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To move the field closer to untangling the charter versus public school debate, this study compared leadership practices surrounding discipline and the frequency of student misconduct between public and charter schools that reside in urban neighborhoods and serve predominantly students of color. School leadership's approaches to discipline were investigated by comparing punitive authoritarian practices such as suspensions and transfers to therapeutic and educational strategies such as positive behavior management and teacher training. Student conduct was comprised of problematic peer-directed behaviors (e.g., bullying, sexual harassment, harassment of sexual orientation, and gang activity) and authority-directed misconduct (e.g., verbal abuse of teacher, acts of disrespect towards teacher, and classroom disorder). The sample used in this analysis was garnered from a larger nationally representative pool of public school principals (n = 610) from elementary, middle, high school, and combination schools across the United States who completed The School Survey of Crime and Safety (SSOCS) during the 2009-2010 academic school year. To uncover which leadership variables could account for significant differences in student conduct across school type (public or charter) several multivariate analyses were conducted using factorial analysis, MANCOVAs, and partial correlations. The results revealed that charter schools used more Educational Discipline while public schools used more Authoritarian Discipline and Therapeutic Discipline. In addition, public school principals reported a greater frequency of Peer-directed and Authority-directed student conduct compared to charter school principals. The relationships between certain discipline practices and student conduct types were found to be statistically significantly different between school type. Several points of policy are suggested for leadership and policy makers to consider with regard to urban school reform initiatives surrounding the establishment of a supportive school climate that positively affects student conduct. / Educational Psychology

Typical public secondary school students seem unable to compete with distinguished public and elite private secondary school students when seeking admission to highly selective colleges. This study has identified the characteristics that distinguish college guidance and school-wide programs at public secondary schools perceived to be the strongest (distinguished) from other public secondary schools. School boards, public secondary school counselors, school administrators, and the communities they serve now have college guidance programs they can emulate to better prepare students for admission to highly selective colleges. / Ph. D.

In May 1993, 795 school district associates, students, and parents participated in a study to determine whether the implementation of TQM from 1990 to 1993 has made fundamental and significant changes and improvements in the district. In 1990-91, senior management of the district received 80+ hours of training and were certified as Quality Trainers by the Xerox Corporation and the Virginia Department of Education through a US Department of Education partnership grant. By September 1992, nearly 90% of all Rappahannock school district associates (employees) had received 30+ hours of training in quality management. The Xerox model of training includes components on defining quality, meeting needs of customers, interactive skills, working in teams, problem solving, and a quality improvement process. Over 60% of associates volunteered to serve on quality teams to address concerns targeted by customer surveys. In 1992-93, all associates served on required quality teams to improve instruction and support services. A couple of elementary school quality teams reduced numbers of students needing math remedial pullout services by 35% to 40%. The high school math team devised an improved process for team-teaching math and quality problem solving. Bus drivers, parents, teachers, administrators, and students served on a quality team to reduce 34% parent dissatisfaction with transportation services to 11%. The study found that since the 1990 introduction of TQM in the district: 89% of associates are using aspects of the quality training in their work with others; 72% of associates feel that administrators have increased their efforts to meet their needs; 66% of associates feel more empowered; 78% of students identify things that have improved; and 79% of parents feel that the schools have increased their efforts to meet their childrens’ needs. A "quality customer service in education" (QCSIE) scale was devised from the student survey items and responses. Seventy-eight percent of the district's students have positive QCSIE scores. The QCSIE scale can be used to help schools determine the level of student satisfaction with educational and support services. A similar scale found that 88% of students have a willingness to help produce, or coproduce their education. / Ph. D.