Education Policy Commons^™

Bridging The Gap Between Muslim Students And School Leadership In The United States, Sahar Khawaja

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Entering the third decade of the 21st century, the political landscape in the United States presents a challenging environment for Muslims, mirroring the global trend of oppression and discrimination faced by this community (Neptune, 2021). Despite being the fastest-growing demographic in the nation (Lipka, 2017), Muslim Americans increasingly encounter discrimination. By actively addressing and dismantling these stereotypes, educators can cultivate an inclusive environment where the needs of Muslim students are understood and respected. Understanding the stories and experiences of these students is vital for school leaders, as it enables the creation of an environment where every student feels a genuine …

Restoring School Librarians: Challenges And Strategies, Debrah E. Kachel

Learning Hub

The article examines efforts to restore school librarian positions across eleven urban U.S. school districts, despite significant financial and administrative obstacles. It documents strategies used by district library leaders to advocate for staffing, funding, and policy changes, emphasizing equity in access to certified school librarians. Through structured interviews and analysis, the report highlights key barriers, advocacy methods, and funding mechanisms that have influenced school library staffing. The study's findings contribute to the ongoing discourse on educational equity and policy reform in K-12 library services.

Behind The Leaders: An Assessment Of Principal Supervisor Practices, Carla Roberts Austin, Kristie Roberts-Lewis

The Guardianship Journal

This research study explored the effects of district size and region on the roles of principal supervisors. Key factors examined include district region, span of control, and allocation of time for support and development by principal supervisors. The researcher compared principals’ perceptions of support they receive from their principal supervisor across different school district sizes and district types (regions) in Georgia, framed within the sociocultural learning theory. Participants selected currently serve as principals in Georgia’s rural, urban, and suburban school districts. A total of seventy-five principals agreed to participate in this study. Data were collected through a survey instrument. Descriptive …

Computing In The Commonwealth: Specialized Education In Computer Science And Information Technology For High School Students In Virginia – An Environmental Scan, Amy Corning, Jonathan D. Becker, Jon Graham, James Carrigan, Keisha Tennessee

ICRE Publications

Over the past two decades, Virginia has invested substantially in STEM education, in part through specialized programs focused on computer science and information technology (CS/IT). This study represents the first effort to identify Virginia’s specialized secondary CS/IT programs and examine them collectively. Findings from the statewide environmental scan indicate that the programs are delivered through a wide variety of institutional structures, including Governor’s STEM Academies, Governor’s Schools, specialty centers, and academies, but most often through Career and Technical Education (CTE) centers. Programs tend to be concentrated in metropolitan areas, and some rural divisions may not be served. The programs provide …

Investigating The State Of Graduate Education In The Philippines: Challenges, Opportunities, And Policy Implications, Anne K. Candelaria, Eric Arthur N. Dio, Jovelyn G. Delosa

Political Science Department Faculty Publications

This study provides a comprehensive assessment of the graduate education sector, revealing that it is highly privatized, NCR-centric, and dominated by enrollment in Education and Business/Administration fields. The analysis confirms that the primary driver for this high demand, particularly in teacher education (which accounts for over half of all enrollment), is the use of graduate degrees as a key requirement for career advancement and promotion within agencies like the Department of Education (DepEd). This policy-driven demand, however, is linked to systemic issues, including the proliferation of “diploma mills” that undermine quality, extremely low on-time completion rates (averaging 18.77% for Master’s …

"What Is Title Ix? What's It Mean?": An Instrumental Case Study In Today's Secondary Schools, Kristin Haggerty

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Sexual harassment and assault, as defined by Title IX, are widespread issues in middle and high schools, yet schools often fail to provide sufficient education to students and staff about the policy and its protections (Grant et al., 2019). Title IX is a federal law designed to ensure fair and equal treatment of students and employees in educational settings while also overseeing the handling and adjudication of sexual misconduct allegations (Klusas, 2003). This study was conducted using instrumental case study research. 36 staff members from the middle school, high school, and administration of a mid-sized school district in Southeastern Pennsylvania …

The Effects Of Chronic Absenteeism On Average Daily Attendance Funding In Humboldt County Elementary Schools, Corabelle A. Esmailian

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Chronic absenteeism is linked to poor academic performance and lower social-emotional skills, both of which can have long-term effects on students and their communities. The California Department of Education uses average daily attendance (ADA) to determine most of the funding that public schools receive. When a student is absent, their school loses a portion of potential funding for that day. This study explores chronic absenteeism’s impact on the funding of Humboldt County’s elementary schools with a sequential exploratory research strategy and critical systems lens. Interviews with elementary administrators were conducted using a phenomenological approach to understand how this affects their …

How District Administrators Further The Book Banning Agenda, Kim Reichenbach Krutka

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Book banning and censorship in school libraries remain a significant barrier to intellectual freedom. Drawing on ten years of experience as a Texas school librarian, this opinion article highlights how district policies and grievance procedures empower individuals to exclude books representing marginalized identities, particularly queer and Black experiences. Using Critical Race Theory (CRT), specifically the tenets of whiteness as property and counter storytelling, the article explains how these policies uphold white privilege and dominant narratives while silencing counter-stories that validate diverse student identities. The grievance process allows a single hearing officer to overturn committee decisions without transparent reasoning, often restricting …

Impact Of Safety Training On Employee's Perceptions Of Organizational Safety Culture, Brooke Reid-Graves

Dissertations

Workplace safety and well-being are vital for all workers, regardless of their profession (Young et al., 2022). Studies show that providing employees with training focused on recognizing hazards and implementing safety practices is essential for reducing occupational risks (Namian et al., 2020; Rose & Rae, 2017). Research underscores the importance of fostering a positive organizational safety culture for risk reduction (Berry et al., 2020; Downey, 2019). Understanding the impact of safety training on shaping an organization’s safety culture is key to promoting safe working environments (Mahjoub, 2013).

This study utilized the perspectives of high school staff regarding safety training and …

Investigating A Study Abroad Program As A Reflective Development Of Intercultural Competence For Students In A Hispanic-Serving University, Akindele Ogunleye

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation project investigates the broad problem of evaluation and effectiveness that have diminished the opportunities that study abroad can potentially offer as part of higher education in the U.S. The research aim was to develop a reflective plan of implementing study abroad to achieve the transformation of intercultural competence of students of higher education in a Hispanic university. The research questions were deduced from a combination of views from literature since the 1920s affirming study abroad as elitist endeavor, female, liberal arts and academically weak. Using a quantitative data methodology, the study were collected data from students who participated …

Examining Key Predictors Of Enrollment At A Regional, Open-Access Research University On The U.S. - Mexico Border, Marcus Gay

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Each year, approximately 64% of admitted students do not enroll at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). This is particularly concerning given the projected decline in regional high school graduates beginning in the 2025-2026 academic year. The El Paso region is also predominantly composed of groups who have been historically underrepresented in higher education, including Hispanic or Latino students, individuals from low socio-economic backgrounds, and first-generation college students. Using logistic regression analysis, this quantitative study investigates how seven key factors impact the likelihood of enrollment among admitted UTEP applicants. The study utilized admissions data provided by UTEP’s Texas …

Student Loan Policies And Payments During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Closing The Gap Or Widening Inequalities?, Jason Jabbari, Takeshi Terada, Haotian Zheng, Stephen Roll

Journal of Student Financial Aid

Student debt was specifically addressed in the federal government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic through forbearance polices. However, not all individuals were eligible for forbearance, and it is possible that forbearance would leave some feeling further behind. Yet, little is known about student loan debt over the course of the pandemic, especially in relationship to forbearance policies, loan payments, and household financial stability. Leveraging a representative longitudinal survey of households during the pandemic, we use descriptive regression techniques to explore changes in loan balances throughout the pandemic, as well as the relationships among student loan policies, payments, and measures of …

Exposing The Pervasive Culture Of Whiteness At Predominantly White Institutions: A Narrative Analysis Of White Deans Of Students' Understanding And Role In Responses To Campus Racial Incidents, Jennifer Helen Reid

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Deeply embedded in U.S. higher education institutions is a culture of whiteness that benefits white students, staff, faculty, and administrators through racist policies, structures, and cultural norms designed to uphold whiteness. This culture not only minimizes the presence of racism, but also is pervasive on college campuses, where administrators often fail to recognize blatant racism and treat ongoing campus racial incidents as isolated events. Despite the frequency of racial incidents, campus responses are typically ineffective, failing to address the underlying institutional practices that reinforce white supremacy and further harm those affected. This study explored the experiences of white deans of …

An Examination Of The Perceptions Of Campus Safety Among Full-Time Faculty At Virginia Community Colleges, Hailey Ann Hermosa

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

The view that colleges are generally safe has been challenged by threats of violence on campuses across the country, causing fear among stakeholders. Community college faculty are not immune to crime-related fear on campus; however, the research has largely ignored this population. This research serves to fill that gap.

The purpose of this nonexperimental quantitative study was to examine perceptions of campus safety among full-time faculty at Virginia community colleges. An electronic Likert-type scale survey was disseminated to a sample of 472 full-time faculty throughout seven Virginia community colleges of varying sizes. Of those, 135 (28.7%) voluntarily participated in the …

Transforming School Leadership: An Examination Of The Impetus And Evolution Of An Internal District Principal Preparation Program, Whitney Szoke

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

School districts, faced with increasing shortages in the education profession, are leveraging internal district strategies to recruit and grow their educators. In addition to preparing and credentialing new educators, districts are turning inward to cultivate their leadership pipeline. This case study explores a post-credential inner-district principal preparation program in a large school district in the Mid-Atlantic region. Participants were central office leaders involved in creating and developing the program. This study's findings reveal insights into the creation and development of an inner-district principal preparation program and how initiatives are shaped and influenced during the development phase. Central office leaders were …

A Critical Policy Analysis Of Universal Preschool In Colorado: Its Roots, Intentions, And Development, Jamita Horton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

High-quality preschool experiences are essential for preparing four-year-old children for a successful transition to kindergarten, benefiting them academically, emotionally, socially, and physically. However, access to such preschools remains limited, particularly for children from marginalized communities. This qualitative critical policy analysis examines transitioning from the targeted Colorado Preschool Program (CPP) to a universal preschool approach through the 2022 Colorado House Bill 1295: Department of Early Childhood and Universal Preschool Program. Drawing on Young and Diem's (2017) framework for critical policy analysis, this study explores the roots, development, and potential implications of the universal preschool policy.

This study analyzes documents and audio …

Black Superintendents’ Perceptions On The Effectiveness Of Diversity And Equity Professional Development In New Jersey Schools, Tanisha Hinton

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Providing an accessible and equitable education for all students has been an ongoing process mandated by the Managing for Equality and Equity initiative to close the achievement and opportunity gaps among students. This qualitative study examined Black superintendents' perspectives about the effectiveness and impact of diversity, equity, and inclusive initiatives in majority White staffed school districts in New Jersey. Furthermore, the study explored the perceptions of Black superintendents across different regions of New Jersey to understand if there were significant differences in how DEI initiative was perceived. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 8 Black superintendents and the data was analyzed …

Factors Impacting Bsn Degrees In Community Colleges In Illinois And Exploring Community Colleges To Address Nursing Education Reform: A Mixed Methods Study, Lovelle Reynolds

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the implementation of Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs in Illinois community colleges, focusing on Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) faculty perceptions. Utilizing an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, the study first conducted a survey among full-time ADN faculty across Illinois community colleges to assess their support for BSN program offerings. An overwhelming 85% of respondents supported or strongly supported this offering, recognizing the potential benefits for meeting the complex demands of modern healthcare roles. Following the survey, in-depth interviews with volunteered faculty members provided deeper insight into the implementation challenges. These challenges included the need for …

Board Of Trustees Minutes, May 10 2024, Indiana State University Board Of Trustees

Board of Trustees

No abstract provided.

Workplace Bullying In K-12 Education, Lorena Garcia

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Workplace bullying within K-12 education settings has become an increasingly recognized concern, with potentially profound implications for educators' well-being. This quantitative research study aims to explore the phenomenon of workplace bullying among teachers and administrators in K-12 educational institutions. Findings from this study will contribute to the existing literature by shedding light on the prevalence and manifestations of workplace bullying in K-12 education, as well as its implications for individual well-being, organizational culture, and educational outcomes. The study aims to inform the development of targeted interventions and policies to prevent and address workplace bullying, thereby fostering healthier and more supportive …

What Comes After The Critique Of The Corporate University? Toward A Syndicalist University, Clyde W. Barrow

Emancipations: A Journal of Critical Social Analysis

For the past three decades, university faculty have produced a cascade of contemporary protest literature that routinely criticizes the knowledge factory, academic capitalism, managed professionals, college for sale, the university in ruins, the corporate corruption of higher education, and University, Inc. University faculty are regularly warned about the fall of the faculty, the last professors, and the last intellectuals. This article reviews the historical development of the corporate and neoliberal university, but it takes the next step of asking what is to be done after the critique of the corporate university. It calls on faculty to engage in a variety …

#Dusomething! A Qualitative Exploratory Study To Identify Challenges And Opportunities For Improvement In Du's Response To Sexual Harassment And Assault, Alejandro Cerón, Amanda Cali, Briana Cox, Camille Cruz, Camryn Evans, Cyndal Groskopf, Ashley Joplin, Clayton Kempf, Kēhaulani Lagunero, Jayvyn Jakai Lewis, Aili Limstrom, Gray Messersmith, Cal Quayle, Yadira Quintero, Michael Sze, Aaron Toussaint, Sami Zepponi

Anthropology: Undergraduate Student Scholarship

The purpose of this course-based research project was to identify where DU has made progress in its response to sexual harassment, identifying challenges and opportunities for improvement, with the hope that the results will support the DU community’s efforts to prevent, address, and eradicate sexual harassment.

Board Of Trustees Minutes, Feb. 16 2024, Indiana State University Board Of Trustees

Board of Trustees

No abstract provided.

The Use And Impact Of Strategic Planning In Nebraska Public Schools, Jodi A. Frager

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

In the landscape of modern education, the role of a superintendent has become increasingly complex, marked by demands for higher student achievement and round-the-clock communication. This complexity, underscored by technological advancements and evolving accountability measures, underscores the criticality of strategic planning for school districts. This dissertation aims to explore the relationship between superintendent engagement with strategic planning and student outcomes, particularly focusing on high school graduation rates and ACT scores in Nebraska public schools. Drawing on theoretical frameworks such as Systems Theory, the study employs a quantitative approach, utilizing surveys administered to superintendents alongside publicly available archival data on graduation …

Black Principals’ Navigation Of Politically Conservative Challenges To Public School Curricula: Effects On Administrator Attrition, Hamisi Tarrant

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This qualitative study explored the experiences and perceptions of Black principals regarding the influence of politically conservative efforts on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives; critical race theory (CRT); and curriculum related to slavery in K–12 schools. The study was grounded in the increasing politicization of education, particularly as it pertained to race and identity, and examined how Black school leaders navigate these pressures. A review of the literature revealed the persistent challenges faced by Black principals, including racial discrimination, professional isolation, and a lack of support systems, compounded by the rise of conservative ideologies in education. The research sought …

Intrinsic Motivators For Participation And Persistence In Intercollegiate Athletics, Kevin Saal

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Since its inception, intercollegiate athletics’ conflicting existence vacillates between a history of rich, co-curricular and developmental experiences for young people, and a multi-billion-dollar industry transformed by limitless commercialization, expense and exploitation. The “professionalization” of intercollegiate athletics and blurring of motivational factors influencing participation and persistence threatens its holistic academic and developmental purpose (Duderstadt, 2000, p. 78). This dissertation provides a review of motivational theories, in addition to summarizing numerous contextually relevant intrinsic and extrinsic regulators impacting human behavior. Through a quantitative research methodology this study proposes research broadly investigating intrinsic motivation, seeking to develop a better understanding and establish …

Ngo Navigators, Information Support, And Parental Assistance With Pk-12 School Decisions, Jason E. Saltmarsh

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

This study provides empirical insights into the perceptions and agency of navigators who provide school selection assistance and this NGO’s unique insider–outsider status. As semi-private actors, navigators offer an important bridge between two kinds of social capital: the informal types of trust and legitimacy that families rely on, and the skills, knowledge, and networks necessary to access higher-quality schools in choice policy contexts. Data for this study are derived from an exploratory case study, including 13 in-depth interviews, documentary and social media analysis, and informal conversations. The findings illustrate the benefits and shortcomings of NGO information support in choice policy …

Older And Wiser? Relative Age And College Course Failure, P. Wesley Routon, Jay K. Walker

Economics Faculty Publications

A student's relative age in their schooling cohort has been shown related to several measures of academic and labor market success. Here, we focus on a singular outcome: the probability of college course failure. Even within a sample constrained to students with traditional academic progression and who completed their college degree program, we find evidence relatively younger students were more likely to fail courses. The estimated impact is larger for males, minorities, and those with less academic success before college. Statistical significance remains constant across the parental income distribution. Students within the sample represent over 600 colleges and universities across …

Segregation And School Composition In Washington, D.C. Following The Implementation Of A Unified School Lottery, Jason E. Saltmarsh, Francisco Lagos

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

The global expansion of choice programs fuels debates about the equity potential of school choice policies and mechanisms. In 2014, Washington, D.C. pioneered a citywide lottery and enrollment system to match students with preferred institutions and distribute access to seats in high-demand schools. While unified lottery and enrollment systems impact a vast number of students and influence educational opportunities across continents, little evidence exists on the efficacy of these systems or the link between centralized lotteries and changes in school composition or segregation. Using longitudinal data and an interrupted time series analysis, this study examines the relationship between D.C.’s centralized …

Mapping The Historical Discourse Of A Right-To-Read Claim: A Situational Analysis, Mursalata Muhammad

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation project used an interpretivist qualitative research design to study how the right-to-read claim made by seven teenagers attending Detroit public schools in 2016 reflects, addresses, or describes contemporary discussions about educational access. Using situational analysis (SA) as a theory/method, the entirety of the claim comprises the situation of the social phenomenon being studied, not the people. This research combines critical race theory (CRT) with Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems and uses situation analysis to map historical discourses to conduct a study that examines the history of a present situation of inquiry as presented by this question: How does the 2016 …