Educational Leadership Commons^™

Closing The Gap: The Relationship Between School Climate And Student Achievement In The Middle School Sector, Brad Boykin, Juliann Sergi Mcbrayer, Summer Pannell, Richard E. Cleveland, Suzanne B. Miller, Mary Josephine Carney

School Leadership Review

School leaders must make decisions and implement strategies to improve a school climate and student achievement, and it benefits them to understand which areas of school climate have the greatest impact on student achievement. The State of Georgia measures school climate and student achievement with its school accountability measure, the College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI). This study employed a quantitative research design using archival data that was publicly available from CCRPI data for a two year span to examine the relationship between school climate and student achievement statewide in the middle grade sector. Findings revealed that all four …

Comparison Of Dual Enrollment Student Grades In Introductory Biology College Dual-Enrollment Courses Taken In Texas High Schools Or Colleges For School Leaders, Cynthia A. Gallardo

School Leadership Review

Dual Enrollment (DE) or Dual Credit (DC) programs have become increasingly prevalent at both the high school and college settings. These programs enable students to earn both high school and college credit and get a head start on their college education. Additionally, students in these programs must take university core curriculum courses to fulfill their college education requirements. A course that several students take is Introductory to Biology, a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) course. This course is an introductory science course and may present a challenge for students in that there is a large quantity of material discussed. …

Igniting Resilience During Critical Times: Reflections Of Women Superintendents, Janice L. Taylor, Sharon Ross, Kathryn Washington, Kelly A. Brown

School Leadership Review

This qualitative study sought to explore the perceptions of women school superintendents in K -12 public schools in Texas about the challenges they face as leaders and how they endure these impactful challenges, particularly during critical times such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Using Polidore’s Resilience Theory (2004) as the theoretical framework, the study sought to determine which of the nine resilience qualities, either innately possessed or through acquisition over time, helped to sustain the women superintendents during adverse situations associated with the highest level of leadership in a school district. The nine qualities of resilience include: religion, flexible locus of …

Assessing Higher Order Thinking In The New Jersey Social Studies Standards For Grades K-8 By Using Artificial Intelligence (Ai), Connie Sanchez

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

New Jersey consistently ranks as one of the top-performing states in the country when it comes to education. Most recently, it was ranked third in the nation. A look at the state standards in any subject shows the state works diligently to vertically align standards while also challenging students in order to better prepare them for the future and to be able to live in a global society. It is evident in looking at the New Jersey Department of Education’s standards that the planning they do is performed with an eye toward the future. The social studies standards are no …

Exploring Entrepreneurial Intention And Subjective Beliefs: A Comparative Analysis Of General Education Schools And Commercial Schools, Julia Riess, Bettina Fuhrmann, Gerhard Geissler

International Journal for Business Education

This study examines the entrepreneurial intentions of Austrian secondary school students, specifically comparing students from commercial schools with those from general education schools. We analyzed 2,329 data sets and found that subjective beliefs, primarily behavioral and control beliefs, significantly influence entrepreneurial intentions. In addition, demographic factors such as gender, language, acquaintance with entrepreneurs, and school type play a significant role in explaining the variance in entrepreneurial intentions.

Our detailed analysis shows that students from commercial schools have stronger entrepreneurial intentions and subjective beliefs. Particularly notable are the differences in behavioral beliefs, where students from commercial schools find all aspects of …

2024-04-12 Institutional Animal Care And Use Committee Meeting Minutes, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate., Institutional Animal Care And Use Committee.

Faculty Senate Records

The meeting minutes of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee for April 12, 2024.

Who Cares?! Fostering Inclusive And Empowering Environments For Black Students In Predominantly White Institutions: Strategies For Retention And Cultural Engagement, Joel Mandell Stancer, Danielle Allen, Angela Haywood-Gaskin, Kelly Atkins, Rhonda Lingard, Kuriston White-Dunlap

Dissertations

This research focuses on the critical components of caring relationships and how they relate to first-generation Black students’ achievement in higher education. It will reveal how staff-led collegiate programming could benefit first-generation Black college students by allowing them to establish caring relationships and mentorships that allow them to construct a solid support system that is easily accessible to them from the moment they begin college until graduation.

Using data collected from interviews with current college students enrolled in a retention program at a PWI (Predominately White Institution) and in connection with a conceptual framework informed by theorists Nel Noddings, Vincent …

2024-04-11 Faculty Welfare & Concerns Committee Meeting Minutes, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate., Faculty Welfare & Concerns Committee.

Faculty Senate Records

Meeting minutes from the Faculty Welfare & Concerns Committee for April 11, 2024.

New Faculty Integration: A Organizational Socialization Approach, Catherine L. Tackett

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A capstone submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the Ernst and Sara Lane Volgenau College of Education at Morehead State University by Catherine L. Tackett on April 10, 2024.

District-Level Instructional Leaders’ Perceptions Of Obstacles When Implementing District-Wide Change Initiatives—A Delphi Study, Ashley Fulmer

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this Delphi study was to identify what expert district-level administrative instructional leaders perceive as obstacles when implementing district-wide change initiatives to improve student achievement and well-being through a shared leadership approach, to rate the degree of importance of the identified obstacles, and to describe the most effective strategies to overcome the highest rated obstacles identified.

Methodology: This study used the Delphi methodology to collect data from expert district-level administrative instructional leaders through three rounds of survey questionnaires. The expert panel was selected through purposive, convenience, and expert nomination sampling methods. In Round 1, the expert panel …

My Story Is In The Structure: An Autoethnographic Study By An Instructional Designer Working In A Centralized Academic Reporting Line, Pamela Williams

Dissertations

Although not officially named in the shared governance of an institution, instructional designers play an important role as they collaborate with administrators and faculty to create high quality, regulatory-compliant courses for enrolled students. Instructional designers working in centralized, academic reporting units may be well-positioned to advance the work of institutions to maintain good standing with the industry and regulatory bodies. To illustrate the challenges, opportunities, and strategies employed by an instructional designer working in such a position, an autoethnographic study was conducted to elucidate how shared governance influences, empowers, and disempowers an instructional designer’s ability to lead and collaborate on …

From Mandated Reporter To Community Supporter: Reimagining Schools And The Nexus To Address Intersectional Social Justice, Charity Chandler-Cole

LMU Theses and Dissertations

From Mandated Reporter to Community Supporter: Reimagining Schools and the Nexus to Address Intersectional Social Justice, explores the transition from mandated reporting to community support within schools, focusing on the implications for Black families and the broader goal of addressing intersectional social justice. The study critically examines the role of schools beyond their educational mandate, highlighting their potential as pivotal hubs for supporting vulnerable populations and addressing systemic issues such as racism, bias, and poverty. Through a mixed-methods approach, incorporating both quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews, the research delves into the impact of mandated reporting on Black families, the understanding …

Supporting Students Where They Are: Exploring First-Generation, Low-Income Students’ Metacognitive Development Post-First Year Seminar, Jessica R. Washak

JWU Dissertations & Theses

First-year seminar (FYS) courses are designed to assist students through the transition into new academic communities, offering opportunities for students to develop the skills they need to persist through future coursework (Culver & Bowman, 2020). Despite the goal of retaining and empowering students—particularly student populations who have been historically underserved in higher education, such as first-generation, low-income (FGLI) students—observation of the many models of postsecondary FYS has revealed mixed success in terms of student outcomes (Jairam, 2022). It has been suggested in recent literature that metacognition, or “knowledge and cognition about cognitive phenomenon” (Flavell, 1979, p. 906), contributes to skill …

The Mind And Body Fitness Program: The Challenges And Rewards Of Implementing A Service Learning Course, Avery R. Thompson, Zoey Ojukwu

Eagle Showcase: Excellence in Service-Learning (Archived)

Service-learning courses offer a new dynamic to student learning, as the relationship between students and instructors has changed, requiring shared power and equal participation rather than a hierarchical transfer of influence. Students new to service-learning courses require a new kind of support from faculty within the field. This necessitates the ability of course instructors to create an opportunity for students to become equally contributing members of a community program.

Drawing from the P.A.R.E model, the service-learning course merges students' experiences, guiding them through practice regimens, project implementation, and reflection activities to connect service experiences with course content. This reflective process …

Brilliance Unbothered: A Phenomenological Exploration Of The Influence Of The Impostor Syndrome On Black Graduate Women Enrolled In Master’S Level Programs At Predominantly White Institutions, Phyllis Clark

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Framed within Hill-Collins' (2009) Black feminist thought, this study delves into the emergence of the impostor syndrome construct among Black graduate-level women in higher education. Despite the growing literature on impostor syndrome and its consequences across various demographics and sectors, inadequate scholarly attention has been dedicated to comprehending the specific challenges faced by Black women in education. Nine participants enrolled in Master's programs at predominantly White institutions were engaged in this exploration. Consistent with most of the existing literature, findings accentuated the pivotal role of educational attainment for Black women, who consistently outpace other groups. Interviews further unveiled a relentless …

2024-04-10 Pac-1 Revised, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate.

Faculty Senate Records

A revisal to PAc-1 submitted to the Faculty Senate on April 10, 2024.

2024-04-10 Pac-29 Revised, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate.

Faculty Senate Records

A revisal to PAc-29 submitted to the Faculty Senate on April 10, 2024.

2024-04-10 Pg-2 Revised, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate.

Faculty Senate Records

A revisal to PG-2 submitted to the Faculty Senate on April 10, 2024.

2024-04-10 Pac-34 Revised, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate.

Faculty Senate Records

A revisal to PAc-34 submitted to the Faculty Senate on April 10, 2024.

2024-04-10 Pac-35 Revised, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate.

Faculty Senate Records

A revisal to PAc-35 submitted to the Faculty Senate on April 10, 2024.

“Middle Schoolers Are Just This Special Kind Of Human Being”: Middle School Teacher Perspectives On Creating Hope For Their Students And Themselves, Sheeba Jacob

LMU Theses and Dissertations

Anxiety and depression have increased for adolescent youth, particularly since the pandemic. For certain students, this anxiety and depression connects to trauma because of inequity and bias in schools. This qualitative study examined successful urban middle school teachers and their perspectives on conditions they created for hope in their classrooms and ways they created hope for themselves. Eight middle school teachers who taught humanities shared their insights through semi-structured interviews. Findings aligned with pedagogical practices the teachers used that centered hope and voice for students: culturally responsive practices, relational practices, and justice-oriented practices. These specific teachers cared deeply about their …

Leadership In Uncertain Times: An Analysis Of Decision-Making Processes Among Catholic Elementary School Principals In Low-Income Serving Communities, Gina Aguilar

LMU Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined the decision-making processes among principals of parish-based Catholic elementary schools in low-income communities within the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, against the backdrop of a decentralized governance structure and increased financial pressures intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was grounded in a conceptual framework derived from contingency theories of leadership and decision-making research and investigated three areas: (1) the principals’ decision-making processes, (2) the situational factors influencing these processes, and (3) the pandemic’s impact on their decision-making processes. The findings revealed dynamic integration of cognitive, social, and procedural processes, rooted in faith and community collaboration. The …

Co-Designing With First-Generation Transfer Students, Randi Petrauskas Harris

Dissertations and Theses

Roughly 80% of community college students indicate that they intend to transfer to a four-year institution, 30% of those students eventually transfer, and 13% of those students persist to graduate with a baccalaureate degree. There has been previous research on transfer students and on first generation students, but the intersection of first-generation transfer students is under-reported. Prior research indicates that sense of belonging is an important factor in student persistence to graduation for transfer students. Higher education institutions, specifically four-year public institutions, are positioned to support first-generation transfer student sense of belonging by fostering a "transfer receptive culture." Recognizing that …

Effects Of A Mentorship Program On High Need College Students: Reflections From Mentors And Mentees, Stephen Miske, Olusegun Sogunro

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

On average, the college graduation rates for minority and/or high-need students are generally low. To address this situation, a Mid-Atlantic Consortium recently secured a grant to improve 4-year graduation rates of high-need students (i.e., new first-time students and transfer students who qualify as low-income students, first-generation college students, adult students, and/or students of color) by 20% over each selected college’s baseline. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the experiences of students and faculty mentors toward accomplishing this goal. Data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed thematically. Some of the effects identified in this study included enhanced academic …

Exploring Superintendents’ Understandings On Virtual Learning Responses, Kate Maxlow, Karen Sanzo

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

In this study, the authors sought to explore superintendents’ understandings of the various influences on how their districts implemented a 100% virtual learning experience for students for the 2020-2021 academic year. Understanding these influences allowed the authors to develop a framework for leading redesigns of learning systems in long-term crisis situations. In this qualitative study we conducted semi-structured interviews with fifteen superintendents in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Findings showed that districts sought to plan equitable virtual learning experiences for all students based on unintentional influences and the district’s intentional responses. We found that during an educational crisis, learning plans emerged …

Cornrowed Literacy & Lives: A Qualitative Case Study On Teachers Lived Experiences Through Culturally Responsive Literacy Instruction, Ashley N. White

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

This qualitative case study explores the lived experiences of thirteen certified elementary educators who teach literacy to students of color. The theoretical framework that guides this study is Abolitionist Teaching (Love, 2019). This study’s data collection is based on teacher surveys, conversational interviews and an artifact analysis. This study was centered on the following questions: (1) What are the lived experiences of certified elementary educators who teach literacy to students of color? (2) What are the lived experiences of certified elementary educators in planning and implementing culturally responsive literacy instructional practices? The themes that emerged from this study were teachers' …

Helping First Year Residential Students Transition To The Collegiate Environment, Jenna N. Mazurek

Masters Projects

The purpose of this project is to address the barriers faced by first-year residential students while making their transition from high school to college. Transitioning to a new environment can be overwhelming, so making sure first-year students feel prepared is an important part of the acclimation process. To make the acclimation period easier, first-year students should make sure they are aware of campus resources, and make sure they have a strong support network. The intervention for this problem is a first-year experience program set at Grand Valley State University called the Becoming a Laker Program. This program is designed to …

Integrating Restorative Practices To Create Equitable Disciplinary Process, Vivian Ngo

Doctor of Education (EdD)

The process of punitive disciplinary processes are shifting in K-12 educational institutions. This study explored the implementation of a school-wide disciplinary process that integrates the philosophy of restorative justice and its practices. The goal of the study was to reduce the amount of punitive punishment, address social issues of bullying and discrimination, and improve the overall school climate. During the study, data revealed the overall importance of implementing teacher training so that the staff understands the long-term impact of restorative justice to successfully implement the practices. My dissertation also revealed through the use of mixted methods, the importance of using …

Load Reduction Leadership: A Cognitive Load Theory-Based Framework Differentiating Performance Patterns In Nyc Schools, Kristopher C. Bertoglio

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation applies cognitive load theory to teacher working conditions in New York City. To connect small-scale cognitive processes with perennial organization-level effects, the theoretical components of this paper develop a novel framework. Load reduction leadership (LRL) illuminates how day-to-day school operations impact staff members’ cognition and school-level student performance. LRL extrapolates various cognitive load phenomena to schools’ complexities and time scales. Eight longitudinal case studies were found through New York State summative exam data. Schools were selected based on their abilities to over- and under-perform at improving their students’ proficiency, including schools that changed from under- to over-performance and …

Mamás Metidas: Empowering Latinx Spanish-Dominant Parents In Independent Schools Through Culturally Responsive School Leadership, Silvia Salazar Rivera

LMU Theses and Dissertations

Latinx families, particularly those whose primary language is Spanish, are significantly underrepresented in independent schools nationwide and experience barriers to engaging in their children’s education. Recognizing the crucial role of parent engagement in student academic success and socioemotional well-being, this research aimed to understand the unique challenges faced by Spanish-dominant parents in navigating the independent school contexts. Grounded in Khalifa et al.’s (2016) culturally responsive school leadership framework, the study intended to identify effective practices and strategies that facilitate Spanish-dominant parent engagement. The narrative data, collected through both a group plática and individual interviews, offered valuable insights into the experiences …