Education Policy Commons^™

A Case Study Of Collegiate Alcohol Education: How Can Kennesaw State University Improve?, Tyler Pede

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects

Alcohol consumption is often seen as a rite of passage for college students. Unfortunately, over 1,800 college students die and thousands more are injured each year as a result of inappropriate alcohol use. Alcohol abuse is also often linked to sexual assaults, fights, property damage, and numerous healthy issues. Students that abuse alcohol tend to struggle academically and have a higher likelihood of dropping out of college all together. Higher education administrators at universities and colleges across the country experience the negative effects of this behavior. To help combat and reduce these negative effects, it is critical that administrators develop …

Three Essays Evaluating Choices Of Teachers And Administrators In Kentucky Public Schools, Nathan Barrett

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Public K-12 education is a large enterprise in the United States. Through local, state and federal sources, the U.S. allocated over $610 billion to K-12 public education in 2009 (NCES). Not only is the commitment of public funds for education substantial, the provision of K-12 education is primarily administered by the government in non-market settings through local school districts. It is this institutional environment that generates the impetus for evaluating how those in education make choices in the absence of markets.

Like traditional markets, non-market solutions often fail because the incentives facing individuals and agencies elicit choices which produce outcomes …

Administration Without Borders, Jonathan G.S. Koppell

Publications from President Jonathan G.S. Koppell

To thrive in 2020, we must conceive of the field of public administration in the broadest possible terms. Phenomena that typically have been treated peripherally in our literature are emerging center stage in recent years, confirming that the “old” boundaries of our discipline do not reflect contemporary reality. After reviewing three key developments—the rise of mixed and nongovernmental institutions in public policy, the increasing importance of market mechanisms, and the assertion of meaningful global regulation—an argument is made for a broader reconception of “publicness” that goes hand in hand with the embrace of governance in lieu of administration.

Bedouin Women In The Naqab, Israel: Ongoing Transformation, Marcy M. Wells

Human Rights & Human Welfare

Since its inception in 1948, the state of Israel has based development plans on an agenda of nation-building that has systematically excluded Palestinian Arab citizens such as the indigenous Bedouin. Policies of relocation, resettlement, and restructuring have been imposed on the Bedouin, forcing them from their ancestral lands and lifestyle in the Naqab (or Negev, as it is called in Hebrew) desert of southern Israel. The rapid and involuntary transition from self-sufficient, semi-nomadic, pastoral life to sedentarization and modernization has resulted in dependency on a state that treats the Bedouin as minority outsiders through unjust social, political, and economic structures. …

Public Higher Education Governance: An Empirical Examination, Jacob Fowles

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Public higher education is a large enterprise in the United States. Total state expenditures for higher education totaled nearly $152 billion dollars in FY2008, accounting for over ten percent of total state expenditures and representing the single largest category of discretionary spending in most states (NASBO, 2009). The last three decades have witnessed the introduction of hundreds of pieces of legislation across states which make structural changes to state higher education governance systems (Marcus, 1997; McLendon, Deaton, and Hearn, 2007). Despite the ubiquity of state higher education governance change much remains unknown, both in terms of why states choose to …

The Role Of Tuition In Financing Higher Education, Jay Craddock, Amjad Kisswani, Krista Kurvers, Hillery Leslie, Kumiko Primm, Abigal Sills

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In May 2009, six students enrolled in a graduate level policy analysis course at the University of Nevada- Las Vegas engaged in discussion concerning the effects of recent trends in the financing of higher education within the State of Nevada. This discussion was further narrowed down to the effects of tuition revenues. To what extent the University of Nevada-Las Vegas exercises control of their individual tuition revenues (how tuition revenues are expended and/or invested), and the amount of tuition revenues retained (to be expended and/or invested to maintain institutional operations) became the basis of this paper. While comparing the University …

An Analysis Of The Female Experience In The School Superintendency: Understanding Female Motivations For Assuming And Exiting The Superintendency With Relevant Applications For Mentoring Programs, Laura Allport Hammack

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There were three primary purposes of this study. First, the study sought to increase the knowledge base of motivations that females hold for assuming the school superintendency while simultaneously comparing and contrasting results with male counterparts. Second, the study analyzed the degree to which motivations for assuming the superintendency were realized once the female assumes the position. The third purpose of the study was to analyze the degree to which female superintendents have profited from a role model, or mentor, to help them find their way through the unexpected anxieties while assuming the profession. 111 Of the 222 respondents, 32 …

Passage And Initial Implementation Of The Supplemental Educational Services Element Of The No Child Left Behind Act: An Historical Inquiry Study, Brad D. Christensen

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

With reports alleging a sharp decline in student achievement in the last several years, there has been a call for higher standards in the United States education system. In response, with bipartisan support, politicians overwhelmingly passed the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001. NCLB, the most recent reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), mandated increasing the educational performance of all children by focusing on accountability for student achievement, flexibility, higher academic standards, research-based reforms, parental choice, annual testing to measure student progress, analysis of the annual testing data, and sanctions for schools where students did …

Collective Bargaining In Public Schools: Superintendents' Perspective, Kyle W. Mayer

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore how selected superintendents are experiencing the collective bargaining process. Exploration included an examination of the various roles that selected superintendents have played in the collective bargaining process within rural and suburban school districts in Michigan.

Furthermore, exploration included thematic areas of greatest challenges facing superintendents in recent collective bargaining negotiations. Particular emphasis was given to the style of collective bargaining environment that superintendents reported as most conducive to successful contract negotiations. In addition, the rising cost of health care benefits was a significant point of emphasis within this study.

Twenty-six superintendents from …

Measuring Community-Engaged Departments: A Study To Develop An Effective Self-Assessment Rubric For The Institutionalization Of Community Engagement In Academic Departments, Kevin Kecskes

Dissertations and Theses

Change in American higher education is occurring at a rapid pace. The increasing reemergence of civic or community engagement as a key component in the overall landscape of American higher is emblematic of that change. Academic departments play a critical role in higher education change, including institutionalizing community engagement on campuses. Yet, designing a way of measuring community engagement specifically at the level of the academic department has not been undertaken.

Based on advice from national expert/key informant interviews and the recognition of the importance of the role of academic departments in the overall institutionalization of community engagement in higher …

Nevada's Textbook Adoption Process: The State Perspective, Mitch Bishop, Katie Bliven, Scott Hess

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The process in Nevada used to select textbooks, the main tools for classroom instruction, is a complex web of various stakeholders and interactions. Ensuring that quality textbooks get into the hands of Nevada's teachers and students is the goal of the selection process. The main impediments affecting the selection process may be found in the structure of the process and how the stakeholders interact. In most cases, these interactions and responsibilities are dictated by state law and were established gradually over several years. While the current process functions to place textbooks in schools, it also shows great potential for improvement …

Indiana School Districts' Capacity To Use Student-Data Information Systems For Analysis And Decision Making, Rodney A. King

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The study investigated if student data is readily accessible and utilized to determine the academic abilities of the student. This study also investigated the current capabilities of the district and school to perform multiple tasks pertinent to data collection, assessment, and to what extent the system could be utilized to predict the principles of instructional change, staff training, communication and feedback. A review of the literature was conducted to design a survey instrument to measure the capacity of school districts student data-information systems. The population of this study consisted of all superintendents, assistant superintendents, business managers, or technology directors in …

Analyzing Changes In Indiana School Finance, Steven C. Disney Jr.

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze Indiana school superintendents' perceptions of the impact of the recent changes in Indiana school funding on local school districts. Indiana school superintendents' perceptions of whether the 2003 Budget Bill (HEA 1001) impacted school district personnel, educational programs, facilities, and transportation differently because of assessed valuation per student and student enrollment were tested. Differences in superintendents' perceptions because of years of superintendents' experience were also tested. The independent variables were defined as: 1) assessed valuation per student, 2) student enrollment, 3) superintendents' years of experience, and 4) Budget Bill HEA 1001. The dependent …

Superintendents' And School Board Presidents' Commitment To Selected Performance Components, Sandra Weaver

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare the perceptions of superintendents and school board presidents regarding their level of commitment to evaluation components on an appraisal instrument developed by the Indiana School Boards Association and Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents. Additionally, it investigated the difference between males and females on the rating of commitment to specific evaluation items. The study also examined the difference between respondents who use an annual appraisal instrument and those who do not on the rating of the level of commitment to specific evaluation components. The study reviews the superintendency from multiple facets. These …

Perceptions And Practices Of Indiana School Superintendents In Response To The Problem Of Sick Building Syndrome, Janet Elaine Hiller

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare the perceptions and practices of Indiana public school superintendents who represent two groups, those who had experienced building exposure to mold and those who had not experienced building exposure to mold. Seventy-five Indiana public school superintendents responded to the opinionnaire with a return rate of 81.5%. Results indicate that: (1) Indiana public school superintendents who had not experienced building exposure to mold had higher mean values than those who had experienced building exposure to mold relative to closing only classrooms affected by mold and to relocating staff and students exposed to mold; …

A Study Of Community College Funding, Patricia Charlton

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Community Colleges are an important segment of the postsecondary education system in the United States. As a direct result of growing financial constraints, couples with increased demands for access, sources of institutional funding has gained increased importance This research seeks to understand the relationships between governance structure and funding. A 50-state study using secondary data was used to examine variations in funding support for community colleges across the fifty states. The research found a significant relationship between funding levels of operating dollars per full-time equivalent and the existence of a local governing board. This analysis illustrated that having a local …

Growth Strategies And Intellectual Capital Formation In New And Emerging Heis, Ellen Hazelkorn

Books/Book chapters

Higher educational institutions are being asked to contribute more effectively and efficiently to economic growth, innovation and intellectual capital. As they do so, the academy has also come under pressure. The content of academic work, the role of faculty, and the balance between teaching, research and service, have, arguably, been restructured, reconfigured and redefined. For academics within traditional universities, pressures for accountability and social relevance have challenged what many valued as ‘their autonomy’. But, for staff within new and emerging HEIs, those formed or reconstituted circa. 1970, there have been different pressures. Many were hired originally as teachers and now …

Clark County School District: Bonds And Debt. Can They Be Divided Equally?, Jocelyn Izumigawa

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Clark County School District is one of the largest school districts in the nation with a student population of 203,616 for 1998-1999. Talk of deconsolidating Clark County School District has been proposed by Assembly persons. However, as recent as November 2000, another initiative for deconsolidation and reconfigurations had not been approved by the voters. One of the issues surrounding deconsolidation is the district's bond debt. An equitable division has not been reached should Clark County School District deconsolidate. This paper deals with dividing the bond debt equally among eight districts (identified in an earlier study of deconsolidation) and assessing whether …

A Comparison Study Of The San Francisco Community Board Whole Schools Conflict Resolution Project, Kimberli Huston

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The key purpose of this study was to compare and contrast the San Francisco Whole Schools Conflict Resolution Project to the School Mediation Program utilized in Clark County, Nevada. The evaluation further assessed the impact the San Francisco Project had on incidents of school-related violence in order to project these figures to the Clark County Program.

The methods used in this evaluation included a review of the implementation processes and training components for each conflict resolution program. The researcher also conducted a pre- and post- training analysis of San Francisco Unified School District incidents of school-related violence. Additionally, the Clark …

A Comparative Policy Analysis On The Effectiveness Of Implementing Student Uniforms In Public School Districts Within The United State From 1993 Through 1998, Desiree Hiestand

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study is to compare and analyze student uniform policies in public school districts within the United States and to ascertain whether or not they are effective. Available information from America's 70 largest school districts is collected and compared to determine if the policies are feasible. Findings indicate there is a broad spectrum of ways in which the districts address student attire and imply that most of the districts are not adapting uniform policies, but are leaving the decision up to individual schools and to the parents. Districts that are adapting policies boast favorable results. Although statistical …

Umass Chooses A Political Executive: The Politics Of A Presidential Search, Richard A. Hogarty

New England Journal of Public Policy

Horace Mann, the father of American public education, had served as president of the Massachusetts Senate prior to becoming the state's first secretary of education. Since then, as reformers succeeded in removing politics from the sacred groves of academe, appointing a politician to head the state's educational system fell into disfavor. Relatively recently, however, there have been two abortive attempts by politicians to reach the executive pinnacle of public higher education. Both James Collins, in 1986, and David Bartley, in 1991, were defeated in the quest to achieve this goal. Historical understanding of these battles is necessary to comprehend what …

The Need For In-Service Training For Newly Elected/Selected Board Members As Perceived By School Board Presidents And School Superintendents, Richard E. Helton

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: This study investigated the following research questions: (1) Is board member in-service a desirable and beneficial activity for the newly elected/selected board member? (2) Should board member inservice become a mandated activity in the State of Indiana? (3) What concepts, activities, and information should be included in the in-service process? (4) What delivery system or systems including the individuals and agencies should be used to bring the necessary information to the newly elected/selected board members? Method: The sample consisted of all 300 superintendents and all 286 board presidents in Indiana. The survey instrument was composed of four sections, with …

State Plans Inventory, Maine State Planning Office

Maine Collection

State Plans Inventory

Maine State Planning Office, Comprehensive Planning Assistance Divsion

Augusta, Maine (December, 1978).

"The preparation of this report was financially aided by a 701 Comprehensive Planning Assistance grant fro the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development."

Contents: Letter of Transmittal / Introduction / State Plans Inventory / Indices of State Plans / Tables

Statutory Provisions Of The Fifty States Relating To Save Harmless Legislation And Legislated Authority To School Corporations For The Purchase Of Liability Insurance, Kenneth Thomas Murray

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose. This paper is a comprehensive collection of statutes of the fifty states relating to save harmless legislation and legislated authority for school corporations to purchase liability insurance for themselves and/or their officers and employees. These protective statutes have become necessary as the doctrine of governmental immunity for school corporations has slowly eroded. Not only can school corporations and their employees be held liable for damages resulting from tort, but for some offenses school board members can be held personally liable for damages to be paid from their own pockets. Procedures. The collection of statutes at the Indiana University Law …

Public Education Finance: Urban Rural Tax Burden Distribution, Omer S. Ertur

Dissertations and Theses

Within the past decade the emphasis in school finance research has been toward formulating financing models to solve the inequities in educational opportunity. School finance research has concentrated, generally, on structuring school finance alternatives based on school district fiscal behavior. However, these studies did not analyze in detail the school finance alternatives' impacts on the individual taxpayers. The problem remains that, while various school finance alternatives may attain equal educational opportunity by equalizing the level of expenditures among school districts, they could expand the tax burden distribution inequities.

Policy analysis allows one to develop a rational policy procedure on empirical …

Postwar Planning For The State Of Maine, Maine Development Commission

Maine Collection

Postwar Planning for the State of Maine by the Maine Development Commission, as Compiled November 1, 1944

Compiled and Published by the Maine Development Commission, Augusta, Maine, 1944.

Contents: Introduction / General Employment Data / State Projects / Municipal Projects / List of Tables and Illustrations.