Educational Leadership Commons^™

A Thirty State Analysis Of Teacher Supervision And Evaluation Systems In The Essa Era, Ian M. Mette, Israel Aguilar, Doug Wieczorek

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications

We analyzed teacher supervision and evaluation policy systems in 30 states since the passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015 in the United States (US). This qualitative study of state ESSA policy documents and legislation examined how teacher supervision and evaluation systems (TSES) models have been developed under ESSA, specifically regarding how the construction of TSES models conflated formative feedback with summative evaluation. Despite evolving federal-level and state-level education accountability policies spurred by No Child Left Behind (NCLB) in 2001, we argue that TSES systems are influenced by state-level historical political culture (Elazar, 1994; Fowler, 2013), workplace …

What’S Love Got To Do With Educational Leadership? A Case Study In Principal Practice, Dessynie Edwards, Israel Aguilar, Juan Manuel Nino

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications

The pressure to close the student achievement gap compounded by federal mandates and laws forces principals to hyper-focus on accountability as one of the major technical aspects of the profession; however, principals who can balance the technical (systems world) with the relational (lifeworld) and facilitate authentic care over aesthetic care, are warranted so that the achievement gap can be understood for what it really is, an opportunity gap. Thus, it’s important to document the processes, strategies, dispositions, or beliefs of school leaders who employ authentic care so that principal preparation programs can teach these as skill sets for preservice leaders …

A Thirty State Analysis Of Teacher Supervision And Evaluation Systems In The Essa Era, Ian M. Mette, Israel Aguilar, Douglas Wieczorek

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications

We analyzed teacher supervision and evaluation policy systems in 30 states since the passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015 in the United States (US). This qualitative study of state ESSA policy documents and legislation examined how teacher supervision and evaluation systems (TSES) models have been developed under ESSA, specifically regarding how the construction of TSES models conflated formative feedback with summative evaluation. Despite evolving federal-level and state-level education accountability policies spurred by No Child Left Behind (NCLB) in 2001, we argue that TSES systems are influenced by state-level historical political culture (Elazar, 1994; Fowler, 2013), workplace …

Turning Around Small, Private, Tuition Dependent Colleges: How Boards Of Trustees Impact Decline And Turnaround, Michael Bills

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Even before the COVID-19 Pandemic, higher education has been facing unprecedented threats to existing business models. Small, private colleges heavily dependent on tuition revenue are particularly at risk. These at-risk small, private colleges need to make significant changes if they are to stave off decline and turn themselves around. Most of the literature on turnarounds of colleges and universities is focused primarily on the president, and is largely the reminiscences of former presidents. The board of trustees, however, is the ultimate governing authority of a college/university. If an at-risk institution needs to change in order to survive, the board must …

Cocreate: Collaborative Curriculum Reimagining And Enhancement Aiming To Transform Education, Barry J. Ryan, Adrienne Fleming, Catherine M. Deegan, Claire Mcavinia, Colm O'Kane, David Williams, Edmund Nevin, Eric Bates, Fionnuala Darby, Jen Harvey, Lesley Murphy, Maebh Coleman, Miriam O'Donoghue, Nicola Duffy

Teaching Fellowship Reports

The establishment of TU Dublin in January 2019 provided a unique opportunity to create a bespoke curriculum framework for students, staff and stakeholders of TU Dublin, produced by the students, staff and stakeholders of TU Dublin. A curriculum framework is a set of guiding values that inform the design of teaching and learning activities within TU Dublin. A Teaching Fellowship Team, comprising eighteen teaching academics from across the three TU Dublin campuses and supported extensively by the Learning Teaching and Technology Centre (LTTC), was formed to collaboratively craft, in partnership with all stakeholders, a curriculum framework for TU Dublin. Working …

The Perceived ‘Classroom Readiness’ And Support Of Western Australian Primary Graduate Teachers, Samantha Jade Edwards

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Graduate teachers are expected to be ‘classroom ready’ upon graduation, yet research suggests they are not. The difficulties faced by graduate teachers in their first years of teaching often result in low self-efficacy and attrition, which in turn can affect the achievement of their students.

Since its establishment in 2010, the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) have implemented a competency framework for both teachers and Initial Teacher Education (ITE) providers, aimed at improving not only all teacher quality in Australia, but the quality of ITE, graduating teachers and the support structures provided to them. This research project …

An Analysis Of A Mentoring Program In A Northern New Jersey School District, Marta Yafar-Werman

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This case study examined a mentoring program in a northern New Jersey town, where experienced teachers helped novice teachers succeed in their careers. The aim of the study was to answer the following questions: What are teachers’ perceptions of mentoring programs on their development as educators? What are teachers’ perceptions of the ability of mentoring to shape their decision to remain in the profession?

Each one of the articles cited in this study, whether the mentoring program took place in Macedonia, Pakistan, Israel, or the United States of America, agreed that the mentoring of novice teachers contributes to professional development …

Reflections On Critical Pedagogy In America Latina: La Lucha Continua, Peter Mclaren

Education Faculty Articles and Research

"When I speak in Mexico, I support efforts there to create a revolutionary critical pedagogy—one that has not been domesticated and depotentiated by neoliberal dogma. This means the inclusion of a decolonial pedagogy which challenges the “coloniality of power” (patron de poder colonial) that still resides at the heart of post-colonial societies. I would advise as a central, overarching goal of critical pedagogy the struggle for a socialist alternative to the “value form of labor” that exists in capitalist societies throughout North and South America, and that such efforts must be transnational in scope since capitalism is now transnational in …

Strategies Exemplary Female Superintendents Use To Work With The Political Styles Of School Board Members, Leisa Winston

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this explanatory mixed-methods study was to identify the political styles of female superintendents and their school board members as perceived by superintendents. In addition, it was the purpose of this study to identify and explain the political strategies female superintendents use to work with the different political styles of board members.

Methodology: This study employed a sequential, explanatory mixed-methods design. The quantitative data were collected through surveys to identify the political styles of superintendents and their board members. The qualitative interview data explored the political strategies used by each superintendent with the different political styles of …

Political Styles And Strategies Used By Exemplary Suburban Unified District Superintendents With Board Members: A Mixed Methods Study, Tammy Blakely

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this thematic, explanatory sequential mixed methods study was to understand the political styles of superintendents and school board members as perceived by superintendents. In addition, it was the purpose of this study to identify and explain the political strategies superintendents use to work with the different political styles of board members.

Methodology: This explanatory sequential mixed methods study research design used data collected from a quantitative survey followed by qualitative data collected using semistructured face-to-face interviews. The data in this study were obtained from 5 exemplary suburban unified superintendents using the 9 political styles framework from …

Impact Of Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports In California High Schools Year Three And Beyond: A Semi-Replicated Mixed-Methods Study, Jolene Mcgarrah

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to determine what differences

existed between pre- and post-PBIS implementation on suspension rates in California high schools. A further purpose of the study was to determine how experienced high school administrators described the impact of PBIS on their school sites. Methodology: This mixed methods study identified 15 California public schools for data collection and five principals for interviews about their perceptions of the impact of PBIS on their campus. The schools and principals were chosen due to proximity to the researcher. The researcher collected quantitative data from the schools and qualitative data …

Educator Knowledge And Usage Of Evidence-Based Interventions For Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders In Special Education Programs Across California, Thelmisha Vincent

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the extent to which evidence-based interventions being utilized with students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) by general education teachers, special education teachers, and behavior interventionists working in K-12 special education programs on comprehensive public and non- public school campuses in California.

Methodology: This mixed method study identified commonly used instructional strategies for students with (EBD) in public and non-public school settings. Respondents were purposefully chosen from general education teachers, special education teachers, and behavior interventionists across California. The data from online survey and interviews were analyzed through factorial ANOVA, descriptive …

Evaluating Perceptions Of Student Voice And School Membership Of 9th Grade Students And Teachers, Dan Beck

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Adolescence marks a developmental period of rapid cognitive, emotional, and physical growth where teenagers are tasked with establishing an identity and strong sense of self. Students and parents often report that transition to ninth grade is a formidable social challenge amidst increased academic demands and stress, and some research suggests that females have a more difficult time in the transition to high school than males. Student voice is a range of student opportunities to interact, collaborate, and partner with adults in an exploration of ideas and perspectives. However, student voice opportunities are often only available to a select group of …

The Beliefs Literacy Specialists Hold Regarding Processes That Assist Struggling Readers With The Comprehension Of Informational Text, Marguerite Haldin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Children have a basic human right to read. It is the evolving work of the reading/literacy specialists to provide support and build confidence in readers struggling in all components of reading. The purpose of this study is to explore the beliefs of reading/literacy specialists regarding the processes that assist struggling readers with the comprehension of informational text. The methods used were designed to address the research question: What are the beliefs reading/literacy specialists hold regarding processes that assist struggling readers with the comprehension of informational text? Nineteen members of a professional learning group from an intermediate unit in Southwestern Pennsylvania, …

Race, Sense Of Belonging, And The African American Student Experience At Predominantly White Institutions, Anthony Kane

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research study utilized a critical race theoretical framework and methodology to explore the lived experiences of African American students at a predominantly White institution. The purpose of this study was to identify how race impacts the sense of belonging of African American students at predominantly White institutions (PWIs). This study highlighted the racialized experiences of African American students at a predominantly White institution and how these experiences impacted their sense of belonging. Additionally, this study sought to understand the type of support African Americans students preferred and needed in order to develop a positive sense of belonging.

Six African …

Exploring Appreciative Advising As An Equity Approach For African American Students: A Grounded Theory Study Of Academic Advisors At Predominantly White Institutions (Pwis), Valerie Harper

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

EXPLORING APPRECIATIVE ADVISING AS AN EQUITY APPROACH FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS: A GROUNDED THEORY STUDY OF ACADEMIC ADVISORS AT PREDOMINANTLY WHITE INSTITUTIONS (PWIs)

By

Valerie J. Harper

October 28, 2019

Dissertation supervised by Professor Gretchen Givens Generett

African American matriculation into postsecondary education continues to rise, but degree conferral remains low (Hoston, Graves, & Fleming-Randle, 2010). Arguably, Harper and Hurtado’s (2007) research, as far back as 1992, stated black students and other students of color have dealt with alienation, isolation, and stereotyping at PWIs; this continues to persist today (Lee, 2018), which may interrupt the academic success of African …

The Impact Of Retention Efforts On The Collegiate Experience Of Students Of Color At A Predominantly White Institution (Pwi), Jeffrie Mallory

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explored perceptions of thirteen stakeholders who participated in the Minority Orientation Program, a pre-entry initiative focused on retaining students of color at a private, four-year university located in the northeast region of the United States. Situated in Vincent Tinto’s Theory of Student Integration and Critical Race Theory, the author qualitatively assessed the Minority Orientation Program’s impact on participating students of color and the program’s influence on their enrollment through the completion of their Freshman year. The study’s findings confirmed that the Minority Orientation Program affects the collegiate experience for students of color in several ways. Positive influences in …

Females In Stem: Self-Efficacy Within Women Who Pursue Stem Majors, Lori Grata

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While many efforts have been made within the United States, women are still underrepresented within STEM. Research within this document shows that women and men score similarly on STEM-related standardized tests. The question remains, why are there still large quantities of men outnumbering women in college majors and career fields of STEM? Looking at female STEM self-efficacy and gender role in culture could provide insight to the problem at hand. A survey was given to investigate self-efficacy and students’ STEM backgrounds of undergraduate female students who are currently in a 4-year STEM-related major within one university.

The Effects Of A Virtual Wellness Community Upon Participants’ Self-Efficacy Beliefs, Ashly Locklin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the effects of a virtual wellness community on the self-efficacy of participants to attain their wellness goals through a mixed-methods design. Eight female participants between the ages of 25-38 completed a pre- and post-survey with 5-point Likert scale questions and open-ended questions before and after participating in a 28-day virtual wellness community. Instruments were developed for this study based off Bandura’s (2006) Self-Efficacy to Regulate Exercise and Bandura’s (2006) Self-Efficacy to Regulate Eating Habits surveys. Quantitative data were analyzed by summing item level scores and calculating percentages to examine the distribution across the scales, through paired-samples t-tests, …

Multi-Tiered System Of Supports As Collective Work: A (Re)Structuring Option For Middle Schools, Sonja M. Hollingsworth Dr.

Current Issues in Middle Level Education

Multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) is the overarching referent for frameworks designed to target behavioral and academic challenges with a focus on a tiered continuum of evidence-based practices within the context of prevention science and implementation research (Freeman, Sugai, Simonsen, & Everett, 2017). Extensive literature indicates that MTSS programs can be effective in helping teachers address academic and behavioral challenges. However, from the onset of the RtI movement and through its transition into the MTSS paradigm, many middle level schools have faced significant organizational and systemic challenges which hamstring their ability to utilize MTSS programming with fidelity. This essay proposes …

The Journey Of A Teacher: Adjusting To A New And Larger School District, Lauren Conroy

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Becoming an educator comes with many challenges. As an educator you are often faced with high or different expectations from administration and superiors, you work with a variety of student abilities, backgrounds, and socioeconomic statuses. Each day you are faced with situations where you might be challenged to use problem solving skills, or conflict resolution. You must also adapt to a new building, demanding schedules, meetings students’ unique needs, working with new colleagues, and implement and effective classroom management system. This study analyzes the adjustments that I, as an educator went through as I adapted to a new school district. …

Leveraging University Partnerships To Build Capacity In Rural Schools: A Case Study, Wesley D. Hickey, Ross Sherman, Cody Mize, Michael Donley

School Leadership Review

University partnerships provide an avenue to increase capacity within K-12 schools. This case study reviews and successful partnership and the steps taken to make it work.

Using Equity Audits To Create A Support System For Marginalized Students, Dusty L. Palmer, Irma L. Almager, Fernando Valle, Cathy Gabro, Vanessa Deleon

School Leadership Review

This qualitative content analysis study examined the framing of equity audits and the Texas Accountability Intervention System (TAIS) plans implemented by aspiring principal fellows to develop a support system for marginalized students. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate how a principal preparation program leverages equity-driven data to support the learning and engagement of all students, with an emphasis on supporting English Language Learners (ELL)s and Special Education (SPED) students. The findings revealed that using equity-driven data and progress monitoring quarterly goals did impact student learning, specifically with the ELL and SPED population

A Qualitative Study Exploring The Influence Of Low-Income Parental Engagement On Academic Achievement, Deborah Cardin

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand and describe the strategies that low-income parents use to support their high school students’ high academic achievement.

Methodology: In this qualitative case study, interviews, artifacts, and researcher notes were used to understand and describe the parental engagement behaviors and strategies of low-income parents that contributed to the academic achievement of students from the participant’s perspective. Several themes were derived from the shared experiences of the participants through analysis of data.

Findings: Key findings included parental use of: verbal communication and their presence in the lives of their student, traditionally …

Exemplary Human Resources Administrators Leading Through Storytelling, Colleen Slattery

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand and describe how exemplary human resources administrators use storytelling to lead organizations using Denning’s (2011) model. In addition, it was the purpose to understand how they use storytelling to create transformational change. Denning’s The Leader’s Guide to Storytelling highlights eight storytelling narrative patterns: to ignite action and implement new ideas, build trust, build your organizations’ brand, transmit organizational values, foster collaboration, share knowledge, neutralize rumor, and create and share vision.

Methodology: This phenomenological qualitative study described the lived experiences of exemplary human resources administrators in Northern California. The researcher was …

Strategies Exemplary High School District Superintendents Use To Work With The Political Styles Of School Board Members, Jeffrey Tooker

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed methods study was to understand the political styles of high school district superintendents and school board members as perceived by superintendents. In addition, it was the purpose of this study to identify the political strategies high school district superintendents use to work with the different political styles of board members. Methodology: Through an explanatory sequential mixed-methods study design, an electronic survey was utilized to collect quantitative data. Following quantitative data collection, in-depth qualitative data was collected through one-on-one interviews with exemplary high school district superintendents in California. The results of the quantitative survey data …

Book Review: Our Towns: A 100,000 Mile Journey Into The Heart Of America, Keith Morton

eJournal of Public Affairs

Book review of James and Deborah Fallows, Our towns: a 100,000 mile journey into the heart of America

Utilizing The College-Level Community Engagement Assessment Rubric To Identify Strengths, Weaknesses And Opportunities For Growth In Drexel University’S College Of Arts And Sciences, Cyndi R. Rickards, Jennifer Kebea, Brian Daley, Lawrence Souder

eJournal of Public Affairs

The College of Arts and Sciences (CoAS), one of Drexel’s largest colleges, has intentionally aimed to grow and deepen its commitment to civic engagement across the last decade. CoAS has significantly demonstrated a commitment to community engagement by making it a funding priority and creating a leadership position to support engagement. Because of the varying levels and formats of the college’s efforts towards civic engagement, a process of assessment was needed. To channel our assessment efforts we adopted Saltmarsh and Middleton’s pilot assessment rubric. A group of seven engaged faculty from across the college and the Executive Director of the …

Student Voice: A Qualitative Study Investigating Students' Experiences And Teachers’ Perceptions Of Instructional Practice Across Learning Levels, Lisa A. Moore

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership Dissertations

Using a 360-degree approach, this qualitative case study compared the experiences of students and the perceptions of teachers concerning instructional practice across learning levels in a northwest Georgia high school. The purpose was to use student voice to inform administrators of teachers’ and students’ classroom engagement. Using nine math classes across three learning levels (foundations algebra, on-level algebra, and advanced algebra), the study used open-ended surveys to collect self-reported data from students and teachers to identify common themes of learning and teaching practices. The common themes identified agreements and collaborative strategies between students and teachers at three different learning levels …

Designing Our Principal Pipeline From A Job-Embedded Residency, Dusty L. Palmer, Irma L. Almager, Fernando Valle

School Leadership Review

This qualitative case study explores the impact of job-embedded principal preparation residency programs through the lens of a school district’s administrator.  The school-university partnership provided an innovative way to prepare aspiring school leaders.  The job-embedded structure provided an authentic, contextual base experience where aspiring principals served as interns over a 15-month period in their current school district.  The praxis of the study positions principal interns to impact teacher growth and improve student achievement during their job-embedded placement.  Overall, the school district invested in its own teachers and are now leading their campuses in a principalship  role.