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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.

An analysis of misinformation, disinformation, perverse rhetorical devices, and the origin of the Critical Race Theory (CRT) controversy were presented, as well as the motivations of those most likely to share misinformation and crisis communication strategies. The purpose of this mixed method study was to explore Ohio Superintendents' levels of understanding of CRT and preparedness to respond to allegations, as well as their perceptions of the impact of CRTallegations school, family, and community partnerships and student conflicts. An exploration of the statistical correlations between the number of CRT posts and allegations in a school district and the number of student conflicts, reported conditions of partnerships, and demographics was also presented. The outcome of this study could provide educational leaders with the needed information to better prepare proactive responses to CRT allegations as well as other school targeted allegations while building positive relationships with all stakeholders.

Black urban youth face many obstacles in their personal development and future pursuits. Many of these obstacles result from systemic challenges that exist within their communities and cultural norms that negatively shape their self-concept and possible selves, a concept which argues that future self-concepts are constructed through personal evaluation of a current and desired future state. Corporate-education partnerships have recently been introduced to urban communities as a way to introduce youth to alternative professional pathways, although there are few studies about the extent to which Black urban youth are impacted by such partnerships. Using the possible selves theory, this study explored how one corporate-education partnership influences the self-concept and possible selves of Black urban youth engaging in a mentoring program, and the extent to which engagement in the program affected their view of themselves and future aspirations. This study focused on the Infinity Mentoring program, which is a partnership program between the Ascension corporation, Woodsby High School, and community-based organization Cincinnati Youth Connection (all pseudonyms). Findings from this study showed that participants in the program had improved feelings or self-concept about themselves and that participants gained increased motivation toward college, career, and their future aspirations as a result of the Infinity Mentoring program. The study adds to the scholarship on corporate-education partnerships, demonstrating the intrinsic impact these partnerships can have on Black urban students.

Community partnerships present opportunities for expanding students' learning experiences outside traditional classroom settings. However, under-resourced low-income communities often lack access to such opportunities. This qualitative study explores how high school teachers, community liaisons, and community partners establish and sustain collaborative partnerships to implement project-based learning experiences for high school students. Through semi-structured reflective interviews, experiences of key stakeholders from four high school sites reveal insights into partnership motivations, connective structures, the vital role of liaisons, systemic barriers, and strategies for extending partnerships into project-based learning. While community partnerships increase access to authentic learning experiences, co-designing of PBL curricula predominantly lies with teachers, offering opportunities for community partner contributions. These findings explore how school community partnerships come to be and thrive, illustrating the voices and perspectives of formal and informal educators engaged in collaborative work to deepen student learning.

Science education reform is a new reality for Elementary Teachers who have found themselves in a paradigm shift as Nebraska implements its NCCRS-S standards. This reform and implementation process might benefit from the support of Nebraska Extension. The purpose of this evaluative study was twofold: (a) determine elementary teachers' awareness, current use, and future recommendations regarding extension resources in Nebraska’s rural elementary schools and (b) inform guidelines for future development of community partnerships and distribution of Nebraska Extension resources for elementary science instruction. Data for this study was gathered using Qualtrics and was analyzed with SPSS version 27 software. The semi-structured survey instrument, Teachers and Community Partnership Survey (created and used for the first time in this study) collected responses through an online distributed email to rural teachers in the state of Nebraska. These teacher participants met an ARCGIS sampling method determined by the definition of rural established by Devore-Wedding (2016) and the criteria of the rural school location within 20 miles of a Nebraska Extension County office. The analysis of survey responses determined that 89.6% of rural Nebraska teachers were aware of Nebraska Extension, 70% of teachers had a vision for future partnerships with Nebraska Extension, and 70% also provided reasons they were interested in partnering with Nebraska Extension for elementary science instruction. The data further revealed that efforts to strengthen the partnerships might focus on improved communications and recommended NCCRS-S standards’ connections to Nebraska Extension resources. The knowledge gained from this study can be expected to advance the science reform movement for elementary science in rural Nebraska schools and to inform university extension programming nationwide. Advisors: Julie Thomas and Stephanie Wessels

The greatest challenges to sustainable food cultivation are social, not technological, and it is at small scales where some of the most innovative experiments in human organization are taking place. Through this case study, I sought to assess how one particular agricultural community in Costa Rica successfully transformed their local economy through collaborative partnerships with external partners over a twenty-year period. The dissertation assesses how well existing theories regarding the management of common-pool resources explain the capacity this community has demonstrated in transforming local livelihoods towards improved social and ecological well-being. Questions regarding trust, vulnerability, and collaboration are explored to better understand how NGOs can serve to successfully support long term regenerative development and robust social partnerships. Results reinforce and lend support to existing theories regarding the management of common-pool resources. Each of Ostrom’s (1990) eight principles for successfully managing public goods were observed to play crucial roles in both the successes and failures in the observed case. In addition, the current investigation identifies a ninth principle that should be considered during the formation and maintenance of groups, teams, or organizations to foster cooperative, well-functioning partnerships. Food is the often under-acknowledged, basic social building block that engages all five senses and creates unique opportunities for sharing and strengthening interpersonal bonds.

Drawing on a qualitative narrative inquiry research design, the researcher sought to analyze factors and experiences that most likely intensified the probability of incarceration for Black males. More specifically, the researcher collected personalized life history narrative accounts of 15 previously incarcerated Black men, through semi-structured individual and focus group interviews, to better understand the role families, communities, schools, and other social structures may have played in contributing to their incarceration. Utilizing Urie Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model of human development as the theoretical lens, the researcher also explored the participants’ life experiences before, during, and after incarceration, and how each experience contributed either positively or negatively to their life outcomes. Further, through in-depth analysis of narratives and by using thematic analysis and open coding, four major themes emerged: (a) Environmental Influence, (b) Valueless Education, (c) Drugs and Addictions, and (d) Establishing a Continual Cycle. Through this investigation, the researcher gained a better understanding of the different ways in which social disparities, environmental influences, and personal development may affect the overrepresentation of Black men in the criminal justice system. Recommendations, pinpointing preventative strategies and policy modifications to decrease the pipeline to prison for Black male youth and adults, are offered.

The purpose of this study is to bring information to urban middle school principals and teachers that come from urban black church leadership to show what leadership style and recommendations can better address urban black middle school behaviors. This study investigates challenges that urban middle school teachers and principals face in motivating urban middle school students to exhibit positive behaviors al outcomes.Additionally, this study examines a unique group of urban middle school students who were once behaviorally challenged in the classroom, but began attending an urban black church and as a result encountered and began to work with and be mentors by three types of leaders within the urban black church (Senior Pastor, Youth Pastor, and Musical Director) and began displaying positive behaviors not only within the urban black church but also within the urban middle school for which they attended. This study examines the leadership styles of urban black church leadership to provide recoomendations to both urban middle school teachers and principals on ways in which to help urban middle school students achieve positive behavioral gains within urban middle schools.

Universities and the communities in which they reside must maintain an interdependence to thrive. The USM LAC Druker Office of Community Engagement (DOCE) follows a unique model of student-faculty collaborative leadership to model how public universities can partner with their communities. Developing long-lasting community-university relationships holds mutual benefits. DOCE connects students, faculty and staff with over 90 community partners. As a synergetic cooperative team, we believe community engagement is essential in the growth and learning of the whole student, faculty and staff of USM. Our recent Community-Based Participatory Research (CPBR) works in integrating the classes and curriculum of the Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS) with the everyday issues of our surrounding community and the development of creative ways to meet various needs. Keeping the students’ interests and professors’ syllabi in mind, we link students to appropriate partners and help ease the stress of making that new connection.

There is an educational attainment crisis among American Indian students in California’s public colleges and universities, who continue to have the lowest college completion compared to any underrepresented group. California tribes believe that higher education can assist in the achievement of nation-building goals. However, close examination of how tribes and postsecondary institutions work together to ensure the success of American Indian students and their communities is necessary. This study examined contemporary relationships between tribal nations and public postsecondary universities in California. This nested, multiple case study used Tribal Critical Race Theory and community-campus partnership frameworks to understand how institutional agents articulate formal and informal relationships with local tribes. Case study sites consisted of two University of California campuses, non-federally recognized tribes, and proximally located federally recognized tribes. Documents and interviews with senior administrators, American Indian unit heads, and tribal representatives were collected and analyzed to understand different perspectives on relationships with, responsibility to, and educational needs of tribes within and across sites. Several findings emerged related to the limited knowledge university administrators had regarding American Indians broadly and the state of relations with California tribes. Findings demonstrate that formal relationships focused on federally recognized tribes and were dictated by federal, state or system-wide policies, educational resources, and economic opportunities. Conversely, informal relationships with non-federally recognized tribes were primarily maintained by university-based American Indian programs or departments. Representatives from American Indian units expressed the responsibility of universities to include and serve American Indian students and communities for democratic, reconciliatory, and ethical reasons. Last, participants identified current tribal needs for academic preparation, educational resources to support nation-building, and assistance with federal recognition applications, but also stressed the importance of consulting with tribes to address evolving needs. Overall, this study offers significant recommendations for the case study sites, as well as public universities in California and nationally. From a substantive standpoint, this analysis adds to our understanding of factors that are important to advancing tribal-university relationships and partnerships. This study also expands on existing community-campus partnership frameworks, introducing a cultural-specific approach for incorporating tribes into university government and community relations activities.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the current practices of school and community partnerships in five North Texas elementary schools. In addition, the study focused on the influence community partnerships have on at-risk students based on at-risk indicators data. The literature revealed that when schools, parents, and families work together, students tend to earn higher grades, attend school more regularly, stay in school longer, and enrolled in coursework beyond high school. The target population included approximately 350 administrators, teachers, and paraprofessionals from five North Texas elementary schools. Also included were the respective partners from each of the five elementary schools. This research included online survey instrument and data were gathered and analyzed through a combination of statistical procedures and descriptive and inferential statistics. The results may provide other schools with a profile of school and community partnerships that can be implemented as a method to help their at-risk student populations. Findings included a descriptive analysis of factors that contributed to the success of community engagement efforts as well as those factors that limited those efforts. A secondary purpose of this study was of continuous improvement in developing these approaches through a goal-setting approach. Schools included in the study provided a next steps plan by describing their major goal(s) for improving existing school and community partnerships over the next 3 years.

Sustainability education (SE) is a pathway for creating a more socially, economically, and environmentally just and sustainable world. SE involves the incorporation of sustainability concepts into curricula using innovate teaching methods (i.e. place-based education, outdoor education, experiential education, nature-based education). This thesis explores the space for SE in Grade 5 science and social studies classrooms. Using the case study methodology, this study looked to practicing teachers for insights on how SE could be integrated into the public education system. This study investigated teachers’ understanding of sustainability and practice of SE by analyzing their perceptions of sustainability, examples of SE lessons, and their sources of knowledge about sustainability. The results indicated that teachers’ understanding of sustainability is largely focused on environmental aspects and that teachers’ practice of SE also has an environmental focus. This study evaluated the feasibility of teaching SE in the classroom by outlining the challenges and opportunities for SE presented by teachers. While there are some factors that limit teachers’ ability to teach SE (i.e. teachers’ limited knowledge about sustainability, lack of training in SE, and institutional demands), with guidance and support from education institutions and community partnerships current and future teachers can provide SE for their students.

This qualitative inquiry explores a community-based art partnership called the semester programs that took place between Artpace San Antonio and Louis W. Fox Academic and Technical High School from 2004 until 2006. This narrative inquiry used interviews with artists and former Fox Tech art students involved in our program, along with my teacher/ researcher reflections, to make meaning from the data. The artists involved in the semester programs were Gary Sweeney, Daniel Guerrero, David Jurist, and Ethel Shipton. Former students interviewed include Eloy McGarity, Rosa Leija, John Contreras, and Jennelle Gomez, while I, Maria Leake represent the voice of the art teacher. Our stories of experience were analyzed and connections between situated learning theory, creativity theories, community-based art education, and memory research were all recognized as being exhibited during our community partnership programs. There were seven patterns and themes that were noted as occurring within each semester program, as well as notable distinctions. The patterns and themes from the data analysis suggest that our community partnership reflected the following: learning and creative expression went beyond the individual; networks of support and communication were available to all participants; challenges were acknowledged; empathy between participants was an unintentional outcome; working together as a community of practice facilitated personal interactions and connections; learning and creative expression went beyond the traditional curriculum; and educational benefits were realized by all participants.

Service-learning is an experiential form of education that moves students outside of the walls of academe to meet community-identified needs through the application and renegotiation of a set of theoretical and methodological skills. It is simultaneously a teaching strategy, an epistemological framework, and an educational reform movement. This research takes the form of multi-methodological case studies of service-learning classrooms and service-learning partnerships, examining the translation of feminist pedagogy to the service-learning experience. The voices of students, faculty, pioneers, administrators, and community partners articulate the common and uncommon struggles of teaching a new generation of students to learn and serve in agencies while simultaneously recognizing their own capacity for agency. This work provides evidence that applying feminist pedagogical principles to service-learning initiatives creates more meaningful transformations for our students, faculty, and communities. The interdependent Feminist Service-Learning Process posited here is an innovative framework for moving our students across the civic borders necessary for community engagement.

This transdisciplinary study explores holistic models of education and community development. It looks at transformations that occur when parents undertake tertiary education in two High Schools in a community with a high multi-cultural youth population. Engaging in interviews and focus groups, participants give narrative accounts providing rich qualitative data. Effective pedagogy is analysed in this Community Skills Certificate course on Identity and Communication. The research seeks practical solutions to barriers to social and educational progress in the students’ lives. It ascertains improvement in interpersonal relationships, including parenting skills. In addition, it looks at changes in family attitudes toward education that facilitates increased career opportunities. This work suggests that building local capacity through educational partnerships and effective pedagogy empowers individuals and the community. Families and employees are able to function more effectively as they apply newly learned intrapersonal and interpersonal skills. The study juxtaposes constructs of fall and lift – socially, educationally and psychologically. Belief in agency and transformational pedagogy is central to this study’s argument that through the cracks of disadvantage holistic alternatives emerge.

Over the past fifteen years there has been a growing scholarly interest in education issues among community based organizations (CBOs). Education organizing is the mobilization of parents and community members for the purpose of transforming schools and CBOs have already demonstrated their ability to impact both student outcomes and educational policy (Shirley, 1997). The Annenberg Institute found that "successful organizing strategies contributed to increased student attendance, improved standardized test score performance, higher graduation rates and college-going aspirations" (Mediratta, Shah, & McAlister, 2008 ). While an increasing number of researchers are exploring this phenomenon, we know little about the experiences of CBOs members who are engaged in this work. Utilizing a qualitative case study approach and a conceptual framework that draws from situated learning, social capital, and networking theory, this study explored the following questions as they relate to the experiences of members in three different CBOs: * What motivates families to participate in CBOs involved in education organizing? * How do members learn the work of education organizing? What skills (if any) are acquired as both individuals and as a collective, and how are they developed? * What impact (both material and personal) does participation have on CBO members' lives? Findings from this study revealed that participation in the process of education organizing has the potential to not only transform schools, but the participants themselves. Initial understandings of self-interest evolved to include broader social concerns. Members reported increases in confidence, desire, and ability to fully participate in democratic processes. The findings also indicated that the effectiveness of a CBO is related to its organizational structure, its members' capacity for learning, the types of issues that members are trying to address, and the strength of their relationships within local civic ecologies. Those groups that were able to operate in diverse networks while developing the necessary technological, political, and cultural knowledge generally met with the most success.

This study examines the efforts of the large, urban Midwestern School District to provide socially productive community-based learning experiences for all of its high school students through community service and work-based internships. Many argue that student participation in community service and work-based learning addresses many occupational and citizenship disengagement risks faced by high school students today especially in higher poverty and traditionally low academically-achieving urban contexts. The principal hypothesis, informed by ecological systems theory, is that social support from adult supervisors and mentors will positively affect students’ occupational and citizenship engagement orientations over and above the influence that programmatic experiences provide. The researcher conceptualizes social support as having a mentor, receiving information about future plans, encouragement, and written and verbal performance feedback in the course of their program activities. Occupational and citizenship engagement orientations are those attitudes or intentions demonstrated by students at the end of their senior year to pursue a career pathway and to engage in future political and civic behaviors. Findings from this study suggest that programmatic experiences alone are insufficient to produce the desired outcomes unless social support for student efforts accompanies them. The Internship Program of the Midwestern District exemplifies the phenomenon of a well-intended educational reform policy that faltered without the necessary formal structures, planning, and knowledge to adequately accomplish their objectives. Increasing capacity for implementing a mandatory community-based learning policy requires adequate systems of social support.

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