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One of the most impacted areas in higher education is the field of student affairs (Lynch, 2017). While job satisfaction is problematic in higher education; only 1% of professionals are "extremely satisfied" with their job, giving the field a much lower overall satisfaction level than many other occupations (Kinman & Wray, 2014). Additionally, women are experiencing job dissatisfaction at the highest rates (Beeny et al., 2005) and student affairs is a field primarily occupied by women (MacAlpine, 2022). Research shows one of the more dramatic results of job satisfaction is when dissatisfaction leads to burnout (Kahill, 2007). Women in student affairs are rapidly leaving the field due to job dissatisfaction (Bender, 2009). The authors share findings from a phenomenological qualitative research study designed to assess job satisfaction of women student affairs professionals in entry, mid, and senior level higher education positions relating to job satisfaction and leadership, motivation, productivity, and burnout. The overarching research question is, "What are the perceptions of women student affairs professionals in Louisiana public higher education institutions regarding job satisfaction in relation to leadership, motivation, productivity, and burnout?" Data analyses resulted in identification of six major findings relating to higher sense of value, high levels of trust, senior-level satisfaction, expectations not aligned with compensation, student impact as a high motivator, and impact of crises on burnout among women student affairs professionals in Louisiana higher education institutions. The finding implications are shared from theory, practice, and future research perspectives, as well as implications for leadership and practice. [This Paper was presented at the Annual Meeting of the Louisiana Education Research Association Conference (LERA), Lafayette, LA, Mar 9-10, 2023).]

In the United States, approximately one-fourth of university presidents are female. The lack of women in senior leadership roles at higher education institutions mirrors other industries, and research has shown that institutions and organizations which lack female representation are less effective. To ascend to senior leadership roles, including the presidency, women persist through existing macro, meso, and micro levels of gender-based barriers. Thus, the primary research question guiding this study was: "What factors contribute to the self-efficacy of women presidents in higher education?" The theories of self-efficacy and transformational leadership provide the framework through which the concepts of women as leaders, American college presidents, gender-based barriers, and support structures were explored. This study resulted in six major findings: (a) Women presidents in higher education institutions are highly self-efficacious yet aspire to even greater levels of efficacy and professionalism; (b) Women presidents in higher education institutions are authentic, relationship-focused, and goal-oriented; (c) Women presidents in higher education institutions experience a multitude of gender-based barriers on their leadership journeys and in their presidencies; (d) Mentoring and leadership or professional development programming are essential components of the leadership journey for women presidents in higher education institutions; (e) Misalignment exists between the gender-based barriers and support structures identified by women presidents of higher education institutions; and (f) Women presidents of higher education institutions are committed to supporting the next generation of leaders.

This quantitative study explored teacher perceptions of professional learning community dimensions, teacher self-efficacy, and collective efficacy. Professional learning communities (PLCs) have been shown to positively impact teacher self-efficacy and collective efficacy, all supporting student achievement. The overarching question guiding this study was, "What relationships exist among professional learning community dimensions, teacher self-efficacy, and collective efficacy and what differences exist in teacher perceptions in elementary, middle, and high schools; TAP and Non-TAP schools; and high poverty and low poverty schools?" The study sample included 57 schools within one large metropolitan southern school district. Three data collection measures were utilized to assess teacher perceptions including the Professional Learning Community Assessment-Revised, the Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale, and the Teacher Efficacy Beliefs Scale-Collective Form. Data analyses included descriptive and inferential statistics and resulted in eight major findings with finding Implications related to conceptual/theoretical frameworks, leadership and practice, and future research. These findings support professional learning communities as positively influencing teacher self-efficacy and collective efficacy; PLCs as contributing to school improvement; and school variables, such as poverty level, PLC implementation, and school level indeed influence efficacy. Additionally, study findings inform district leaders, school leaders, and teachers regarding implementation of PLC practices in enhancing teacher self-efficacy and collective efficacy and supporting school improvement.

This mixed methods phenomenological study explored experiences and perceptions of professional support personnel in higher education regarding roles, responsibilities, and contributions to their institutions. Professional support personnel are the largest population of nonfaculty staff in higher education institutions, and they serve an integral role in the day-to-day functions to advance the mission of the institution. The overarching question guiding this study was, "What are perceptions of professional support personnel in higher education regarding their roles, responsibilities, and contributions within their institutions?" Quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews of professional support personnel were used to examine their job demands, job resources available, level of work engagement, and participation in organizational citizenship behaviors. The major study findings show professional support personnel are highly engaged in their jobs and perceive their contributions to their institutions as positive. They describe their roles as student-centered, revenue generating, supporting faculty, partnering with the community, and overall supporting the institution. While professional support personnel indicated participation in organizational citizenship behaviors, further analysis showed the roles and responsibilities of professional support personnel in higher education are inherently comprised of organizational citizenship behaviors and thus are in-role behaviors. In contradiction to existing research, professional support staff described "other duties as assigned" as fun and a welcomed opportunity for professional development and networking.

The urgent closures of campuses nationwide due to the COVID-19 pandemic have presented unforeseen challenges to college students, who already showed concerning rates of mental health conditions and suicidality. Among US college students, more than one in five are parents raising young children. Student-parents are faced with compounding struggles that substantially intersect with those of minority students, students from low-income backgrounds, and first-generation students. However, the challenges and unique needs of student-parents have not been sufficiently recognized by the college administrations. As higher education grapples with supporting students to navigate through the pandemic, reaching out to student-parents and prioritizing their needs is indispensable to assure their continued engagement and completion of studies. The authors offer recommendations for college administrations to help alleviate strains in student-parents amid the crisis and promote strengths and resilience in the short term and beyond.

The purpose of this article is to present mixed methodology evaluation data regarding a professional development initiative designed to offer non-certified special education teachers specialized classroom and teacher certification support. The project was grounded in evidence-based strategies that resulted in direct implications for teacher preparation, retention, and certification. To maximize benefits of participation in this project, access to instructional resources was provided. Participants benefitted from face-to-face communities of practice and a virtual learning environment designed to establish a shared culture of improvement and collaboration. Teacher participants generally felt factors such as "encouragement, motivation, and support they received from their colleagues contributed to their decision to pursue a special education teaching career." The evaluation findings informed a professional development model incorporating the essential components of professional development, learning communities, and mentorship. The findings further indicated that teacher professional development should specifically address instructional strategies, understanding of special educational issues, and skill attainment.

As the Professional Learning Community (PLC) process becomes embedded within schools, the level of district support has a direct impact on whether schools have the ability to re-culture and sustain highly effective collaborative practices. The purpose of this article is to share a professional learning community conceptual framework from the US, and to highlight recent findings relating to district level support for the PLC process in schools. The professional learning community conceptual model is organized around five dimensions: shared and supportive leadership, shared values and vision, collaborative learning and application, shared personal practice, and supportive conditions. The overarching question guiding this qualitative research study is: How do school district personnel (central office staff) support schools in the professional learning community process? Findings reveal the importance of transformative and proactive district involvement, and the use of transparency, trust, accountability, and autonomy in school re-culturing. It was also found that developing leadership capacity, embedding professional development, and focusing the culture on student success were critically important. As districts provide support for the PLC dimensions and themes, school leaders will have a foundation of curricular strategies, collaborative skills, and necessary resources to serve teachers and students through continuous school improvement.

The authors seek to find common PLC structures and actions among global educational systems to enhance understanding and practice. Six international researchers formed the Global Professional Learning Community Network (GloPLCNet), conducted literature reviews of each country's involvement with PLC actions, and noted similarities and common practices among the school improvement initiatives in five countries. Major constructs were identified, research was conducted (interviews and observations), and themes emerged. A literature review of the constructs led to outcomes. A definition of the Global PLC process, revision of constructs, and further clarification of descriptors were established. External influencing factors were also identified as essential. Finally the awareness that the PLC reculturing effort is guided and influenced by the phases of change was noted. The following are conclusions and implications. In an interdependent world, we recognize the importance of considering viewpoints of multiple global systems. An inclusive knowledge base can develop which prepares educators and citizens for more collaborative international understanding. These conclusions can lead to changes in practice at the school and middle level (district, city, province), and policy changes at the state, province, and national levels.

Readiness for change is a multi-dimensional, multi-level, multifaceted construct. Readiness is arguably one of the most important factors involved in individuals' initial support for change initiatives. Organizational readiness for change is a critical precursor to successful change implementation. There is voluminous literature on organizational change and readiness for change. However, limited published research work has explicitly conceptualized or empirically measured readiness for change in school education from a systems perspective that investigates the interaction of both individual readiness and organizational readiness for change. This article critically reviews the literature on the organizational change process and readiness for change. Informed by documented evidence of existing literature and our previous research on the School Actualization Program in Taiwan, it proposes a conceptual framework of system readiness for change in school education. It seeks to fill the gap identified in the literature and provide insights into the dynamic interaction and readiness for change process, and therefore offer possibilities of debates and further empirical studies in school settings. It concludes with the discussion of implications of the framework in school and system improvement from a cross-national perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper distinguishes between teacher efficacy and teacher self-efficacy beliefs and describes a need for theory and research-based measures of teachers' self-efficacy beliefs that are grounded in the context of the classroom. To meet this need, a new measure of teacher self-efficacy beliefs, the Teachers' Efficacy Beliefs System-Self (TEBS-Self), is described by the authors. Principal components analysis results are presented from three independent studies performed in the United States (n = 2373 K-6 teachers) using the TEBS-Self.

This article explores a reciprocal relationship between leadership capacity and collective efficacy in a pre-K-8 school in the Southern United States that continually advances as a professional learning community. Survey data from this mixed methodology study showed significant positive correlations among subgroup scales measuring leadership capacity, collective efficacy, and professional learning community dimensions. Additionally, school performance, as measured by accountability systems, resulted in growth and sustainability of student achievement. The interviews made these findings come alive through four emergent themes: high leadership capacity; a strong sense of collective efficacy; continual and undeviating focus on learning for students and teachers; and a strong sense of collective responsibility, collaboration, and teamwork. This study provides clear evidence that capacity building and collective efficacy can be enhanced through success as a professional learning community. (Contains 1 table.)