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The purpose of this study was to compare the priority ratings given to evaluative criteria of four groups within the education profession--superintendents, secondary supervisors, secondary principals, and secondary teachers. The research sought to determine whether or not factors of agreement existed among the four groups of people regarding their attitudes toward important teacher characteristics. A total of fifty-two subjects from four occupational roles was used: thirteen superintendents, thirteen supervisors, thirteen principals, and thirteen teachers. The subjects were administered the Teacher Characteristics Q Sort, a ninety-item sort of adjectives. The results were factor analyzed, and four significant factors emerged. Factor A was the major factor of agreement and received significant loadings from subjects in each of the four occupational roles. This factor was characterized by such attributes as understanding, friendly, responsive, stimulating and enthusiastic. The factor corresponded significantly to Kerlinger's description of the "progressive" notion of a good teacher. The four occupational roles were also represented in Factor B. Respondents who loaded on this factor indicated concern for administrative interests. Factor B emphasized such attributes as dependability, punctuality, efficiency and cooperation. Factor C was a mixed factor combining interpersonal relations attributes with administrative concerns. Each occupational role was represented on this factor. The respondents who loaded on Factor D also indicated a mixed factor pattern. Interpersonal relations were again combined with administrative interests, although the majority of items expressed concern for interpersonal relations. Respondents who loaded on this factor also represented the four occupational roles. The fact that subjects from each occupational role clustered on the same factors suggests that there was significant agreement among the groups concerning important teacher characteristics. The conclusion drawn from the correlational analayses was that occupational role was not a differentiating factor in the determination of important teacher characteristics.

The low academic achievement among Latino students in many inner city high schools leads to higher failure, dropout, and absenteeism rates, as well as lower standardized test scores and graduation rates. The purpose of this study was to explore whether Latino parental attitudes toward and perceptions, level of, and form of involvement may be linked to this low student achievement. The theoretical framework for this study was Epstein's parental involvement model. The research questions investigated the relationship between Latino parental attitudes toward and perceptions, level of, and form of involvement and student academic achievement. Fifty-eight parents participated in a parent survey for this mixed methods study. Ten parents were interviewed to obtain the qualitative data. Based on Pearson's product-moment correlation, the survey data revealed that there were no statistically significant relationships between Latino student academic achievement and parental attitudes toward and perceptions, level of, and form of involvement. Parent interview data identified parent work schedules, the inability to communicate in English, and parents' lack of education as potential barriers to their involvement. Parent recommendations to overcome these barriers included adjusting school office hours, providing bilingual school personnel, and offering parenting classes that may make high schools more accessible for Latino parents and, by extension, may challenge school personnel to better understand and address the needs of their students' parents in an attempt to promote educational equity.

Existing problems identified in the literature on teacher retention and resilience include (a) a gap in understanding factors influencing urban teacher retention; (b) lack of clarity on multiple factors swaying teachers' decisions to remain despite challenges; (c) overlapping definitions of teacher retention, attrition, and resilience; and (d) absence of a theoretical framework for a potential relationship between retention and resilience. This embedded-case study sought to identify factors influencing effective teachers' decisions to remain in an urban setting and to examine the role of teachers' resilience, retention, and effectiveness with respect to this decision. Fourteen core-area secondary teachers, identified through criterion reference sampling by National Board Certification status and administrators' assessment of characteristics derived from studies on effective urban teaching, participated in a focus group and individual interviews and supplied archival data. Line-by-line coding and data grouping revealed that (a) passion for students, dedication to reflection, a sense of spiritual calling, and dedication to social justice influenced both retention and resilience; (b) professional development increased resilience but had little influence on the decision to remain; and (c) teacher community influenced resilience at varying levels. The findings indicate a relationship between retention and resilience, yet they are not synonymous, suggesting caution when using resilience studies to create retention models. Outcomes suggest professional development that emphasizes reflection on one's purpose and practice and the linkage of reflection, pedagogical changes, and student achievement. This study contributes to positive social change by providing insight into retention of effective urban teachers and a foundation for further research on urban teacher retention and its impact on student performance.

The problem of this study was that, with the impact of new media and delivery systems, principals and librarians must respond to copyright issues in order to remain informed about the copyright law and the legal use of media. The purpose of this study was to gather and evaluate educator response to issues related to copyright. The study was conducted with a sample of regionally accredited secondary schools in the following states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. A total of 1008 questionnaires were mailed to the principal and the librarian of the 504 schools of the sample. The data of the study were provided by 546 (54%) questionnaires. The first twenty items of the questionnaire provided the variables used to organize, test, and report the data. The second part of the questionnaire was a multiple choice copyright test used to determine the copyright knowledge of the respondent. The t test was used to test the mean copyright test scores of educator groups for significant differences. Groups were defined by professional position, years of experience, involvement or no involvement in job related litigation, and law class or workshop participation since the enactment of the 1976 Copyright Law. Chi-square was used to test the frequencies of reported exposure to the 1976 Copyright Law between professional groups, experience groups, and law class or workshop participation groups. Seven null hypotheses were tested at the.05 level. The mean copyright test score of the librarian group was significantly higher than the mean score of the principal group. The mean test score of the law class participation group was significantly higher than the mean test score of the non-participation group. Responses of exposure to the 1976 Copyright Law provided a five category hierarchy. There was no significant difference in the exposure reported by the principal and librarian groups. The difference of exposure reported by the law class participation group and the non-participation group was significant. Fourteen research questions, which comprised the periphery of the study, were reported. The findings of the study provided the basis for the conclusions and recommendations.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to give an indepth and insightful description of the personal and professional worlds of the women high school principals of grades 9-12 in Tennessee in 1993. Specific areas which were addressed in the study included: (1) personal background information, (2) career paths and goals, (3) personal influences upon the women (4) possible barriers, (5) the role(s) of the woman high school principal, and (6) job demands. The data were gathered through a demographic questionnaire and the process of the long interview with open-ended questions with all seventeen of the women high school principals in Tennessee in 1993. Instead of aggregate descriptions, the intent of the analysis was to utilize the direct quotes of the women whenever possible to present a clearer representation of the women's individual perceptions or "life-world". The findings of the study indicated some overall commonalities, specifically in career decisions, educational background, and career paths. The women were greatly influenced to enter teaching by their parents and their teachers. Most of the women had undergraduate majors and minors in English and social studies. Only one of the seventeen women began her career with any career plan other than teaching. The women did not perceive that they had experienced major career barriers, particularly relative to family responsibilities. However, the majority perceived that being "female" was in itself a barrier. The women characterized themselves as spending more time in management than in instructional leadership. Overwhelmingly, the women mentioned "time constraints." The women acknowledged the recent or current existence of a "good ole boy network" in their school systems. They recognized the importance of "mentors," "visibility," and "networking" to career advancement. They recommended to women high school principal aspirants to learn all they can about the job, be visible, work hard, and not be discouraged. The results of this study should prove pertinent in the field of education and particularly to women administrative aspirants and administrative preparation programs.

Purpose. The purpose of the study was to (1) determine which characteristics of alternative schools exist in North Carolina public alternative high schools for at-risk/potential dropouts, (2) determine the degree to which North Carolina alternative school administrators and teachers perceive each characteristic as important, (3) determine if there was a significant difference between administrators' and teachers' perceptions regarding the frequency of occurrence of program characteristics to alternative high school's, (4) determine if there was a significant difference between administrators' and teachers' perceptions regarding the relevancy of program characteristics to alternative high schools, and (5) determine if there was a significant difference between administrators' and teachers' mean gaps of program characteristics to alternative high schools. Descriptive data were gathered relating to six categories: (1) perceptions about alternative schools, (2) student attitudes toward alternative schools, (3) school climate, (4) leadership, (5) student needs, and (6) student services. Method. A random sample of 21 of the 42 public alternative high schools in North Carolina for at-risk/potential dropouts made up the study. A survey was sent to each administrator and teacher of the 21 programs to gather information relating to the categories. Findings. A mean was computed for each program characteristic to determine administrators' and teachers' perceptions regarding the relevancy and level of existence of each program characteristic. A mean gap was calculated, denoting whether or not more resources should be devoted to specific program characteristics. Kendall's Tau Coefficient was calculated, signifying that there was no significant difference in rank order between administrators' and teachers' perceptions regarding level of existence, importance, and mean gap. Conclusions. Nine conclusions were drawn based on the findings. First, administrators' perceptions were higher than teachers' perceptions about existence of program characteristics of alternative schools. Second, administrators and teachers differed significantly in their perceptions of existence of nine of the 40 program characteristics of alternative schools. Third, administrators' perceptions were higher than teachers' perceptions about importance of program characteristics of alternative schools. Fourth, administrators and teachers differed significantly in their perceptions of importance of five of the 40 program characteristics of alternative schools. Fifth, the categories of student needs and services consistently ranked at the bottom of the lists for both levels of existence and importance among administrators and teachers. Sixth, teacher mean gaps concluded that more resources should be devoted to 39 of the 40 program characteristics while administrator mean gaps revealed that too many resources are being devoted to three of the 40 program characteristics. Seventh, the results of the use of Kendall's Tau Coefficient demonstrated substantial similarities in the perceptions of administrators and teachers regarding the degrees of existence, importance, and mean gaps between selected characteristics of alternative schools. Eighth, North Carolina alternative high schools for at-risk youth are to be commended as they are exhibiting to some degree all of the 40 program characteristics. Ninth, administrators and teachers surveyed exhibit commitment to their alternative school and are anxious to participate in research on alternative schools. Implications for further research are discussed.

Even though very good courses have been worked out for the numerous colleges of the state of Kentucky, there still remains a problem unanswered by the teacher-training institutions of the State. This problem is: What shall the prospective teacher be prepared to teach? and the question for the prospective teacher is: In what fields shall I prepare to teach? In order that the objective of this study - the ability to give more intelligent guidance from the standpoint of the teacher-training institutions and the ability to make the proper selection of subjects from the standpoint of the prospective teacher - may be attained, the problem becomes one of determining (1) how many subjects a high-school teacher in Kentucky should be prepared to teach and (2) the most desirable combinations of subjects. To answer these questions intelligently, we must know not only the number of subjects taught but the combinations that are taught in the high schools of Kentucky.

This study addressed the implementation of the tutorial program currently in use at an urban school district in Mississippi. Because successful completion of assessments is a graduation requirement, the study site implemented the tutorial program to help at-risk students improve their academic outcomes on state-mandated assessments in Biology I, United States History, English II, Algebra I. The purpose of this study, guided by Bloom's theory of mastery learning, was to examine the perceptions of the teachers who served as tutors in the program. Using the narrative inquiry method, the research focused on the implementation of the tutorial program, the perceived impact of the program on the academic achievement of at-risk students and what changes would benefit the program. Interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 10 tutors. Data were collected using open-ended questions in semi-structured interviews that were transcribed and coded. Emergent themes indicated the program needed more administrative support, better parental notification, and better communication between tutors. While the results suggested that the program was beneficial for at-risk students, recommendations were made to further improve the program's delivery through the development of an executive report to school administration and an evaluation report to stakeholders. Suggested modifications included designating a specific time for tutors collaboration and administrators taking a more active role during the implementation of the program. Modifications made to the existing tutorial program could lead to positive social change by increasing the academic success on both the state-mandated examinations and in academic classes, thus leading to increasing the graduation rates of at-risk students.