improving the well-being and sense of safety for LGBTQ students, additional factors such as school size, geographical location, and the community climate at large may have more controlling implications for school diversity and acceptance. This survey research type, quantitative study, investigates the retrospective responses of subjects from two Hispanic-Serving Institutions to examine the impact of GSAs, school size, and geographic location on school climates in rural South Texas high schools. Results suggest that the effect of GSAs on school diversity and acceptance may be diminished in a conservative, rural setting. Other factors …

The Relationship Between The 9th Grade State Assessment And Extra Curricular School Activities And Gender For Disadvantaged Hispanic Students In South Texas, Paz Elizondo Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between the 9th grade state assessment test scores for Disadvantaged Hispanic students who are taking the English I State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness End-of-Course exam. The group analyzed was comprised of the 2016-2017 cohort students from a South Texas High School.

The Relationship Between Academic Performance And Student Mobility, Gender, Ethnicity, Socioeconomic Status And Number Of Moves, Juan C. Garza

Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzes the relationship between student mobility, reading and math scores, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status (SES), and the number of moves by students during their academic years. Data were taken from four different high schools during the 2015-2016, 2016-2017, and 2017-2018 school years. The purpose of this study was to determine if student mobility when considering gender, ethnicity, SES, and number of moves impact a student’s reading and math scores. The study will provide educational leaders, community, and parents with valuable data to make informed decisions with regards to instructional adjustments and school changes for mobile students. The null …

The Influence Of College Preparation In The Relationship Between High School Socioeconomic Context And College Enrollment, Jeffery J. Huerta

Theses and Dissertations

Recent research has documented that the socioeconomic context of high schools plays a significant role in students’ postsecondary enrollment outcomes (Engberg & Wolniak, 2014; Roderick et al., 2011; Engberg & Wolniak, 2010; Nuñez & Kim, 2012; Hill, 2008; Perna & Titus, 2005; Perna, 2000), with lower college outcomes occurring due to students at lower SES high schools having lower amounts of capital, less access to rigorous curriculum, and more negative peer influences than students at higher SES high schools. However, absent in these studies is whether efforts of comprehensive college preparation were taking place and if such efforts are also …

A Study Of Student Experiences Of Racial Microaggressions At A Hispanic-Serving Institution, Alexandra E. Hughes

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine college students’ experiences of racial microaggressions at a Hispanic serving institution. The participants were undergraduate and graduate students from a large higher education research institution in South Texas. The study had a qualitative approach with a two-step process of Phase 1 and Phase 2. Phase 1 of the study consisted of a participant selection survey sent to students via e-mail to obtain their experiences of racial microaggressions. In Phase 2, three focus groups were the means used to collect data. The findings suggested that there were experiences of racial microaggressions at the …