Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Educational Policy'

The time between the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and its replacement, the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015, marked a period of unprecedented policy-driven education reform. Unfortunately, the major objectives of the policy were not achieved, and the very problems it sought to fix still exist. One reason for this was an overreliance on testing and test scores as a lever for change. This study’s purpose was to explore the ways in which an educational leader could bring the tools of the practitioner-scholar to bear on public policy problems worth solving. This research question was addressed through three distinct, but interconnected, articles that utilized different methodologies. The first demonstrated the application of the tools of public policy analysis to bilingual education policy at the federal, state, and local levels. The second critiqued New York State’s student growth model used in the Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) using quantitative methods. The third analyzed the broader APPR policy and sought to address its many shortcomings by proposing a new, viable policy alternative for consideration by policymakers. The major implications of this study include a strong caution against the use of standardized tests of student achievement to measure progress toward policy goals, a demonstration of the importance of identifying and applying criteria to assess public education policies, and a recognition of educational leaders as important actors in the policy making process.

School facilities issues in rural America and the resources to remedy them are made more complex by rural population trends, building deterioration and inadequacies, financial constraints, and education policy. The challenge for rural districts is to generate the revenues required to build or renovate school facilities. The resulting long-term underfunding of school facilities has left a pattern of crumbling school buildings across rural communities. Rural school districts, particularly those with older structures, need to improve energy efficiency of buildings and upgrade building infrastructure to support new technology

This case study was conducted to ascertain and gain an understanding of the decision-making process of a rural school board as it related to policy and funding for construction, renovation, and maintenance of school facilities. A review of the literature, to understand why rural schools are often in deteriorating condition, revealed a limited scope of research addressing rural education. Kingdon’s (1984) Agenda-Setting Theory provided the conceptual framework for the analysis of the board of education’s complex decisions made, both collectively and individually. Applied was Kingdon’s The Three Streams Model to understand what factors influenced board members when making financial and policy decisions for school facilities.

This single case study utilized field research methods to collect interview data and documents for archival analysis. Interviews were conducted with the school board members who made the decisions for the capital building project investigated in this study.

A key finding in this study was how changes in district leadership and the shifting mood of the school board precipitated the initiation of a policy and reinforced the chances for survival. This finding was particularly true in respect of financial feasibility, which did, in fact, result in enabling the policy to become a building project. This case study serves as a foundation for continued analysis. To connect the larger themes of rural school facility issues with decision making, policy development, and the effects of changing social-economic dynamics shaping the rural school agenda locally, statewide, and nationally.

All children residing in the United States have the right to a quality education. At least that is our collective expectation. Through the lived experience of Yuli, a Native American woman from the Southwest, you will discover, due to her birth on a remote reservation, she was not given the same access to education you or I would expect. On Yuli’s reservation, the school system is managed by the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE). Rather than provide K-12 schooling, the BIE operates K-8 on her reservation and then Native youth who want to go to high school must move off-reservation.

This qualitative study focuses on Yuli’s experience as she traversed the educational system offered to her in order to complete eighth grade, earn her high school diploma and be accepted to college. Her narrative gives insight into what she lost, personally and culturally, as a result of the operational delinquency of a United States of America government agency tasked with one duty, providing an adequate, quality education to Indigenous youth across America. This study explores Yuli’s story, educational inopportunity, and the cultural impact of leaving the reservation to attain an education.

Online education is growing in response to demands of increased access, quality, and affordability. However, implementation and expansion are often challenged by faculty resistance, due in large part to perceived lack of quality and administrative support. This case study sought to determine how the presence or absence of quality elements, as defined by the Online Learning Consortium Quality Scorecard, in institutional structure, policy, and practice influences (motivates or inhibits) faculty decisions to teach online at Frostburg State University, a comprehensive, public university in western Maryland.

This mixed methods, sequential explanatory research collected data from three sources: an online survey of 387 faculty, a review of institutional documents, semistructured interviews with nine key university stakeholders and 13 faculty. To analyze these data, the study used descriptive statistics, logistic regression, application of the Online Learning Consortium Quality Scorecard rubric, and triangulation of data from all sources.

Findings suggest that faculty’s initial motivation to teach online was intrinsic, enhanced by extrinsic institutional factors–those within the control of the university. However, institutional factors played a more significant role in faculty decisions to continue/expand online teaching. Additionally, the findings suggest that faculty were most likely to teach online when their intrinsic motivation was aligned with the institution’s mission of online education and a shared strategic value of online education that balances the shared interests of the institution, students, and faculty.

The key finding in this study was that quality was a significant concern regarding online education. However, administrative support for online education was central to shaping faculty’s definition of quality in online education. These findings suggest that quality in online education is defined by faculty as the presence or absence of administrative support which creates institutional structure, policy and practice to support faculty to deliver quality instruction.

This study identifies and compares competing policy stories of key actors involved in the Ecuadorian education reform under President Rafael Correa from 2007-2015. By revealing these competing policy stories the study generates insights into the political and technical aspects of education reform in a context where state capacity has been eroded by decades of neoliberal policies.

Since the elections in 2007, President Correa has focused much of his political effort and capital on reconstituting the state’s authority and capacity to not only formulate but also implement public policies. The concentration of power combined with a capacity building agenda allowed the Correa government to advance an ambitious comprehensive education reform with substantive results in equity and quality. At the same time the concentration of power has undermined a more inclusive and participatory approach which are essential for deepening and sustaining the reform.

This study underscores both the limits and importance of state control over education; the inevitable conflicts and complexities associated with education reforms that focus on quality; and the limits and importance of participation in reform. Finally, it examines the analytical benefits of understanding governance, participation and quality as socially constructed concepts that are tied to normative and ideological interests.

As the gap between the haves and have-nots widens, the call for reform in higher education in the United States intensifies. Policy actors, philanthropists, and academics from across the political spectrum work on various policy solutions, creating a policy environment that is complex and often contentious. Incrementalists claim that major policy reform is unlikely since unknown variables and inexplicable events can stall or dismantle policy initiatives. In such environments, policy entrepreneurs—those individuals who advocate for policy innovation, work for change, and help shape policy solutions from within and without government—try to break through the barriers of incremental politics. As important as this role is to the influencing and structuring of higher educational policy, it has not yet been explored. This study fills this gap in the extant literature by cataloging the characteristics and skills that enable higher education policy entrepreneurs at the state and national levels to persevere and accomplish sustainable and innovative higher education reforms over time.

The study employed a descriptive, revelatory, single-case study research design (Yin, 1994) interpreted from the postpositivist paradigm (Creswell, 2007). The major source of data, drawn from 23 interviews with policy entrepreneurs from across the United States, was triangulated with document reviews and a multi-level coding strategy. Then the data were framed by the research questions and juxtaposed against nine propositions extracted from the extant literature to derive the study findings.

The policy entrepreneurs in this study are creative political leaders with a passion for improving educational opportunity. They are adaptable, pragmatic on details of policy shaping, and use the means available to them to influence. Policy entrepreneurs don’t work in isolation; rather, they are network dependent. They value collaboration and seek to develop relationships and create opportunities to advocate for policy innovations that benefit students before institutions or organizations, taking calculated risks with interminable patience, and making sacrifices for their cause. They have learned to listen, compromise, reach across the aisle, strategize, and recognize windows of opportunity. They work hard to build credibility and trust. Workplace mentorships and peer relationships are a major source of their learning and development.

The purpose of this study is to determine if Title V HSI grants and expenditures in instruction, academic support, and student services at 4-year Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) account for observed differences in the graduation rates of Latinas/os and the percent of bachelor’s degree completions of Latina/o students, and whether HSIs are equitable in the proportion of bachelor’s degrees awarded to Latinas/os. HSIs are colleges and universities that enroll 25% or more full time equivalent (FTE) undergraduate Latina/o students. In general, the purpose of the federal Title V HSI grant is to fund programs to enhance the educational attainment of Latina/os. This study uses Tinto’s (2012) framework for institutional action advancing that colleges and universities that establish support programs designed to promote students’ success eventually see those programs translate into improved institutional graduation outcomes. A nationally representative sample of 75 four-year accredited, bachelor’s degree granting institutions of higher education with at least 25% undergraduate Latina/o students by 2012 fall was selected from the Integrated Postsecondary Data System (IPEDS) for this study. Consistent with prior research, statistical analyses revealed that expenditures in academic support and student services are significantly associated with graduation rates of Latina/os, however, the expenditures in instruction was not a significant predictor of graduation rates of Latina/os. The role of Title V HSI grants was significant when the variable that accounted for the percentage of undergraduate Latinas/os was removed from the analysis. Title V grantees experienced a greater number of bachelor’s degrees completions conferred on Latinas/os when compared to other HSIs in the sample. On average, HSIs were equitable in conferring bachelor’s degrees on Latina/os. Future research should investigate expenditures in instructional activities that are directly associated with student learning at HSIs, and the type of Title V grant-funded activities that are greater predictors of Latina/o student success.

Though much is known about the school environments that increase students’ access to opportunity, the process for developing conditions that presage such outcomes remains a pertinent area of study. The reality that widespread school performance has yet to realize the promise of true educational equity, particularly in urban settings, attests to the challenge. In the search for solutions, one response across decades has been to grant schools autonomy, a trend that continues today. The goal of this research study is to understand the process by which a school in such a context builds its capacity to improve student outcomes. With capacity seen as a function of available information, the relationships and organizational structures are given particular attention knowing that such mechanisms serve as conduits for information exchange in organizations. It is seen the presence of strong relationships and strong organizational structures are necessary but not sufficient for productive information exchange. In order to realize their full utility, leadership must cultivate relational trust and manage expectations of their duties as leader. Moreover, organizational activity must align to the school’s desired direction and capitalize upon available capabilities. Finally, the importance of clear communication about autonomy’s multiple dimensions related to schools is seen. The results of this case study suggest that relationships and organizational structures can illuminate the complex work of serving students in the context of a school granted autonomy while calling for greater nuance in the idea’s conceptualization as a means for school improvement.

The principal is ultimately responsible for decisions regarding the master schedule at the elementary level of education (Canady & Rettig, 2013; Young, 2008), and these scheduling decisions are influenced by multiple factors (Benamati, 2010; Harris, 2013; Howard & Rakoz, 2009). Although principals have become increasingly aware of the need to use data to make informed decisions (Holcomb, 2012; Marzano, Waters, & McNulty, 2005; O’Neal, 2012), data pertaining to the relationship between scheduled opportunities for students to participate in physical activity and academic achievement is limited. The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of principals’ scheduling decisions regarding how much time is designated for daily physical activity for third grade students in Virginia and the relationship between these decisions and academic performance.

A survey of public school principals was used to collect information regarding scheduling decisions, as well as the role of accountability, wellness legislation, and other factors that may possibly influence decisions. This survey collected scheduling information regarding the opportunity for students to participate in physical activity as part of the scheduled curriculum. These data were compared to each school’s academic achievement, which was measured by students’ performance on Virginia’s Standards of Learning (SOL) exams in third grade reading as reported by school leaders.

Based on the results of this study, school leaders identified multiple factors influencing their scheduling decisions pertaining to opportunities for students to participate in physical activity. These factors of influence were coded into six categories: accountability demands of the SOLs, student health, autonomy limitations, time limitations, resource limitations, and liability risks. School leaders reported accountability demands of the SOLs as having the greatest influence on their scheduling decisions.

Based on the data reported by school leaders, there is a significant positive correlation between the daily duration of scheduled physical activity and the academic performance of the school on the Grade Three Reading SOLs. Adjusting for socioeconomic status using the percentage of students receiving free or reduced priced meals, the scheduled duration of physical activity was a better predictor than the duration of reading instruction in predicting academic performance.

This study, Teacher Insight: The Implementation of the Common Core State Standards in California School Districts was designed to glean teacher voice on the large-scale reform. With a need for a global workforce in a 21st century society the existing education system is undergoing a tremendous change in order to prepare students for college and career. The purpose of this sequential explanatory mixed methods study was fourfold: (a) to determine how the implementation of the Common Core State Standards is changing teacher practices related to curriculum, instruction, and assessment; (b) to investigate the concerns and challenges faced by teachers as they implement the Common Core State Standards; (c) to determine what types of professional development teachers have been offered regarding the Common Core State Standards and what they perceive has been most beneficial; and (d) to determine what teachers still need from their site leadership to make the implementation successful. Additionally, this study was performed with surveys and interviews administered in three California school districts. Upon examination of the responses from teachers, this study yielded four conclusions. First, implementation of the Common Core State Standards has changed teacher instructional practices. With the fusion of the 21st century skills into the Common Core State Standards teachers are challenged with teaching the new academic standards and simultaneously providing instruction with 21st century skills. Second, implementation of the Common Core State Standards has generated concerns and challenges of teachers. Third, teachers state that collaboration is the most beneficial form of professional development. Fourth, the implementation has created needs from teachers of site leadership. The study also yielded four recommendations. First, it is recommended that school districts provide teachers with professional development on 21st century skills. Second, it is recommended that school districts allocate funding for the purchase of Common Core State Standard resources that have both rigor and relevance. Third, it is recommended that collaboration be the type of professional development that districts utilize, as teachers state it is the most beneficial. Fourth, site leaders are advised to address the needs of teachers by providing them with resources they need for the implementation.

Private sector businesses employ performance pay compensation plans in order to incentivize increased employee effort. Legislation offers opportunities for school districts to experiment with performance pay plans in an attempt to encourage teacher effort, productivity, competition, and recruitment. Despite the potential benefits of performance pay, providing a task-contingent reward for an interesting activity has the tendency to undermine an individual’s intrinsic motivation for a task. This study sought to assess psychological ownership as a potential moderator for the undermining effect, which may shield an individual’s feelings of autonomy, competence, and relatedness, allowing for intrinsic motivation in light of a task-contingent reward. This study analyzed data from 127 undergraduates and graduate students enrolled at Long Island University, CW Post Campus and an additional 27 teachers from Brooklyn, New York. Full and trimmed path analyses were conducted on a series of Likert-type scales to test three primary hypotheses. The findings confirmed that a task-contingent reward undermined intrinsic motivation for an interesting task. This study’s psychological ownership intervention and the combination of the intervention with a task-contingent reward also negatively effected intrinsic motivation. Job-based psychological ownership, a measurement of feelings of possession, however, did positively effect intrinsic motivation providing evidence that feelings of psychological ownership lead to feelings of intrinsic motivation. This study contributes to the fields of psychological ownership theory and self-determination theory by presenting empirical evidence connecting these two theories. Recommendations are offered for the improvement of teacher motivation, job design, compensation and educational policy.

In education, mentoring is pivotal in the early development and long-term success and self-directed efficacy of new teachers. With increasing acknowledgment of the importance of mentoring as the preferred means of induction support for new teachers, mentors can serve to positively impact the overall quality of teaching and learning. Yet, like the induction protocols in other professional occupations, the nature of induction programs in education has taken a variety of forms in more recent years. For mentors, these experiences create added obligations and time away from their own professional responsibilities. Although previous research points to the importance of mentoring and its effectiveness in supporting novices, giving voice to the induction mentor as related to the most effective practices for high quality induction mentoring merits further investigation and an obligation to those who lead them.

The purpose of this study was therefore to contribute to the body of knowledge and literature pertaining to high quality mentoring experiences, specifically as related to the lived experiences and perceptions of effective practices for preparing, developing, and retaining K-12 teacher induction mentors. The participants in this study consisted of K-12 teacher induction mentors at a teacher induction program in Southern California. This study was made possible through the utilization of a phenomenological method, namely through a qualitative phone interview approach.

The findings led to the following five conclusions: (1) prior life and professional experience are pivotal to the manner in which situational learning is acquired and internalized, strongly influencing the way mentors engage in future action; (2) induction mentor preparation and support are crucial to the success of the mentor in their service to new teachers and in their own professional development as educators; (3) time is pivotal to the formulation of and reaping of quality induction experiences; (4) the value of required induction projects is key to the significance of the induction work; and (5) meaningful reflective practices are fundamental to the internal motivation and transformation of the mentor as a professional learner. Implications for policy and recommendations for additional research are discussed at the end of the study.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the existing influences faced by today’s urban inner-city elementary school principals that impact the successful implementation of reform strategies as measured by student achievement data. The study examines dynamics such as the characteristics and qualities, leadership style and behavior, instructional leadership, school community, and political influences encountered by principals assigned to low-income urban inner-city schools and the impact of these forces on student achievement in South Los Angeles elementary schools. It utilizes a mixed method design phenomenological approach. The quantitative phase entails the use data from the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ)-5X from Mind Garden Institute and the Principal Instrumental Management Rating Scale (PIMRS) authored by Hallinger (1982). Information was collected from interviews with principals, assistant principals, and approximately 30% of classroom teachers at two underperforming schools. Grounded within the Coherence Framework by Fullan and Quinn (2015) and the Public Education Leadership Project (PELP) Coherence Framework by Childress, Elmore, Grossman, and King (2011), the study provides an insight into the effectiveness of the principal position and its impact on school reform efforts. The findings of this study revealed the transformative style of leadership is most preferred as it allows stakeholder voice in decision-making. Data also verified that urban innercity principals devote the least amount of time in their day to instructional leadership activities. These activities are focused on framing the school’s goals and coordinating the school curriculum and require emphasis on engaging in the behaviors that develop the school’s learning climate. Moreover, several themes emerged from the study. These included (a) teacher “voice” in school-wide decisions impacts reform efforts; (b) the school community severely impacts the principal’s decision-making towards school improvement; (c) the principal’s style of leadership influences teacher commitment; (d) the political/district influences can limit reform efforts.

This qualitative research study is a phenomenological exploration of teachers' understanding of and perceptions about the teacher evaluation process in North Carolina and the use of the North Carolina Educator Evaluation System (NCEES). Twenty-three teachers with varying years of experience and from six schools of varying demographics were interviewed about their knowledge and perceptions of each evaluation standard and were asked to provide examples of how they have used feedback from the evaluation process to inform their professional practices. Overall, participants had a limited understanding of the standards-based portion of the NCEES and of the value-added data component of the NCEES. Teachers received limited feedback from the evaluation process and were generally unable to provide examples of how they have been able to use feedback from the evaluation process to inform their professional practices. Teachers provided insight about the strengths and weaknesses of the NCEES and suggestions for improvement in the evaluation process and in the NCEES. As a result of the findings, implications for future teacher evaluation in North Carolina are discussed.