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Concerns about a strong positive correlation between leadership and student success (Wood et al., 2013) coupled with community input around hiring from outside an organization, as opposed to hiring from within, contributes to the complexity of filling superintendent vacancies The limited research available on this issue is amplified due to the concern around the shortage of highly qualified superintendent candidates available to fill those top roles (Grissom & Andersen, 2012; Grissom & Mitani, 2016; Kamrath & Brunner, 2014). The role of district superintendent can be cumbersome, yet, it can be a role worth pursuing. The information gathered for this ethnographic study was derived from the responses from various stakeholders' opinions, feelings, and experiences as they related to the superintendent position and 'grow your own' hiring practices in rural districts. This study revealed there are both advantages and disadvantages to implementing the GYO approach. Limiting the pool of qualified applicants, and contributing to gender-bias in candidate selection were challenges shared by the participants while the building of a culture of leadership and shortening the learning curve were identified as advantages of a GYO hiring approach.

The study sought to qualitatively capture and examine the leadership experiences of six superintendents who led their school districts during the COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of the Boin et al., (2017) Five Critical Tasks of Strategic Crisis Leadership framework centered on sensemaking, decision-making and coordinating, meaning making, accounting, and learning. This phenomenological case study design explored the lived experiences (Clandinin & Connally, 1996) of these Texas superintendents and may contributes to the emerging scholarly literature on leading in times of crisis.

Long-term effects associated with the use of zero-tolerance policies and lack of restorative discipline strategies used with expelled students in a local Lower Rio Grande Valley school district revealed that students' lives were impacted negatively by educators who practiced a one-size-fits-all approach to school discipline. Marginalization of expelled students impacted transition back to their home campuses. This study informs a gap in the literature and overarching concerns regarding whether zero-tolerance policies have made schools safer (Hyder & Hussain, 2015). Results from the participant data in this inquiry divulged two perspectives. The educator perspective was that zero-tolerance was good for the school, minimally impacted the student body as a whole, taught students limits, and was an effective way to control student behavior. The former students' perceptions were very different as they revealed the escalation, separation and stigmatization as part of their lived experiences (Clandinin, et al., 2006).

This study sheds light on principal perceptions of the impact of performance pay in an urban South Texas School District that is situated on the border of Texas and Mexico. This qualitative naturalistic inquiry case study used researcher as instrument (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). in order to glean the perceptions of principals who serve campuses of students that are predominantly Hispanic and underserved low-socioeconomic students. Strategies to facilitate trustworthiness and credibility of the study were implemented (Erlandson, Harris, Skipper, & Allen, 1993). Major themes include: 1) the critical need for teacher quality, 2) the significance and impact of principals as teacher coaches, 3) the necessity of discernment in understanding of the purpose of performance base compensation as well as the impact of performance-based compensation (including the impact of that at three levels); and, 4) the impact on student achievement. The fifth theme evidenced participant perspectives on whether performance-based compensation improves recruitment and retention of quality teachers.

The purpose of this qualitative, multi-case study was to explore the perceptions of administrators in an urban border district in deep South Texas. This study gleaned the perceptions of administrators with regard to best practices in early literacy success in underrepresented groups of students, namely English Language Learners (ELLs), in an urban border district in a deep South Texas. The researcher, as the human instrument, focused on a variety of data collection sources from administrators' responses to questions, field notes, audiotaped interview sessions, and observation notes. Four key themes emerged from the data contextualized in an overwhelming sense of urgency on the part of the administrators. The findings from this study have the potential of leveraging educational decisions for educators, policymakers, and practitioners who may be concerned about improving the literacy achievement gap for ELLs by the end of 3rd grade.

This study shares the results of a five-year effort to implement a school turnaround model facilitated through an unprecedented university-public school partnership. The high needs Hispanic majority demographic makeup of the public-school district amplifies the importance of this work.

The nature of mathematics teachers' knowledge specific to teaching mathematics is of ongoing concern in mathematics education research (Chapman, 2015). Furthermore, it is well known that teachers have an impact on students' achievement, and for several years mathematics education researchers have been studying teachers' content knowledge (Levenson, 2013). This naturalistic inquiry revealed teachers' perceptions about their content knowledge, their own self-efficacy, and their experience impacted student achievement.

Students attending suburban and rural schools face obstacles that make dropping out of school a viable option for them. The need for schools to find strategies that will keep students in school is critical. One strategy that is successful in keeping student interested in school is participation in sports. As the leaders of sports' teams, coaches provide the necessary mentoring that can positively guide a student's decision to stay in school. In this qualitative naturalistic inquiry, three coaches were interviewed. Each of the respondents were significantly influenced by their families and certain "mentors" that they had as they were in school; crediting them for molding their professional philosophy. The respondents used their life experiences as a guide in their professional careers to relate with their students and athletes.

This qualitative case study examines the challenges facing rural secondary schools in transitioning youth from high school to post-secondary education and careers, and whether the interventions, strategies and support built into the Early College High School could offer a solution to this long-standing challenge to better meet the needs of special education students.

This study explores the effectiveness of educator preparation programs from the perspective of three female Hispanic veteran teachers serving high-needs populations of students. The study strives to contribute to research on minimum proposed standards for teacher preparation programs in Texas. Through a process of coding data from the informant conversations, several themes emerged: teacher concerns about behavior management, the need for strong communication skills, the need for immersion experiences around teaching, and the need for preparation in working with diverse populations of students as well as developing confidence and a sense of efficacy for being a successful teacher. Using the findings associated with this study, teacher preparation programs will better understand the current needs of K-12 practitioners, particularly those in high-needs school districts.

Educational diagnosticians in the state of Texas serve multiple roles across various districts (National Clearinghouse for Professions in Special Education [NCPSE], 2011). Due to the increased accountability requirements in the area of special education, much more time is required to complete the procedural requirements set forth by state and federal legal mandates (Texas Education Agency [TEA], 2012). Although educational diagnosticians play a critical role in the determination of eligibility, planning, and implementation of special education supports, researchers have yet to determine how campus administrators perceive their own role in the campus environment.

This study explores classroom placement for first year English Language Learner (ELL) students from the perspective of a dual language director and two bilingual education strategists. The study strives to interrogate classroom placement for first year ELL students whose language proficiency level is at beginning level. Through a process of coding data from interviews with the two bilingual strategists and the dual language coordinator, several significant themes emerged. These included the need for educators to: have the knowledge of full English immersion strategies, keep a balanced approach in the classroom, be aware of student frustration, understand code switching, and take advantage of professional development. The findings from this study will help school districts and administrators consider classroom placement options for first year ELL students whose language proficiency level is at beginning level.

There is a large body of literature that suggests that the increase of cultural diversity in schools should be understood as a call for new teaching approaches that promote multicultural awareness among students and where educators and school leaders exhibit culturally responsive organizational practices, behaviors and attitudes (Assaf, Garza, & Battle, 2010; Madhlangobe & Gordon, 2012; Sleeter, 2001). This naturalistic inquiry explores data from three South Texas educators and leaders with regard to their perceptions of multicultural education. Four key themes are shared: 1. General perceptions and definition of Multicultural Education, 2. Implementation of Multicultural Education, 3. Multicultural Education as a need, and, 4. Benefits of Multicultural Education.

This study examined differences in Texas middle school student achievement in science by school district enrollment size. Quantitative research utilized analysis of variance to determine whether significant differences existed between student achievement on the 2010 Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills 8th grade science results and four school district enrollment size groups. A significant difference was found between means of small district science scores and medium, large, and mega district science scores.

An exploratory investigation was conducted into the motivations and leadership traits of five rural school superintendents who over time evidenced a commitment to social justice. This effort meets a call in the research literature by Furman (2012), who noted that "to date, the literature offers few specifics about the actual practice of social justice leadership in K-12 schools and the capacities needed by school leaders to engage in this practice" (p. 192). Also noted has been the lack of attention to rural social justice and rural education internationally (Cuervo, 2009; Tikly & Barrett, 2009). To address this deficiency, a qualitative methods approach was used. As a result, we sought to compile a profile for the rural social justice leader who is capable of engendering strong social justice-oriented rural leadership. Findings suggest that these superintendents were attracted by, as well as challenged by, the work. Moreover, themes revealed how these superintendents worked to sustain themselves and to maintain resiliency through various strategies, including finding their rudder, managing the work, establishing relationships, and seeking out mentors or relying on spiritual guidance.

With continually increasing enrollment, and colleges and universities struggling to meet the demand, leaders in education are turning to the web instruction to deliver instruction to students. In order to meet the needs of these online students, institutions of higher education need more data concerning the factors that influence students' decision to pursue online instruction. More importantly, factors that affect student performance in both traditional and online settings need to be understood in order to provide students with a more comprehensive educational experience. This study examines the factors that influence students' decision to seek online coursework over a traditional classroom setting. Additionally, this study explores faculty perceptions concerning the factors necessary to succeed in a web-enhanced environment, and similarly explores faculty perceptions as to whether online students' learning outcomes are the same as those of traditional students. This work correlates with the findings of previous studies, and contributes to the growing body of knowledge regarding the factors that affect student performance in both traditional and online settings.

"Central High School," a rural school composed largely of students of color from low income homes, experienced a quick, remarkable turnaround of student academic success, measured by State and Federal accountability standards. This turnaround began with an external restructuring grant initiative that required a state-approved external consultant. A qualitative study of this turnaround reveals that a minimally implemented Accelerated Schools Project was followed by a much stronger Professional Learning Community model developed by the external consultant. The professional literature regarding these two models is reviewed and applied, providing context for a description of the turnaround process at this diverse rural school. The triangulated, chain-sampled interviews are analyzed and supported by student achievement data. (Contains 4 tables.)

A review of literature on student resilience shows that extensive research has been conducted in education to learn about student stress, trauma, and protective factors, regarding strategies to improve student services and success. Yet there are limited studies that offer insight on the resilience of resident assistants, or RAs, a subpopulation of students that serve as peer leaders and role models on college campuses. This naturalistic inquiry utilized semi-structured interviews that revealed the resilience-building experiences of resident assistants in relation to their student employee positions. A secondary analysis of the investigation affirmed that individual perseverance, committed engagement, and investment of time were significant themes evidencing RA resilience in meeting the challenges of providing student support as well as engendering the development of resilience among students they served. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An anomalous concentration of female superintendents in mostly rural South Texas prompted this inquiry. South Texas faces critical shortages in personnel due to impending retirement and turnover of existing school administrators and superintendents (Wesson & Marshall, 2012). It is difficult to recruit and retain the best talent necessary to solve tough school improvement challenges--high dropout rates, high poverty, low student achievement, and complex multi-cultural issues--in high needs, Hispanic majority, primarily rural school districts (Trevino Jr., Braley, Brown, & Slate, 2008; Wesson & Marshall, 2012). Krüger (2008) stated women are stronger educational leaders than men. Females seek and obtain leadership credentials for the express purpose of impacting education for students (Young & McLeod, 2001). Schools of all sizes and levels with female administrators achieved higher student success than schools with male administrators, according to a 7000 campus Texas study, in the 2006-2007 academic year (Roser, Brown, & Kelsey, 2009). In every ethnic group, women earn more doctoral degrees in education than men; women earn bachelors and masters degrees in education in proportion to their representation in the field; and women have more years of teaching experience than men (Shakeshaft, Brown, Irby, Grogan, & Ballenger, 2007). Women also outnumber men in education administration preparation programs (Petrie & Lindauer, 2001). Yet women are not ascending to the superintendency in proportion to their representation in the education profession (Shakeshaft et al., 2007). This naturalistic study of seven female superintendents in South Texas, including leaders in large and small rural districts, illuminated perceptions and experiences of female school leadership through portraiture and lent insight into common themes of aspiration and motivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Central High School," a rural school composed largely of students of color from low income homes, experienced a quick, remarkable turnaround of student academic success, measured by State and Federal accountability standards. This turnaround began with an external restructuring grant initiative that required a state-approved external consultant. A qualitative study of this turnaround reveals that a minimally implemented Accelerated Schools Project was followed by a much stronger Professional Learning Community model developed by the external consultant. The professional literature regarding these two models is reviewed and applied, providing context for a description of the turnaround process at this diverse rural school. The triangulated, chain-sampled interviews are analyzed and supported by student achievement data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]