The purpose of this research was to understand the role of district leadership better in the implementation and development of professional learning communities. This investigation was a mixed-methods analysis of the perceptions of a school district's support in the implementation of professional learning communities (PLCs) at the school level. Additionally, in this study, I examined how the PLC framework supports systemic school improvement, using Hord's definition of the five dimensions of a professional learning community. A PLC literature review informed the study. A school district of approximately 14,000 students, and a high school of 2,219 students was selected as the population sample. One hundred high school staff members and 20 central office administrators completed the PLCA-DS of Professional Learning Community Assessment-District Support, developed by Olivier, Huffman and Cowan, to measure both school and district level personnel's perspectives regarding the district's role in the implementation of PLCs at the school level. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with district personnel as well as school leadership and professional campus based staff, which played integral roles in the development of professional learning communities. These roles include the school principal, assistant principal, liaison and other staff who are working collaboratively at the school and district levels …

The purpose of this research was to explore how the personal and professional experiences of school leaders strengthened or hindered their ability to engage in social justice leadership to advance educational equity and encourage culturally proficient practices in their schools. I employed a descriptive multi-case study and the research was viewed through a conceptual framework that included social justice, equity, and the five elements of cultural proficiency. Five principals from three different school districts were selected as participants. They represented elementary, middle and high schools. Interviews consisted of semi-structured face to face interviews with each principal participant and one focus group interview with five participants. Each participant also provided a cultural autobiography. Findings revealed while principals may care deeply about providing equitable opportunities for students, the interest does not supplement knowledge, skills, experience, and support. The information gained from this study can inform the practice of school leaders, and the way in which districts and programs of educational leadership prepare school leaders to serve and address the needs of all students as public schools become more culturally diverse.

The recent breakthroughs in the research of brain trauma as it relates to athletics has revealed never before seen damage linked with football participation. Known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), it is caused by activities inherent to the sport of football. School sponsored football has been granted immunity through case law and legislation in Texas. Recent research however indicates a different type of injury than those that school districts have been protected of liability from. This will provide a challenge to the immunity school districts have enjoyed regarding football. One route to abrogation of immunity is the state created danger provision established by the Supreme Court. The Fifth Circuit Court whose jurisdiction includes Texas has yet to officially adopt the state created danger theory. This research examined legal precedent to determine the challenge CTE may present the various layers of immunity surrounding school sponsored football in Texas.

Research reveals that disciplinary alternative education programs (DAEPs) are growing at an alarming rate. What are schools doing to ensure success for those students who are placed in a DAEP? In this descriptive qualitative research study, I examined how DAEPs can operate at a more effective level in order to provide a restorative environment, resulting in a decreased recidivism rate for troubled youth. In order to achieve this overall objective, the following research questions framed this study RQ1: What are the qualities in a disciplinary alternative education program setting that lead to either success or failure of a DAEP program? RQ2: Why do students continue to commit offenses which lead to multiple assignments in a disciplinary alternative education program? RQ3: How does a disciplinary alternative education program provide a restorative environment for troubled youth in order to decrease recidivism? RQ4: What resources are available to reduce the amount of repeat student assignments to DAEP? Participants were 12 North Texas secondary school students with multiple assignments to DAEPs and 12 North Texas secondary counselors who provide emotional and behavioral supports to these students. The findings indicate there is a high need for the implementation of transitional supports, a high need for …

As increasing emphasis is being placed on student college and career readiness, instructional approaches seek to develop content and skill proficiency. I gathered student perspectives on teacher expectations and instructional opportunities in core content classes in order to determine if expectation bias influences college readiness preparation in the classroom. Student academic self-concept and college readiness were examined alongside beliefs about teacher expectations and instructional opportunities in a conceptual framework for student perceptions. In this qualitative study, I utilized four focus groups of high school students from two cohorts to analyze perceptions across students from mostly on-level core classes and those from mostly advanced core classes. Findings showed students held high expectations of their own current and future performance, as well as perceived teachers generally hold high expectations, though this was shown through the development of relational capacity rather than instructional opportunities to develop college readiness skills or connect to students' future ambitions. The results of the study provide insight to educators seeking to create stronger connections for students between current educational experiences and future postsecondary opportunities.

The purpose of this study was to ascertain student and teacher perceptions of the environment in which student learning takes place and their perceptions of how it has helped them in the cognitive and social domains. Data collected were through student and teacher perception surveys, student and teacher perception questionnaires, classroom observations, student focus group discussions, and teacher interviews. Themes that emerged from the data sources were student interactions, students' autonomy in personalizing their learning space, teacher perceptions of comfort in the classroom, and student perceptions of comfort in the classroom. The findings of this study point to four recommendations for educational leaders to ensure the effective implementation of new and dynamic learning spaces: (1) consult and support teacher and students, (2) provide professional development, (3) visit campuses and other learning spaces, and (4) add color. In order for real change to take place, teachers need to enquire about and embrace student preferences and allow for the discomfort that will be present when trying something new. Teachers must be willing to relinquish control of the learning experience for the student in order to allow for possibilities in personalized learning on the part of the student. They must risk initial failure …

A gap exists in education research in the area of online readiness for secondary courses. In the current study, I examined the use of an online readiness assessment to inform students and educators of the necessary skills, aptitudes, and propensities needed for secondary course completion. In this research study, the perceptions of 17 secondary students in a North Texas public school were examined. Using a three-phase design, qualitative demographic surveys, focus groups, and open-ended end-of-course success questionnaires were collected and analyzed. The findings revealed the Revised McVay Online Readiness Assessment beneficial for providing students with information regarding skills needed for their online course success. Students were interested in how prior online experience influences online readiness and successful completion as well as the influence prior expectations of online learning had on online success. In addition, the study revealed the importance of student readiness relating to more specific self-regulatory skills including time-management, metacognitive self-monitoring, and task-strategies. The study results also revealed students found importance in knowing their comfort with online communication. K-12 school system and curriculum leaders may consider and take action to ensure effective curriculum and programs are implemented to achieve the desired results of student online course completion as well …

The doctrine of sovereign immunity in the Commonwealth of Virginia has evolved over time and the redefinition of the doctrine has been subjected to the interpretation by courts involving cases with varied facts and circumstances that have challenged the boundaries and flexibility of this legal concept. Determining the protection that a state agent was entitled to was the guiding principle in case law regarding sovereign immunity; however, understanding the purpose and intent of the doctrine of sovereign immunity was critical to determining the boundaries and criteria of the doctrine of immunity. In this dissertation, the researcher analyzed tort law as it applied to educators and public-school districts through the Virginia court system under common law and the Virginia Tort Claims Act (VTCA, 1981). The case analysis provided an overview of lawsuits heard and decisions rendered in negligence cases brought against educators and educational entities prior to and after the enactment of the Virginia Tort Claims Act in 1981.

With one in every 59 individuals now diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), there is a significant increase in college enrollment for these students, yet, alarmingly, this population has the highest college dropout rate. Using Rawl's social justice theory as the frame, this qualitative study identified the perceptions of students with ASD, their college professors, and the director of the Office of Disability Accommodation (ODA). Perceptions were examined through open-ended surveys regarding awareness of autism, knowledge of student civil rights, and the availability and adequacy of resources provided through the ODA. In addition, the students with autism participated in semi-structured face-to-face interviews. The findings of this study are consistent with other studies in reflecting barriers experienced by students with ASD, such as poor transition planning, communication, and self-advocacy limitations. The variance among reported perceptions revealed a lack of awareness and continuity of resources and support for students with autism, hindering their successful transition from high school to and through post-secondary education. Both students and professors expressed a lack of knowledge of students' rights at the college level and of how to access needed accommodations. These findings reveal the need for a greater awareness of supports needed by students with ASD …

This qualitative case study explored how school district and campus-level administrators coordinate resources and services for currently enrolled homeless students. Participants in this study included three district-level administrators designated as the homeless liaison and three campus principals. Data collected and analyzed included audio recordings of semi-structured interviews of each participant, documents at the district and campus-levels, school board meeting notes, and research field notes. The findings suggested that district and campus stakeholders embraced a shared vision of collaborative policy implementation to support the needs of students living in homelessness conditions. Findings also suggested that moral purpose is reflected through the intentional, collaborative efforts of district and campus administrators. Additionally, the findings suggested that social capital develops in the collaborative processes between district and campus leaders while they broker resources to foster developing social capital of this student population. Mobilization of resources through collaborative policy implementation can foster cohesion while supporting students and can counter the impact of living in homelessness conditions.

Although Hispanics are graduating from high school at greater rates, it is not leading to college success as college graduation rates remain low. In Texas, the Hispanic population has grown to the point that one out of three of all Texans are Hispanic. A phenomenological approach to research was used to investigate the perceptions of Hispanic college students on how well their public high school prepared them for college. Through face-to-face interviews and focus group discussions, eight Hispanic college students provided insight concerning their high school experience and how it translated into college readiness. Four questions guided the study: 1) in what ways do Hispanic college students believe their public high school prepared or failed to prepare them academically for post-secondary education; 2) in what ways do Hispanic college students believe their public high school prepared or failed to prepare them culturally for post-secondary education; 3) in what ways do Hispanic college students believe their public high school prepared or failed to prepare them socio-emotionally for post-secondary education; and 4) how do Hispanic students perceive their cultural identity in regards to their high school experience. Findings revealed four themes relating to how Hispanic students perceive their high school experience prepared …

Integrating digital pedagogy into instruction in a manner that promotes critical thinking and drives increased student achievement and engagement in all classrooms is a goal of many campuses and districts that invest heavily in hardware, software, and professional development on an annual basis. Digital pedagogy goals tend to center around preparing students for the 21st century workforce, promoting instruction that is more engaging, and providing deeper learning for all students; however, achieving these goals is not possible without teachers willing and able to effectively implement instructional technology into the content they are teaching. The conceptual framework consists of digital leadership, teacher engagement, and resources and supports. This case study focused on the district-wide integration of technology into instruction through the elements found in the conceptual framework. Educators, from kindergarten through twelfth grade were surveyed about their attitudes, self-efficacy perceptions and willingness to integrate digital pedagogies into their current teaching practices. The online survey that utilized Likert-like scales to gather demographic information as well educator perceptions on digital integration, teaching philosophy, digital self-efficacy, and leadership's focus and expectations regarding instructional technology. Additional data, from a variety of district documents, was also gathered on leadership, professional development, and infrastructure supports utilized to …

Empirical research has shown a relationship between the school principal's leadership ability as an instructional leader and student learning outcomes. It would be reasonable to assume that the school principal benefits greatly from his or her superintendent sharing his or her knowledge and experience. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of a sample of rural West Texas principals and the frequency and extent to which their superintendent provides them effective professional development and advice on a professional level or setting. Furthermore, the study focused on passive-avoidant, transactional, and transformational leadership styles. This was a mixed-method study utilizing 50 quantitative questions and 7 open-ended qualitative questions. Findings indicate that the principals'' perceptions of their superintendent's leadership style were on average, positive. Research supports that the behavior and actions superintendents used were both transformational and transactional forms of leadership and more often than not encouraged growth and positive outcomes among principals. The principals' perceptions regarding the impact of their superintendent's leadership style(s) on their own professional growth was positive, with results indicating that many superintendents would support and encourage professional and personal growth even where resources were limited.

Relational trust exists between and among individuals within complex human organizations; however, within a school, the relationship between teachers and the principal is at the heart of the organization. The purpose of this mixed method study was to gain an understanding of the relationship between teachers' trust in their principal and teacher efficacy and determine which leadership behaviors and facets of trust have the greatest influence on the trust relationship between teachers and the principal. The overarching goal of this dissertation study was to inform district-level administrators and principals so they are afforded the opportunity to reflect on their behavior, make changes if necessary to cultivate trusting relationships within their organization, and positively influence teacher efficacy. A convergent parallel mixed methods research study was conducted in two rural school districts in North Texas to identify teacher perceptions related to the leadership behaviors that influence organizational trust, and reveal the correlation between trust in the principal and teacher efficacy. The teachers who participated in the on-line survey named communication as the leadership behavior most closely related to their feelings of trust toward the principal. The facet of trust considered most significant by all teachers was reliability; however, a subset of high …

While the idea of source or teacher credibility dates back to the Greek philosopher, Aristotle, research to connect this perceived credibility with individual affective and cognitive growth is a more recent phenomenon. In 2009, a credibility learning model connecting perceived credibility to cognitive learning with university-aged subjects was established. In contrast, this research project focused on determining a link between K-12 students' perception of teacher credibility, as determined by a student survey, to cognitive academic achievement as rated by a standardized test, the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR). The survey data were obtained through a pre-existing campus climate survey that was created to assist campus and district administrators in determining campus needs and developing a campus improvement plan. The assessment data were obtained through the Texas Education Agency database. The data were analyzed using quantitative research methods, including traditional univariate and multivariate statistical techniques such as principal component analysis, chi-square tests for independence, and binomial logistic regression. The findings of the study revealed no link between the survey instrument used and student academic achievement on the STAAR reading and mathematics assessment. The survey used did not align with the review of literature regarding student's perception of teacher …

Public school finance and school accountability are highly contentious subjects. This correlational study illustrates campus level instructional spending efficiency by examining various input and output variables. The study utilizes data envelopment analysis of selected variables to compare elementary campuses and create instructional spending efficiency measures within purposively selected metropolitan educational service regions in Texas. The study analyzes elementary school instructional spending and student classification as economically disadvantaged compared to student achievement in English language arts. The study finds a direct relationship between instructional spending efficiency and student achievement. The relationship between the socioeconomic variable of economically disadvantaged status is inverse. This finding suggests that in depth examinations of highly inefficient, but relatively high academic performing cases, may uncover effective instructional or operational practices tailored to the needs of the sub-populations.

A quantitative, causal-comparative study between single gender and traditional mixed gender schools was conducted to examine how single gender schooling affected the academic achievement of African American males in a high-poverty urban community. This study examined the differences in TSI and EOC scores between African American males who attended a single gender male high school and a traditionally mixed gender high school serving students in the same community in Fort Worth, Texas. A two sample t-test was used to compare the STAAR and TSI scores of the two groups of African American males. Microsoft Excel was used to collect the descriptive statistical data and analysis was conducted in SPSS version 25.0 for Windows. A detailed description of the participants, the research design that was used in the study, a description of instruments that was used to analyze the data, research problem, research questions on which the study was based, and a description of data analysis methods that was used. This quantitative research compared the STAAR and TSI scores in language arts, math, and reading. The findings of study indicate the single-gender school model impacts the academic achievement of African American males in a particular community in Fort Worth, Texas. The …

Across the United States, African American males face barriers to securing a quality education. Barriers such as educational gatekeeping, and low identification, have caused African American males' enrollment in advanced placement courses to be at a rate lower than all other ethnicity and gender populations. A qualitative approach to research was used to explore how and in what ways district and school leaders created or hindered equitable advanced academic program opportunities for African American males. Through the lens of critical social theory, individual face-to-face interviews with district/campus educators and a focus group interview with African American male students, the lived experiences of participants within the advanced placement program were brought to the fore. Three questions guided the study: 1) How do district and school policies and practices create equitable advanced academic program opportunities for African American males; 2) How and in what ways do district and school leaders create or hinder equitable advanced academic program opportunities for African American males; and 3) What conditions have supported or hindered African American males in their ability to enroll and succeed in advanced academic courses. Findings revealed four themes to creating equity for African American males within the advanced placement program which included, …

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the benefit accrued to fifth-grade students who participated in a summer school accelerated instruction program utilizing accelerated instructional practices in a Texas school district. The secondary intent was to determine the program's effect on student regression or retention as measured by Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) scores and State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) tests in reading and mathematics. The district provided summer accelerated instruction to fifth-grade students who did not pass reading and/or mathematics portions of STAAR for the May administration. For this study, I focused on the 2018 summer accelerated instruction offered by the district, using a mixed methods design to analyze the effectiveness of accelerated instruction for the students who participated in the summer program. A paired samples t-test was conducted to evaluate if students who failed the May STAAR in either reading or mathematics increased their scores on the June STAAR. Also, a paired samples t-test was conducted to determine if these same students increased their fall MAP test when compared to the spring MAP test. Teachers were interviewed to determine their perceptions of the most beneficial parts of summer school for students who attended. The …

This mixed-methods study identified the effective practices of the principal and leadership team in an Improvement-Required (IR) high school that significantly influenced student achievement and guided their school from IR to a rating of Met Standard in one year. IR or F schools under the new system are schools that failed to meet the state accountability target goals. The high school in this study had a large culturally and economically diverse student population with a high percentage of English learners. The leadership practices were identified through four themes revealed by the qualitative data analysis of focus group and individual in-depth interviews: (a) importance of instructional, collaborative leadership, (b) intentional planning of effective instruction for all students, (c) consistent use of data to guide instruction, and (d) ongoing, data based, targeted staff development. The study findings are significant due to strong corroboration between the qualitative data collected from the interviews and the quantitative results from the faculty survey.

The purpose of this qualitative, multiple case study was to explore the practices and behaviors of successful Latin@ principals in high-need Texas middle schools focusing on the following three areas: learning, leadership, and context. Varying qualities of leadership essential for leading high-need middle schools coupled with contextual factors such as policy and community were examined. More importantly, this research sought how successful Latin@ leaders promoted a culture of learning in high-need middle schools with a focus on English learners (ELs). High-need schools are defined as those presenting a context that challenges the success of students. The study on leadership in high-need schools focuses on an investigation of strategies principals in these schools may employ and determining ways in which high-need school leaders are prepared and supported. Factors affecting the condition in high-need schools may include: (a) student and community characteristics (e.g., ethnic minorities, mobility, poverty, non-native language speakers), (b) student performance (e.g., math and reading scores, graduation rates, attendance), and (c) other factors (e.g., teacher and leader turnover, staff morale, student engagement). The context of schools matters and effective leaders in high-need schools must be able to lead using contextually appropriate responses. Two Latina principals serving in high-need middle schools, …

In May of 2002, Wichita Falls ISD, a district in Texas with a stagnate enrollment of 14,000 students for multiple years, asked for the community to support a $120 million bond to help cover the cost of four new elementary campuses and to maintain and upgrade aging facilities. The bond failed. Additionally, a 2004 bond failed again. Finally, in 2006, the district is finally able to pass a $60 million bond and only includes two new elementary campuses and no funding to address the aging facilities. At the same time, other districts in fast growing areas of Texas are able to pass school bonds with little to no issues. This begs the question, is there a formula for getting school bonds passed? The purpose of this study is to discover what key factors influence a bond package; to help find those answers, eight districts in Texas were selected, five considered to be a fast-growth district" and three considered to be no-growth district. The study used a qualitative research approach, using semi-structured interviews with 24 participants. After all factors were analyzed, a pattern and recommendation is developed for districts to follow allowing a high degree of success for school bonds.

This study examined student academic optimism in four diverse North Texas school districts. This study used a convergent parallel mixed methods design to analyze results of an online administration of the survey, and Latinx student responses to a focus group protocol derived from the survey. Quantitative results indicate the individual scales making up the construct align with previous research results. The three scales were found to be strongly and significantly correlated, indicating the potential for validation. Qualitative results indicate Latinx students' perceptions of their academic careers align with four themes. Latinx students are keenly aware of their teachers as a person, their school as a community, the intrusion of the outside world, and students as agents. Qualitative results support the importance of the three components of the construct, student trust in teachers, student academic press, and student identification with school. As a new source of data, combined with existing metrics of instructional effectiveness, student academic optimism could increase the ability of decision makers to improve the overall efficacy of school systems especially when addressing the persistent opportunity gaps for Latinx and other students of color.

Zero-tolerance discipline policies have been in use in U.S. schools for almost 25 years. Since their enactment in the 1990s, researchers have found that zero tolerance disciplinary policies and practices can cause students to enter the school-to-prison pipeline. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the perceptions of middle-school male students of color regarding the discipline process on a campus that supplemented zero-tolerance discipline with restorative practices (RPs). Additional intents of this study were to discover the challenges students encountered when they returned from a disciplinary alternative education program (DAEP) and determine whether RPs helped or hindered their transition to the home campus. Six middle-school male students of color who were placed at the district's DAEP and returned to their home campus participated in the study. The conceptual framework was based on Braithwaite's concept of stigmatized shame following an exclusion and Nathanson's human reactions to shame. The study yielded seven major themes: (a) student perceptions of exclusion, (b) behaviors related to exclusion from school, (c) human reactions to shame—attacking others, (d) human reactions to shame—avoidance, (e) the need for reintegration and acceptance, (f) traumatic events, and (g) dissonance in the discipline process.