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The purpose of this research dissertation was to investigate and explore consciousness in millennial African American men. This study defined consciousness in the form of self-concept or self-conceptualization, the image we have of ourselves (Akbar, 1991; McLeod 2008). The research question under investigation is, How do African American college men define identity, masculinity, and self-concept under the umbrella of consciousness? This study also examines the relation to environmental factors which include type of schooling, household dynamics, high school mentorship, and college readiness. Investigative approaches also include asking questions regarding socio-economic status, academic achievement, and success. This research also included the sub question of, “How do African American men explain factors of identity as it relates to race, identity, masculinity, aggression, and overall existence”? The researcher utilized a qualitative approach. Participants for this study included African American men between the ages of 18–25 years old. The researcher conducted a convenience sampling of students at an Historically Black College or University (HBCU). The researcher initiated collection in phases. Phase I administration was a general survey given to 30 African American men who attended the selected university. This survey was constructed with the use of Google Forms and contained general background information questions: household income, type of schooling, and parental status. Phase II consisted of five individual interviews with students who iv reported less likely to have a strong identity score based on the Nigrescence model (Cross, 1991). Phase III was the conduction of the video ethnography which included video footage of participants answering in-depth questions surrounding identity and self-consciousness. Thematic analysis and findings included: the significance of single mothers, high-school mentorship pertaining to leadership programs, and the choice of HBCU selection leading to positive future impact. These findings highlighted the importance of self-consciousness and discovery essential to the psyche of African American, millennial age men and the foreshadowing of the mindset of future generations. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

Racial trauma is deeply institutionalized within our educational system because of the primary focus on the dominant Western society ideology of culture, language, literacy, and academic standards. Due to minimum recognition in the mental health field or the education arena, the effects of such trauma are profound. They can account for social and behavioral dysfunctions seen in high school adolescent students of color as well as low academic achievement. The phenomenon of racial trauma in society is deeply tragic, with historical roots that pervade public high school campuses and classrooms. The premise of this research was founded on White dominance and privilege. Today, the effects of racial trauma have become dominantly prevalent and still trickle into the personal and academic lives of high school students of color. This study aims to understand the problem through the eyes and lived experiences of high school students of color. The overarching research question is: How does racial trauma impact the mental health of high school students of color? Individual interviews and narrative inquiry were used to encapsulate and validate the issues of racial trauma and its impact on students of color’s mental health. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

This study addresses university leadership and the need to affirm diversity, equity, and inclusion in order to institute organizational change for social justice. My key research question is “What are effective ways for leaders to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion with the goal of achieving social justice?” There is much research in the areas of racial equity, Critical Race Theory, and Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies, but the connection to leadership development models is new terrain. This study will add a Connective Leadership Theory framework to the lens of Critical Race Theory to analyze the potential of university leaders to enhance organizational change for diversity, equity, and inclusion metrics. The study will be explanatory mixed methods research including both Likert Scale surveys and follow-up interviews. The implication of this research is to create a template for university administrators and employees on how to use diversity, equity, and inclusion measures to work toward organizational change and social justice. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to interpret the lived experiences of K-12 special education teachers (N = 16) from large, suburban districts in Illinois who have persisted in their positions beyond four years. Understanding factors that contribute to the longevity of special education teachers is not only vital for enhancing the educational landscape for students with disabilities but also for informing district-level strategies aimed at fostering teacher retention. This study was guided by Bronfenbrenner's Process-Person-Context-Time (PPCT) bioecological systems theory, which provided a framework for exploring the various systems that influence special education teacher retention. To achieve triangulation and enhance credibility in this study, a purposeful sequence of surveys/questionnaires, individual interviews, artifact sharing, and a writing prompt were used. Themes related to external supports with subthemes related to family support, collegial support, administrator support, and mental health support, as well as internal supports with subthemes related to a sense of purpose, coping skills, and resilience were discovered. These interconnected themes highlight the comprehensive nature of special education teachers' lived experiences. The study provides valuable insights for policy and practice in special education, which can help reduce the negative impact of teacher attrition and improve outcomes for students with disabilities.

This phenomenological study explored the perceived experiences of Black women in the Church of God In Christ (COGIC), who hold senior leadership missionary roles, and the power of resilience they appear to possess. Previous studies (Starr-Parker, 2012) regarding women in the COGIC discuss barriers for women in leadership; however, there is a gap in the literature that explores the perceived tenacity of women who hold senior leadership missionary roles. The researcher did not aim to criticize the Church of God In Christ doctrine but to examine the perceived experiences of Black women in that church who hold senior leadership missionary roles and the power of resilience they appear to possess. Black women from the eastern part of the country who belong to COGIC were selected to describe their experiences by responding to three questions: What, if any, factors enhanced your decision to accept the call into senior leadership missionary roles as a female of the COGIC? What, if any, are the experiences that influence the resilience of women in senior leadership missionary roles to remain in leadership in COGIC? What experiences could be perceived as self-hindering for women in senior leadership missionary roles in ministry in the COGIC? This study was fortified by the researcher analyzing collected data through the thematic lens of women made in God’s Image, Complementarian versus Egalitarian theory, and gender inequity in COGIC.

Using Charmaz’s (2014) grounded theory (GT) and Clarke’s (2003; 2005; Clarke et al., 2018) situational analysis (SA), this study explores the experience of counselor educators and their pressure to conform throughout their professional identity development process. As counselor educators, these individuals are thought and practice leaders in the field of professional counseling, training up future counselors and advancing the field in scholarship and advocacy as a social science (Aubrey, 1980; Hansen et al., 2014). As a social science, the integrity and investigative power of counseling are tethered to empirical discovery through quantitative and qualitative methods and philosophy – while inherently complementary, these two modes of inquiry, and their respective philosophies, have been set at odds in the course of development within the social sciences. This tension has been referred to as the “paradigmatic pendulum” (Hansen, 2009), wherein the social sciences swing back and forth throughout the eras from “medicalized, material models of care to psychological, immaterial approach to human change” (Hansen et al., 2014, p. 117). Representing the core of our profession, the swinging of this pendulum often goes undiscussed by counselor educators, and thus without understanding of its implications on professional identity in counselor education. Interpreted through conflict theory and post-structuralism, the participants were guided through three iterative interviews to uncover the meaning they find in the qualitative world of discovery, and their place in it, as they embody their own understanding of professional identity in counselor education.

Shared leadership is a valuable phenomenon in education that has been studied for the past 100 years. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between Christian school administrators’ shared leadership practices and teacher efficacy during the COVID-19 pandemic. The researcher had a unique opportunity to study shared leadership in Christian schools during a world-wide crisis. The participants were chosen from a convenience sample of high school teachers and administrators employed at Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) member schools in the southeast region of the United States (Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia) during the summer semester of the 2022-2023 school year. The participants answered survey questions from the Shared Leadership Perception Scale and the Teachers Sense of Efficacy Scale. Data were collected from the surveys, and multiple linear regression was used to determine if the null hypotheses could be rejected. Results from the data analysis confirmed the null hypothesis could be rejected; there is a significant relationship between the linear combination of the shared leadership domain and teacher efficacy. However, only one construct of shared leadership, decentralized interactions, had a statistically significant effect on teacher efficacy. This study reveals the areas of shared leadership that Christian school educators should focus to improve teacher efficacy, especially during a dilemma.

This purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of demonstrating moral courage in the workplace when confronted with an ethical dilemma for post-graduate students of Christian-based educational institutions on the East Coast. The moral foundations theory by Haidt and Craig guided this study to find the innate responses that frame these graduates' lived experiences to understand better external influences, intrapersonal conflict, and rationale for the willingness to demonstrate moral courage when confronted with a moral dilemma. A sample of 10 graduates from Christian-based institutions completed the Moral Foundations Questionnaire, participated in one-to-one interviews, and attended a focus group to identify and validate significant themes about the phenomena. Data analysis established the themes and meaning of the phenomena. Results corroborated three themes: 1. Initial reaction/Intuition, 2. Moral Foundation, and 3. Moral Courage. Triangulation provided a method to confirm the results' authenticity and credibility concerning these graduates' lived experiences. One-year post-graduates experience an intuitive response in the presence of a moral dilemma. Their decision to act on this reaction is influenced by a Christian education and the value of honoring God. Moral courage is present with faith and confidence in one’s Christian values.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (2022), the Private School Universe Survey (PSS) was given and disclosed that 4.7 million students were served in private elementary and secondary schools in the fall of 2019. Approximately twenty-five percent of private schools in the United States of America are considered conservative Christian schools (National Center for Education Statistics, 2022). Within the conservative Christian schools, 0.7% of the students were American Indian, 5.3% were Asian, 68.6% were white, 11.2% were Black, 9.2% were Hispanic, 0.8% were Pacific Islander, and 4.3% were two or more races. Diversity in conservative Christian schools is minimal compared to public schools (Ee et al., 2018); however, the smaller percentages of diverse students on a private Christian school campus do not nullify the need for cultural awareness and responsiveness. The purpose of this correlational study was to determine if a relationship exists between culturally responsive school leadership, cultural awareness, teacher readiness for educating all students, and professional learning opportunities about diversity, controlling for Christian private schools located in the United States of America. This study utilized the survey design method, and the sample of this research comprised the population of teachers employed for at least one year at Christian private schools. The results of the study are based on significant Chi-square analyses, which show numerous strong relationships between Likert scale item means that show primary factors that highlight teacher perceptions of cultural awareness, teacher readiness to educate all students, and equity-focused professional learning opportunities.

One of the most common and important entry points into higher education for Latinx and other underrepresented students is through community college. However, national completion rates for Latinx community college students have been trailing their white peers. This gap in academic achievement has prevailed since the 1990s. The trailing rates of degree completion for Latinx students can lead to lower lifetime salary earnings, lack of career advancement, greater risk of losing employment, and an increased chance of living in poverty. However, a successful community college model may be seen as a disruptor in the educational sector due to its much higher completion rate for Latinx students: the model at Arrupe College of Loyola University Chicago and Dougherty Family College at the University of St. Thomas. The purpose of this study was to understand the lived experiences of Latinx students and explore what contributed to their academic success at Arrupe College and Dougherty Family College. A qualitative study was undertaken using foundational texts and frameworks on critical race theory and Latino critical theory to discover insights into the academic success of Latinx students at the two institutions. Factors such as community cultural wealth and critically relevant pedagogy were also reviewed to see if they contributed to student success. Findings of the study revealed a significant correlation of community cultural wealth, culturally relevant pedagogy, and Garcia’s six practices for Hispanic-serving institutions, which provided the theoretical framework for Latinx academic achievement at Arrupe College and Dougherty Family College.

Transfronterizx students and their families cross the U.S.–Mexico border for academic, economic, social, cultural, and linguistic reasons. Socioeconomic disparities, deportation, and work have propelled some families to live in Mexico and enroll their U.S.-born children in U.S. schools to provide more socioeconomic opportunities in the United States. Educators of transfronterizx students are uniquely tasked to work with these nontraditional students. Moreover, transfronterizx students and their families have distinct needs in U.S. schools; as such, there is a need for further research on the transfronterizx experience in the U.S. K–12 system. This qualitative narrative inquiry study aimed to understand the experiences of transfronterizx public school students, families, and educators of transfronterizx to understand the impact of being transfronterizx on school engagement to uncover strategies that support and foster effective engagement. Through qualitative analysis, I uncovered the following key findings: district and school policies validate the experiences of people of color; transfronterizx students embody their community cultural wealth, including endurance and sacrifice wealth; and educators demonstrate a commitment to social justice through humanizing practices. Key themes included the following: fear is endemic among transfronterizx, the intersectionality of global north and south shape their experiences and interactions with the educational and sociopolitical systems, and the duality of transfronterizx identity. From these findings, I delineated recommendations for the multilevel systems that impact transfronterizx. Finally, I introduce a new theoretical framework, Transfronterizx Critical Theory (TfxCrt), to provide a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the intersecting dynamics of transfronterizx while advancing critical perspectives.

Black students in the United States have consistently been denied access to empowering, culturally affirming, and responsive learning experiences in the traditional public system. The epistemological and pedagogical beliefs embedded in a liberatory mindset can subvert this pattern of disempowerment (Shujaa, 1998). Black school leaders (BSLs) who understand the systemic and institutional pressures Black children may face and have to overcome, having undergone similarly racialized experiences in school, are uniquely placed to create liberatory spaces for Black students by recruiting and developing these liberatory mindsets in their staff. This instrumental case study used qualitative research methods of front-porch pedagogy (McTighe & Haywood, 2018) through observations and interviews with BSLs and staff in one urban school. The study explored BSLs’ interpretations of the liberatory mindset, how it impacted staff selection, and ultimately guided alignment with staff on the co-construction of empowering environments for Black students. Findings revealed four elements that guided BSLs’ hiring and professional development decisions and positioned critical hope and personal liberation as levers for Black student empowerment: (a) Liberatory and Responsive Education Systems, (b) Resilience and Personal Growth, (c) Sociopolitical Awareness and Advocacy, and (d) Self-Determination and Courage as Outcome Drivers. The study indicates the importance of giving Black families educational choices, including ethnoculturally autonomous schools, and for leadership and teaching preparation programs to consider community of color epistemologies. It also invites aspiring non-Black educator allies to gain a deeper understanding of how their own epistemological development impacts their pedagogical presumptions of the potential of their Black students.

Is the achievement gap real? Using a mixed-methods approach, this study reframed standardized testing through a Quantitative Critical and Black Critical lens. It interrogated the deficit framing of Black student achievement by asking the following questions: (1) To what extent do the aggregated standardized test scores for Black students in California correlate with other measures of achievement? Included in this analysis are: (a) To what degree does the ratio of Black students relate to the achievement variables? and (b) To what extent did COVID impact this correlation? (2) What beliefs do Black educators have regarding the standardized test scores of Black students? and (3) How do Black educators define Black Genius? Data sources included a quantitative comparison of three achievement variables from 56 school districts over two cohort years (2017/2018–2021/2022), a questionnaire, and document analyses. “Groundtruthing” (Pérez Huber et al., 2018) was also used to verify the data with 23 Black educators. Findings revealed a lack of any strong correlation between the state standardized test to other, more meaningful outcomes for Black students. The study proffers three terms to frame the issue more accurately: Achievement Distortion, Connection Gap, and Black Genius. Groundtruthed by Black educators, Black Genius is defined as an intelligence that exists outside of the traditional, status quo, Western conceptualization of intelligence. Black Genius is rooted in Black community, consciousness, and our collective history, propelling Black people to achieve, persist, and make progress in the face of persistent anti-Blackness.

As international schools continue to flourish, they must consider how to be inclusive and meet the needs not only of multicultural populations of students, but also the needs of students with diagnosed learning difficulties (i.e., students with special needs). Promoting teacher agency is a potentially important component in successfully implementing inclusive practices given that teachers are key actors in the implementation process. Currently, however, there is limited empirical evidence regarding the interconnectedness of teacher agency and inclusion of special needs populations in international schools. This qualitative research explores the role of school leaders in promoting teacher agency to support the inclusion of students with identified learning needs in inclusive classrooms. Through in-depth interviews with three school leaders, six primary class teachers, and six learning support specialists from three international schools in Europe, the study examines the factors influencing teacher agency and the implementation of inclusive practices. These factors include: participation in policy development, collaboration structures, professional development, self-advocacy, colleague influence, and leadership influence. The findings reveal that school leaders can enhance teacher agency by fostering trusting relationships, prioritizing interdisciplinary teams, establishing consistent collaborative structures, including learning support specialists in decision-making processes, and providing meaningful professional development opportunities. These findings emphasize the importance of proactive leadership in creating inclusive school environments and supporting educators in meeting the diverse needs of students. The study contributes to filling a gap in the literature on the relationship between leadership, teacher agency, and inclusion, and offers insights for policymakers, school leaders, and educators seeking to improve inclusive practices in schools. Future research directions are also discussed to further explore these dynamics across diverse educational contexts.

The four-by-four (4x4) schedule—a type of high school block schedule—presents promising prospects for improving teaching and learning. Using a qualitative, single case study methodology, I investigated a school transitioning from a traditional six-period schedule to a 4x4 schedule during its 2nd and 3rd year of implementation. The study aimed to understand the factors that influenced the transition, the stakeholders’ responses to the decision, and the factors that influenced their responses. Some of the main considerations that motivated the decision included the desire to provide more opportunities within the school day for students to meet A/G college eligibility requirements, allow students to pursue their course interests, and career readiness objectives. The most important factors impacting stakeholders’ responses to the decision were the top-down nature of the decision, a lack of communication concerning the rationale behind the shift, and a lack of meaningful professional development support for implementation of the reform. These factors led to mistrust and teacher resistance. In light of these findings, this study provides recommendations to improve the decision-making processes in the context of school reform.

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to describe the underdeveloped identifiable relationships with assigned academic advisors for students who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) at a public higher education institution. The theory guiding this study was the relational cultural theory (RCT), as it assisted with understanding the importance of BIPOC students developing identifiable relationships with assigned academic advisors. This study's central research question asked, "What are the experiences of BIPOC students building positive relationships with assigned academic advisors?" A qualitative research design was chosen for this study to explore further the experiences shared among BIPOC undergraduate students who have underdeveloped identifiable relationships with assigned academic advisors. This phenomenological study occurred at a public higher education institution. The participants were enrolled at a public higher education institution and identified as BIPOC. I have selected individual interviews, focus groups, and protocol writing as the three data collection methods to connect to the purpose of my study and the central research question to attain triangulation. The collected data is analyzed using a hermeneutical framework. The thematic findings for this study were lack of relationships, positive advising experiences, motivation and encouragement, lack of empathy, creative problem-solving, the importance of culture focusing on a sense of comfort and relatability, race not being a primary factor with a focus on shared experiences, creating friendships, and frequent communication.

The purpose of this quantitative, predictive correlational study was to investigate the relationship between leader self-efficacy, emotional intelligence, years of experience, and transformational leadership practices of physician assistant (PA) program directors. This study is important in providing a greater understanding of the internal determinants and factors that influence the program directors’ beliefs in their success and effectiveness as leaders. Participants for this study included a sample of 86 PA program directors across the United States. Data were collected using the Leader Efficacy Questionnaire, Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale, Leadership Practices Inventory, and a demographic questionnaire administered via a survey. Multiple linear regression was used to examine the predictive relationship between the variables. The findings revealed that there was a statistically significant predictive relationship between transformational leadership practices and the linear combination of leader self-efficacy, emotional intelligence, and years of experience. This study’s findings can be used to develop more targeted professional development to enhance PA program directors’ leadership effectiveness. Recommendations for future research include conducting qualitative research to gain a deeper understanding of program directors’ use of transformational leadership, examining other demographic variables as predictors, and replicating the study in other health professions programs.

The purpose of this single instrumental case study was to understand how a virtual coaching program provides opportunities for self-directed learning during the implementation of evidence-based practices for adults at Navigator Coaching. The theory guiding this study was Deci and Ryan’s self-determination theory as conceptualizations of self-directed learning described in the literature mirror descriptions of self-determination. The central research question was: How does a virtual coaching program provide opportunities for self-directed learning during the implementation of evidence-based practices? As a single instrumental case, the setting for this study was one virtual life-coaching program in North America. The sample of participants included 12 adults who were currently enrolled in the program for a minimum of 6 months and participated in weekly program activities. Multiple data collection methods were employed to describe and understand the case: observations, audiovisual materials, and individual interviews. Interpretational analysis and a multistep data analysis process including direct interpretation, categorical aggregation, correspondence tables, and interpretive commentaries were utilized to develop the themes and overall synthesis of the case. Opportunities for self-directed learning were provided in weekly live sessions, modules in the program library, and in the Facebook group. Program members utilized instructional opportunities to satisfy their need for autonomy, thus becoming students of self. Participation in a purposeful community that was focused on solutions provided opportunities for program members to satisfy competence and relatedness needs. Program members implemented evidence-based practices and developed skills to create weekly learning plans, which assisted them in becoming agents of their highest selves.

The purpose of this case study was to understand the impact that advocacy and empowerment practices have on the intellectual disabilities community in academic and social constructs for students within community colleges and disability programs on the West Coast of California. The theories that served as the foundation of this study are intergroup contact theory and empowerment theory. Intergroup contact theory assures that the acceptance of societal norms and expectations must be agreed upon and embraced by all within a subpopulation for cultures to adapt and advance. Empowerment theory states that a fundamental goal during moments of progress and struggle is to achieve self-actualization and fulfillment by gaining peer, professional, and personal efficacy by developing and sharing one’s voice and perspective. With 20 participants, nine partook in individual interviews, and two separate focus groups of five-to-seven per group were formed, with the remaining 11. This allowed participants to communicate their insights and perspectives on their relationships with higher education and their connections to empowerment and advocacy practices within their daily lives. 10 of the 20 participants submitted work samples demonstrating their connections to empowerment and advocacy skills. Based on the data collected, the participants found it more important for their skills to assist in improving the lives and realities of their peers and passionate causes before themselves. Experiences gained within the classroom environment, as well as overcoming social and medical adversity, provided participants the resources necessary to convey the importance and effectiveness of empowerment and advocacy practices for future students as well as their peers and have ultimately offered them opportunities to be more fully developed students, employees, and global citizens.

The purpose of this case study was to examine how a high school’s Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) program affects student development of their personal responsibility and a sense of accomplishment by fusing the perspectives of the school administrators, JROTC instructors, and school guidance counselors for a more holistic view. The theories guiding this study are Abraham Maslow’s theory of motivation and Albert Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy, which relate to secondary student development for cadets in the JROTC program. The central research question focused on the benefits of a school’s JROTC program to the cadets enrolled. The research setting engaged 12 participants from three school districts throughout Georgia. Three of the four traditional military service branches (Air Force, Army, and Navy) were represented in these school district’s JROTC programs. A qualitative explanatory case study was selected since it would give more flexibility and greater depth of research than a pure phenomenological study. The data collected includes online surveys, open-ended and structured interviews, and focus groups. The data analysis used coding and theme delineation. Commonalities among the responses provided codes and four emergent themes emerged, including the development of discipline, a sense of belonging, motivation, and confidence. This study highlighted the positive outcomes of the JROTC program, which provided the development of discipline, supported by a sense of belonging, motivation, and increased confidence through self-esteem and self-efficacy behaviors of those enrolled in the JROTC program.

Many school districts in the United States struggle to retain assistant principals(APs), thus losing the opportunity to prepare and promote quality internal candidates forthe principalship. The purpose of the critical participatory action research study was toadd to the limited research on AP experiences and how to support their professionaldevelopment in a way that successfully leads APs to the principalship. The researchaimed to add qualitative data from APs employed in public school districts in Ohio toprovide much-needed insight into how to better retain school administrators and create an internal candidate pool of highly qualified school principals. The research questionscentered around providing insights into AP on-the-job socialization and experiences that impacted their career path decisions and gathered their recommendations for school districts when creating a principal pipeline program or other intentional supportive professional development opportunities for APs.Purposive, stratified/cell sampling was used to collect data from homogeneousparticipants who share a geographic location (state) and the same biographicalbackground of making lateral career moves as APs of one school district to another, butare considered representative of various demographic groups. The APs shared theirexperiences through semi-structured interviews and made recommendations for howschool districts could better support APs and prepare them for a future principalship. The questions encouraged interviewees to employ a systems thinking approach and DSRP metacognitive process to reflect. I used a critical constructivist grounded theorymethodology to analyze the data collected through an iterative inductive process of initial and focused coding and memoing combined with input from participants to uncover, compare, and synthesize common themes.Four APs were interviewed, which provided insights into their on-the-jobsocialization and experiences. Two of the APs participated in a second follow-upinterview to offer recommendations for school districts to better support, retain, andprepare APs for a future principalship. Upon analysis and synthesis of the findings, thefollowing themes emerged: relationship building, role clarity, communication, and factors for their career mobility. Two APs provided the following recommendations: 1) provide intentional support and specific targeted training, 2) implement a high-quality mentoring program for APs, 3) utilize best practices for effective one-on-one meetings, and 4) ensure that coaching of APs is carried out with fidelity using the Ohio PrincipalEvaluation System (OPES). The results of the study’s findings led to the development of an action plan focused on improving onboarding, communications, mentoring, and one-on-one meetings to positively impact relationship building, role clarity, andcommunications thus leading to APs’ increased feelings of job satisfaction and longerretention within their school district.

This dissertation delves into the intricate dynamics of school mergers within the Blue Grass Independent Public School system (BIPS), offering a nuanced understanding of their repercussions on teacher experiences. Led by principal researcher Sean Bohannon, this study meticulously examines the impact of experienced leadership, intentional identity-building, and targeted professional development on addressing teacher inequities post-merger. Through in-depth interviews with seasoned educators, the research underscores the intertwined nature of teacher retention, motivation, and the efficacy of post-merger initiatives.Central to this inquiry is identifying disparities in professional development, resource allocation, and support systems among educators within BIPS. Moreover, the study delves into the pervasive issue of teacher attrition and its implications for student outcomes. The research scrutinizes existing strategies and interventions by conducting a comprehensive literature review, explicitly focusing on culturally responsive professional development to mitigate these inequities and foster a more equitable educational environment.The overarching goal of this study is not merely to rectify systemic imbalances but to catalyze transformative change within BIPS. Through participatory action research, Sean Bohannon engages colleagues in a shared exploration of their experiences with professional development, particularly emphasizing culturally responsive teaching practices. By understanding how these experiences shape classroom practices and impact the learning environment, the study aims to empower educators to cultivate inclusive and equitable learning environments for all students. This dissertation offers valuable insights and actionable recommendations for administrators, educators, and policymakers grappling with the challenges and opportunities of school mergers in the educational landscape. By emphasizing the importance of experienced leadership, intentional identity-building, and culturally responsive professional development, the study advocates for strategic interventions that prioritize equity and individualization, ultimately striving to enhance the academic success and well-being of all students within BIPS.

The United States still faces difficulties with its teacher shortage and consistently depends on international educators for assistance. The Philippines played a vital role in providing American educators. Regrettably, this method resulted in unexpected problems. Unfamiliarity with American society hindered Filipino immigrant teachers. As a result of this lack of knowledge, further problems emerged. There is a lack of resources to support immigrant teachers in the U.S. classrooms, issues with credentialing, misconceptions about how immigrant teachers' teaching methods affect student achievements, and recommendations for policies that could assist Filipino immigrant teachers. These issues demonstrate that U.S. school systems are not adequately prepared to assist Filipino immigrant teachers in enhancing their cultural competence and developing their teaching skills to fit into U.S. schools’ systems and American society. This study's results were highly significant for improving the onboarding and support systems for immigrant teachers within the U.S. educational system. Denzin's concept of interpretive interactionism focuses on highlighting the many interpretations of personal experiences. This methodology is well-suited for the study as it emphasizes on individuals' subjective experiences, meanings, and interpretations within their social environments. The study revealed that Filipino immigrant teachers underwent culture shock. The research discovered that U.S. schools were not adequately prepared for immigrants, leading to difficulties faced by Filipino immigrant teachers. Cultivating cultural knowledge can enhance communication, promote inclusivity, and support diversity in educational institutions. Utilizing a critical pedagogy framework can stimulate additional scholarly inquiries. By acknowledging and appreciating the viewpoints of Filipino immigrant teachers, who have not received much recognition for their achievements, substantial progress is being made in creating a more inclusive and fairer educational environment.

The research explores the lived experiences of minority women in K-12 educational leadership, examining their motivations for pursuing careers in this field, and the challenges they encounter on their professional and educational journeys. The challenges faced are multifaceted and include issues related to gender, culture, and race/ethnicity. These challenges also include limited access to leadership opportunities, biases and stereotypes, lack of support and mentorship, and the affliction of navigating interconnecting identities. In addition, minority women also face resistance and criticism from colleagues who may question their capabilities or qualifications. Minority women are motivated by a strong sense of social responsibility and a commitment to creating inclusive and empowering learning environments.

Collegiate men are overrepresented in student conduct systems across the higher education landscape as they are more likely to engage in high-risk behaviors when compared with their female counterparts (Laker & Davis, 2011). There is a strong correlation between these high-risk behaviors and the ideology of toxic masculinity (Wagner, 2015). Many collegiate men yearn for a sense of belonging and when they are joining community with each other, it can re-enforce the adoption of this toxic masculine ideology (Harris & Struve, 2009). Restorative Justice while not a new concept, is still a relatively newer practice in higher education. As the toxic masculine ideology is leading to many collegiate men engaging in harmful behavior that is not being sufficiently corrected through historical punitive student conduct practices, this study aimed to see if restorative justice could be used a tool to support men engaging in high-risk behavior and combat toxic masculinity by aiding with their self-authorship and sense of belonging. 16 student conduct professionals from across the country participated in this constructivist phenomenological research and data was collected through semi-structured interviews, to learn from their experiences on challenging and supporting male college students with restorative justice practices and philosophy. Eight themes emerged from this study. The themes are as follows: 1) Versatility of restorative justice; 2) Traditional forms of student conduct have significant limitations; 3) Art of vulnerability; 4) Understanding of community impact; 5) Becoming an agent for change; 6) Finding authenticity; 7) Meaningful change; 8) Building and/or finding community.

While teachers demonstrate a strong commitment to cultural proficiency and equity, it is implied thatthere is still room for improvement in areas such as conflict resolution and acknowledging power dynamics within schools. Educators face challenges prioritizing professional development opportunities and adapting their teaching practices to better support diverse student needs while valuing their cultural identities and voices.Ultimately, the study emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and dialoguearound diversity and equity issues in promoting better student outcomes.

The topic for this dissertation research centers on the retention of student affairs professionals amidst The Great Resignation, specifically within three functional areas in higher education student affairs, cultural centers, student organization advising, and academic advising and their experiences of secondary traumatic stress. Figley (1995) defined STS as “the natural consequent behaviors and emotions resulting from knowing about a traumatizing event experienced by a significant other⎯the stress of wanting to help a traumatized or suffering person” (p. 7). In order to identify why higher education student affairs professionals in the three functional areas remain in the field, a constructivist narrative approach will be used.

During the COVID-19 pandemic public schools were at the center of political debate related to educational content and curricula. Some conservative states moved to place tighter controls on schools in these dimensions with anecdotal evidence suggesting a negative effect on teacher well-being by this policy paradigm. Empirical study of this narrative is largely nonexistent in the literature leaving a need for studies on how controlling policies may interact with teacher well-being. To address this gap in the literature, this study performed 30 semi-structured interviews with public school English and Social Studies teachers in Oklahoma to see how they describe their well-being in a controlling post-pandemic state policy environment. Oklahoma is an ideal setting for this study as its different legislative bodies implemented key curricular controls immediately following the pandemic. Oklahoma is also a state that has struggled with teacher retention, studied achievement, and broader social issues in recent years. The study’s main findings suggest that teachers, regardless of their political persuasion, view state controls over their work as damaging to their well-being. Teachers also described policies designed by people far removed from the daily work of schools more negatively and expressed that such policies may interact more negatively with their well-being. Findings also suggest that leadership characteristics may shield teachers’ well-being from state controlling policies, but that supportive leadership may be insufficient over time in a controlling state policy environment as controls tend to inevitably “trickle down” to the classroom level. These findings may contribute to the literature on the teaching profession by advancing knowledge about how teacher identity and well-being interact with state policies. As such, this work may inform the practice of policymakers and school leaders facing challenges of teacher burnout and shortages.

This research study focuses on exploring the parental struggles that parents of children with disabilities go through when trying to access special education for their children in the educational system of Kenya. The study documents the perspectives of parents through analysis of data anchored within their struggles and experiences as they navigate the system of education to access quality education for their children with disabilities. Based on a phenomenological approach, the study focuses on a sample of eight parents of children with disabilities. Hogan’s (2019) Social Model of Disability and Medical Model of Disability help frame the study within the discussion of the experiences of parents of children with disabilities. The findings of this study are presented through specific themes, describing the personal challenges and experiences of these parents followed by an analysis of the same themes. These findings underscore systemic challenges in special education, cultural and societal attitudes and educational outcome and well-being issues faced by parents and their children with disabilities.

This study explored what motivates White male tenured faculty to increase their cultural competence. The purpose of the research was to provide deeper insight into white male faculty’s motivation to increase their cultural competence. Critical qualitative research methodology was the chosen methodology with a critical theory and critical ethnographic framework. Fourteen White male tenured faculty volunteered to participate in sixty-minute semi-structured Zoom interviews. Participants responded to five questions exploring their journey with cultural competence ranging from experiences in their childhood to school both pre-k thru twelfth grade to experiences as a faculty member. Findings revealed several themes important to development of cultural competence, which can positively influence student learning. Identified motivating themes include childhood experiences and identity development, call to become an educator, experiences of Whiteness in higher education as well as approaches to inclusive excellence on campus, and an individual love of learning. Embedded in the research findings are also strong support for college student experiential learning opportunities. Insights gleaned from this research can have a direct influence on the design of future learning programs and how best to develop White faculty cultural competence to support inclusive excellence.

For over 100 years, youth mentoring has grown to be an evidenced based prevention strategy for youth, demonstrating positive youth outcomes through strong relationships with caring adults. While trusting relationships are the mainstay of the positive impacts achieved through mentoring, the difficulty in recruiting volunteer adults has not met the steady increase of needy children and has encouraged the mentoring field to expand beyond the one-on-one mentoring model. In response to this challenge, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lorain County (BBBSLC) has developed innovative mentoring programs to allow for an increased reach and involvement for more youth. In this light, the purpose of this study was to identify and characterize its youth and adult volunteer participants. Through a quantitative study of application data and youth risk/protective outcome surveys at BBBSLC, the following research questions were addressed: (a) what are the characteristics of youth that seek community-based programming; (b) what are the characteristics of adult volunteers that seek to participate in programming; and (c) what are the predictive drivers of youth and adult volunteers that contribute to meaningful and successful community-based matches? Data were collected from youth and adult mentor enrollees from 2018–2023. Results indicated most prevalent descriptors for both adult volunteers and youth enrollees and data variables for predictability of being matched. Implications and recommendations for practice were also included. I have emphasized the importance of these expanded forms of mentoring in conjunction with one-on-one mentoring in order to achieve positive youth outcomes for the greatest number of children.

Scripted/narrowed curricula are tangled in the webs of school reforms and standardization. Teachers are experiencing a monumental challenge: the deprofessionalization of their roles as educators. I sought teachers’ understandings of how scripted/narrowed curricula impact their curriculum autonomy, specifically, their professional responsibility and pedagogical artistry. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from K–12 public educators in Rhode Island using an adapted Curriculum Autonomy Survey and Curriculum Autonomy interviews. I analyzed the quantitative data using descriptive and inferential statistics, which provided a broader picture of the experiences of Rhode Island educators faced with teaching scripted/narrowed curricula, and a second group emerged: teachers who develop their own curricula. Interview questions asked teachers to reflect on their experiences with the curriculum. By coding and conducting thematic analysis, I analyzed the interview transcripts, and multiple themes emerged after the data proved consistent across the survey and interview. Teachers using scripted/narrowed curricula are experiencing a loss of their curriculum autonomy. Their professional responsibility is being challenged because they are no longer stakeholders in the curricular and pedagogical decisions or curriculum changes for their content areas. This lack of decision-making has led to questioning the equity of curricula and questioning the breadth and depth of subjects and topics in curricula. These educators are facing challenges to pedagogical artistry, meaning they cannot modify/accommodate student needs or create lessons to promote cultural and social learning opportunities, and they have felt a loss of creativity in building lessons to ensure students are learning skills to be citizens of the world.

This basic qualitative study explored the experiences of 12 higher education and/or student affairs (HESA) faculty members to understand how their equity, diversity, and inclusion-related courses prepared emerging HESA professionals to support first-generation college students from an anti-deficit perspective. Eligible participants taught in full-time HESA master’s programs and were leaders in diversity work based on their equity, diversity, and inclusion-related grant funding, professional awards, and/or diversity-related publications. This research was guided by Pérez et al.’s (2017) anti-deficit achievement framework. Data were collected from prescreening questionnaires, pre-interview journals, semistructured interviews, course syllabi, and other participant-shared resources.Generational status was not found to be an independent factor in anti-deficit course content as participants talked about their experiences with intersecting identities, such asfirst-generation plus Students of Color. Data analysis led to themes about participants’ course content which established a foundation of respect and for lifelong learning, integrated anti-deficit pedagogy and empowered advocacy. Themes formed a student development process that promotes emerging HESA professionals’ anti-deficit understanding.This study holds important implications for researchers to focus on anti-deficit systems-based approaches to college success. Stakeholders should ask questions with anti-deficit-minded prompts to institutional leadership and as part of institutional self-assessment; encourage syllabus audits and offer anti-deficit-focused faculty development; and prioritize equity, diversity, and inclusion-related teaching as an advantage to tenure, promotion, and course load. Future research should consider the sociological and K–12 educational literature, a case study approach, invite early career HESA professionals as participants, or explore the impact of policies on HESA programs.

This study sought to measure teachers’ perceptions of school leaders’ development and implementation of school mission to stimulate the educational process. There are two research questions and the study’s null hypothesis are derived from the second question. These research questions are:1.What are teachers’ perceptions of school leaders’ development and implementation of school mission?2.Is there a statistically significant relationship between teachers’ perception of principal's performance in developing and implementing school mission, and years of teaching experience? The independent variable was years of teaching experience and the dependent variable consisted of responses to questionnaire items using a five-point Likert scale. I used a volunteer sample of (50) teachers in K-6 elementary school’s teachers, in an urban Ohio school district, in the academic year 2023-2024. The study followed the descriptive survey method. It used a questionnaire that consists of (35) items that describe the principal’s job practices, and an open-ended question regarding his or her practices as an instructional leader. The results indicated the average mean 3.84 and standard deviation .45 of principals’ performance. In descending order, leadership domains for principal performance were as follows: Preserves a clear presence, preserves education time, offers incentives for teachers, Provides incentives to learn, Promotes professional development, Follows up students' progress, and Application of the educational goals of the school. The findings of the study also indicated that there was no significant relationship between teachers’ perception of principal's performance in developing and implementing school mission and years of teaching experience.

The study aimed to identify the relationship between school leadership styles and communication styles from the perspective of teachers in midwestern suburban county schools district in Ohio. The study used the descriptive analytical methods to achieve its goals. It employed two questionnaires, the first, which was designed to measure leadership styles, consisted of (31) items while the second was designated to measure the communication methods, and it consisted of (7) items. The study was applied on a voluntary sample (n = 59) of teachers. Using the appropriate statistical tools, the study reached a number of conclusions: (a) A democratic style dominated among school principals, followed by a dictatorial style, and finally laissez-faire style, (b) oral communication was more prevalent, followed by communication through symbols, movements, and expressions, and (c)Statistically significant correlations were found between leadership styles and communication methods, but there was no correlation between laissez-faire style and communication through symbols, movements, and expressions. (d) there were no statistically significant differences at the level of significance (a≤0.05) in all study variables: gender, academic qualification, and year of experience.

Among the top reasons public school superintendents leave their positions is the poor relationships and conflicts with board members, and union representatives (Grissom & Mitani, 2016). The national average of superintendent tenure is less than four years resulting in K-12 leadership instability, at all levels of the school and district office (Chingos et al., 2014; Grissom & Andersen, 2012; Grissom & Mitani, 2016; Yee & Cuban, 1996). This qualitative, grounded theory research study explores conflict management practices in the relationship using three constructs: communication, shared decision making and trust. Research studies have been conducted that address the characteristics of effective superintendents and school boards; however, the need to study how superintendents and boards establish relationships has never been greater. The significance of conducting this research study exploring conflict management practices with a specific focus on communication, shared decision making, and trust may serve as a foundation for school districts seeking to improve school governance and extend superintendent tenure. The findings may assist others in gaining a deeper understanding of the power dynamics that operate within these relationships and how the power can be leveraged to achieve positive outcomes for students.

Educational policy, technology, and data now converge to establish a new educational leadership concept, data democracies. The movement away from a few technically skilled staff as gatekeepers of all things data is quickly accelerating. The emergence of data democracies represents a significant paradigm shift in education, necessitating a corresponding response from educational leaders and their training systems. Leaders must possess high data literacy to effectively interact with data and derive meaningful insights. Additionally, systemic changes are required to foster a cultural shift towards viewing data as a tool for growth rather than punishment. However, the existing body of research in this area is limited. This study investigates the impact of an instructional intervention that integrates data-specific topics with leadership theory to enhance participants' data literacy skills and their ability to lead data democracies. Operational definitions for data literacy and data democracies in education were developed, and data-specific topics were integrated into a graduate-level leadership course. Feedback from semi-structured interviews indicates positive assessments in four out of five categories of professional development evaluation. Although the intervention enhanced participants' understanding of data's significance and the role of data democracies in educational leadership, there was no statistically significant evidence of improvement in the assessed data literacy competencies. Further research with larger sample sizes is needed to understand the reasons behind the absence of significant evidence. The findings of this study will inform curriculum design in educational leader preparation programs and provide a framework for practitioners to embrace the potential of data democracies for continuous improvement.

The purpose of this interpretive phenomenological study was to highlight the experiences of undergraduate STEM vertical transfer students. Through the lens of Schlossberg’s Transition Theory, this study sought to better understand how students make sense of the transfer credit process and which support structures facilitated their understanding. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using qualitative methods with eight biological sciences and vertical transfer students currently enrolled at a large public four-year land-grant research institution in the Southeast United States. All participants had successfully transferred from one of 16 technical colleges within the state. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis, three themes were identified. This study showed that, as a result of the transfer credit process, vertical transfer students experienced negative implications on their academic degree progress and emotional effects. Vertical transfer students also showed distrust in institutional support and resources. Instead, vertical transfer students acknowledged the importance of themselves and relationships in making decisions while utilizing rationalization as a coping mechanism to move forward in their transition. This study contributes qualitative literature to a quantitative-heavy field of literature surrounding transfer credit policies and their impacts on vertical transfer students. Implications and recommendations for policy and practice include ensuring intentionality from design through implementation in articulation agreements with proper training and compensation for higher education faculty and staff. Future research should continue to focus on qualitative measures to further highlight potential institutional barriers to effective transfer credit policies.

This sequential explanatory mixed methods study examines the impact of the Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) professional learning intervention on teacher knowledge within the context of South Carolina's reading policy. Quantitative analyses of pre- and post-assessment data indicate significant improvements in teacher content knowledge of foundational literacy skills following LETRS training. Descriptive statistics and paired-samples t-tests demonstrate substantial gains in knowledge, particularly in Volume 1 of the LETRS curriculum. The study reveals notable increases in pre- and post-assessment scores, suggesting the effectiveness of LETRS in enhancing teacher expertise. Qualitative findings from focus groups highlight the positive impact of LETRS on teacher knowledge and classroom practices. Stakeholders at various levels identify LETRS as a valuable tool for improving literacy instruction, citing enhanced understanding of foundational reading skills and observable improvements in student performance. However, challenges such as the need for structured time and aligned instructional resources are identified as inhibiting factors. Leadership emerges as a critical factor in successful LETRS adoption. Effective leaders prioritize LETRS training, create supportive environments for teachers, and ensure alignment with best practices in literacy instruction. Policy implications highlight the importance of prioritizing the science of reading in state initiatives, addressing implementation challenges, and integrating LETRS into teacher and education leader preparation programs. Practical recommendations include establishing support networks for administrators, providing dedicated time for LETRS learning, and ensuring alignment of instructional resources with LETRS principles. Future research should explore the relationship between LETRS training and classroom practice, investigate its impact on student outcomes, and contribute to the discourse on statewide implementation efforts. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the role of LETRS in enhancing teacher knowledge and advancing literacy education in South Carolina.

In this qualitative descriptive case study, I explored the issue of teacher retention, a growing concern within public K-12 education systems in the United States, particularly in South Carolina. I aimed to understand the unique organizational factors within individual school districts that influence retention decisions from the perspectives of teachers and administrators at the middle school level. I focused on a selected South Carolina school district (SSD) and explored the viewpoints of teachers and administrators regarding teacher retention. To better understand their lived experiences, I conducted semi-structured interviews and surveys with middle school teachers and administrators. Using an improvement science approach, I analyzed the data obtained. My findings revealed five major organizational factors that impacted teacher retention within the SSD. The first factor I identified is a need for more support and collaboration among teachers. The second factor was the excessive teaching workloads that hindered the achievement of a healthy work-life balance. The third factor was an unsupportive school culture and climate. The fourth factor was the need for more opportunities for professional development for teachers to enhance their skills and competencies. The fifth and final factor was the need for more strategies and policies for managing student behavior, coupled with insufficient training and support for teachers in effectively managing student behavior. This study provided a foundational overview of teacher retention issues within one school district. The results can inform the development of evidence-based, district-specific strategies and policies to foster sustainable improvements in retention.

The number of students with disabilities attending postsecondary institutions of higher education continues to rise. With it, it is necessary to understand better how they experience their institution beyond curricular spaces. Presently, there exists a gap in the knowledge of how these students experience co-curricular support, including assistance with enrollment services through one stops. This study sought to understand the multiple ways in which this population of students experiences the one stop at one of three four-year public research universities in California. This qualitative research study utilized the constructivist grounded theory methodology and methods to aid in the emergence of the various dimensions in which students with disabilities experience their institution’s one stop. Through focused semi-structured interviews, these shared perspectives demonstrated that although one stops provide some support to postsecondary students with disabilities, they are not being utilized consistently with their purpose. This study identified that the origin of this inconsistency may be due to one of multiple issues, including a misunderstanding of communication between the one stop and this population of students. These incongruencies seemingly push postsecondary students with disabilities to seek support elsewhere.

Recognizing the existing research gaps concerning learner characteristics in the realm of personalized learning in Chinese higher art education, this study initially analyzed prevailing patterns in personalized learning research and its current implementation in higher education through an extensive literature review. Subsequently, a quantitative investigation was carried out at S University in Shanghai, aiming to delve into their learner characteristics, investigate the interrelationships among these characteristics, and propose customizable personalized learning designs. The research included a comprehensive quantitative study using a learner characteristics questionnaire survey involving 455 art students at S University, employing various statistical methods, including ANOVA, factor analysis, cluster analysis, and multiple regression. The study extensively explored eight distinct learner characteristic factors and successfully identified three learner clusters with statistically significant differences, providing detailed descriptions of the characteristics within each cluster to support personalized learning. Furthermore, the paper, through multiple regression analysis, revealed the direct impacts of self-efficacy and spatial orientation ability on learning behavior, while also elucidating the moderating role of learning anxiety in this relationship. Ultimately, personalized learning recommendations for higher art education were formulated based on the identified learner characteristics in distinct groups of art students in higher education.

Student veterans face a spectrum of socialization challenges intrapersonally, interpersonally, in communities, and structurally due to the cultural differences between the military and college. More comprehensive programs that individually and collectively address these challenges need to be developed, and it has become apparent that a new model needs to be evaluated. A peer-based learning program, the Peace Practice Alliance (PPA), is grounded in an integral peace leadership framework, including innerwork, knowledge, community, and environment. With student veterans facing these challenges, such as feeling misunderstood, isolating themselves, and filtering communication among younger students, the PPA program will meet student veterans where they are in their struggle. This study sought to understand enlisted student veterans' perspectives on integral peace leadership and the usefulness of a framework-based program to help them integrate into college. Outcomes evaluation served as the guiding methodological framework. Pre-interviews, post-interviews, journals, and discussion notes were the data collection methods with five participants who participated in a hybrid four-week program. Constructivist grounded theory was the principal data analysis method utilized for analyzing the collected data. Findings indicated that formerly deployed post-9/11 enlisted student veterans found value in addressing preconceived psychological and social barriers both individually and collectively in the PPA for their continued transition into and navigation through college. The unanticipated formation of a community transformed student veteran participants' mindsets toward themselves and others and created a sense of feeling more prepared to interact with others, resulting in collective action toward a positive change for student veterans on campus. The findings of this study also suggested implications for higher education and peace leadership as a field.

There is a growing number of inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) programs and scholarship in higher education. Providing a spectrum of educational opportunities for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in higher education plays a pivotal role in creating inclusive and meaningful access to postsecondary education. However, little is known about the ways in which the faculty and administrators who are integral stakeholders on campus perceive their work developing and supporting higher education as a socially valued experience for students with IDD. Utilizing constructivist grounded theory, this study examines the ways in which community college faculty and administrators working in programs that provide educational opportunities for students with IDD understand and undertake their work. The study also explores the ways in which faculty and administrators think about and understand disability as a component of diversity, the actions that faculty and administrators take in working with students with IDD, and the advocacy they implore in fostering a sense of belongingness and inclusivity efforts for students with IDD as a campus-wide integral approach. The findings indicate that there are connections between faculty and administrators as individuals (Belongingness and Inclusivity Mindset), the practices they engage in (Disability Knowledge), the community space they work in (Campus Community), and the larger systems found in community colleges (Postsecondary Education Environment). In addition, the findings propose that these connections create an Integral Framework for Inclusive Postsecondary Education (IFvii IPSE) which is defined as a campus-wide, intentional approach of individual and collective action that challenges ableism, advocates for belongingness and inclusivity, and creates educational opportunities for students with IDD. Suggestions are provided for ways to better support faculty and administrators as they navigate community college structures and systems and work toward accessibility, belongingness, and inclusivity for students with IDD.

The project's purpose was to create a resource for providing an academically integrated Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Program, to be implemented by providers, for graduate students pursuing professional chaplaincy, that includes the required four units of the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education accredited Clinical Pastoral Education within the required preparatory academic courses, concurrently. The method was creating a "Resource Guide" outlining model elements and requirements of the collective accrediting bodies and organizations. Representatives of those entities were surveyed to assess to what extent it was helpful. The results demonstrated strong agreement for the usefulness of the "Resource Guide" and model it espoused.

This research examined, through a qualitative grounded theory approach, perceptions of classified, non-instructional staff, and leaders in business and operations on a best practices professional development framework for operational staff. The study also examined the responsibility of leaders to provide professional development opportunities to their staff and touched on how it affects the workplace culture. In the past, studies have examined the benefits of continuous job-embedded training and professional development opportunities for teachers, the administrators' responsibility to provide such opportunities, and the effect professional development has on school culture; but there is limited research about providing consistent professional development opportunities for classified and non-instructional staff. Classified and non-instructional staff in business and operations have both a direct and indirect impact on student learning and achievement. Providing continuous professional development opportunities to this population, to mirror that of teachers, may help increase the knowledge and skill capacity in a school district. This study was conducted using a survey for classified and non-instructional staff, a semi-structured focus group interview of leaders in business and operations, and document reviews from the same leaders. Results from this research supported the existing literature summarized in Chapter Two about professional development for teachers and the theoretical framework that guided the study. The researcher highly recommends that K-12 districts adopt this best practices framework for the continuous development of non-teaching staff.

The Coronavirus pandemic has significantly impacted various aspects of life, including education. This mixed-method study examines the effects of the pandemic on general interest in STEM lessons, the development and application of STEM soft skills, and observations of signs of trauma in urban classrooms. The foundation of this study is the theoretical framework of social learning, behavior modification, and progressive education. There is limited literature regarding the effect of the pandemic’s altered educational methods on STEM disciplines within urban schools. Using a mixed method study methodology, 42 Midwestern United States educators participated in a survey regarding student STEM interest and STEM soft-skill development and observed classroom trauma signs. Ten of these educators participated in a follow-up interview to identify similarities. The findings indicate increased students’ STEM soft skills development and a more equal distribution between males and females in STEM interest and classroom applications of STEM soft skills. Educators also reported a decrease in students’ work ethics, difficulties with critical thinking, and conflicting interests in classroom technology usage. Educators also reported a higher rate of signs of trauma in classrooms for both males and females. The findings’ significant implications include the relationship between STEM interest and soft skills, the effect of the increase in technology usage, and the impact of social media on students.

Students today have various feelings of distrust among many of their teachers and administrators regarding the handling of violent episodes. As such, an examination of existing educational research to assess strategies that promote school safety and how to access community partnerships within this study is warranted. The efficacy of nonviolent and restorative disciplinary practices, with characteristics of social/emotional wellness programs supported by community partnership school resource officer (SRO) initiatives, are examined. Demonstrations of how positive school culture, features of emotional wellness programs, and an SRO’s community-based role can promote school safety rather than exacerbate the school-to-prison pipeline are shared. This study further builds on the current pool of knowledge through an investigation of the viewpoints of 18 participants including school personnel and recent graduates in rural, suburban, and urban school districts across three counties in Northeast Ohio. Specifically, the researcher examined the perspectives of four key stakeholder groups to study their ideas regarding school safety, SROs performing law enforcement duties at the school and the associated impacts on learning, recommendations for ensuring building-wide safety, existing school climate and safety strategies, and SROs implementing the triad model (i.e., law enforcement, teacher/mentor, counselor). The investigation utilized Q-methodology and follow-up questions. Seventeen of the 18 Q-sorts loaded significantly on one of the three factors (summarized as Factor 1: We Are In This Together, Factor 2: Keep Us Safe, and Factor 3: Teachers Teach), which together explained 67% of the study variance. Follow-up questions provided additional support and context for the researcher’s operationalization of the participants’ collective viewpoints across these three main lines. Implications of this research will provide districts and educational professionals a blueprint for restorative practices that SROs can contribute to.

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the influence of student behavioral defiance on elementary educators in Virginia. The research question was, “What are the lived experiences of elementary educators in Hampton Roads, Virginia, having experienced student behavioral defiance?” Bandura’s self-efficacy theory guided this study. It analyzed subjective changes affecting teachers and their motivation by applying four significant sources of self-efficacy: performance accomplishments, vicarious experiences, verbal persuasion, and physiological states. The primary source of data collection methods included semi-structured interviews with 10 participants, in addition to a focus group and journal prompt. Transcendental phenomenology aided in analyzing semi-structured interviews with classroom educators. Using Clark Moustakas' phenomenological research model: epoché, phenomenological reduction, imaginative variation, and composite textural and composite structural descriptions, examining data unearthed how the phenomenon was experienced by each participant as well as uncovered essential themes and essences of the phenomenon.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a relationship exists between the self-assessed leadership style of a building principal and the achievement of elementary African-American students on a state level reading assessment. The results of this study could have an impact on principal training and preparation, impacting decisions made by central office personnel, as well as improving the performance of the identified group of students in reading. The relationship between a principal’s self-assessed style of leadership and the combined pass rate of third through fifth grade African-American students in their school on the end-of-year state assessments. Principal leadership was measured through the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire and African-American student pass rate was determined using each state level Department of Education’s school report card. A Pearson product-moment test was conducted to determine the relationship between leadership style and combined pass rate. This study determined that there was no relationship between a transformational leadership style and African-American student pass rate on reading, no relationship between a transactional style of leadership and African-American student pass rate on reading, and no relationship between a laissez-faire style of leadership and African-American student pass rate on a reading assessment. Further research should be conducted to explore the impact of leadership style on other areas of achievement, as well as whether a relationship exists between leadership style and the length of time a principal works as a building-level leader.