Candidate for Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School Administration The state of Louisiana has spent a large amount of money over the past years to ensure highly qualified teachers for every student. This study aimed to discover whether or not there was a statistically significant association between teachers who attain National Board Certification and student gains in achievement on standardized tests specifically the Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (LEAP) in an urban Louisiana school district. The research was to determine if students taught by Nationally Board Certified teachers (NBCTs) outperformed students of comparable backgrounds taught by Non-Nationally Board Certified Teachers (Non-NBCTs). To accomplish this, the research examined English Language Arts and Mathematics test scores of fourth and eighth grade students taught by NBCTs and compared them with those of students taught by Non-NBCTs to determine if the gains made by the group taught by NBCTs were statistically significantly different from those taught by Non-NBCTs. The results of the data analysis indicated that there was a statistically significant difference between the score differences of fourth grade English Language Arts students and eighth grade English Language Arts students taught by NBCTs when compared to those taught by Non-NBCTs. The fourth and eighth grade score differences of students taught by NBCTs were statistically significantly higher. However, the analysis of the data also revealed there was not a statistically significant difference between the score differences of 4th grade math students taught by NBCTs when compared to those taught by Non-NBCTs. There were no NBCTs for 8th grade Mathematics students. One recommendation for further research should be to focus on more than one district to determine if results would be similar. Another recommendation, the Louisiana Department of Education should study all areas of high-stakes testing within the state to determine if teacher certification, especially NBCTs, have an impact on student achievement. The Louisiana Department of Education’s should use its extensive data base for a study determine whether National Board Certification contributes to increases in student achievement across all grade levels.

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In Essay 1, we examine the departure of independent directors among 525 Taiwanese publicly listed firms with independent directors on the board between 2002 and 2006. We find that the accounting restatements is positively associated with the number (and the rate) of departures in the firm. This result implies that deteriorating financial reporting quality is related to the departures, which is consistent with Srinivasan's (2005) finding among the U.S. firms. We also find the number (and the rate) of departures is positively associated with shares owned by controlling families. Our findings support the independent directors’ role for intense monitoring based on agency theory. The results also support Anderson and Reeb’s (2004) result based opinion that that independent directors can protect minority shareholders’ interest by hindering dominant or family shareholders’ opportunistic or expropriation behaviors. In essay 2, we examine if there are significant associations between firm performance and (1) directors’ shareholdings, (2) directors’ family shareholdings, and (3) independent directors’ career affiliations in 2,164 Taiwanese publicly listed firms between 2002 and 2006. After addressing for possible endogeneity and controlling for firm specific variables, we find a positive association between CEO’s shareholding and firm performance. Consistent with agency theory and incentive effect, this result indicates that CEOs have control over firms’ operation and have incentive to maximize firms’ value. Also, we find a negative association between firm performance and non-executive directors’ shareholdings. This result, which is consistent with the entrenchment effect, implies that the possibility of expropriating minority shareholders’ interest may increase with shares owned by non-executive directors. However, we find that the non-executive directors’ family shareholding is positively related to firm performance, which implies that non-executive directors may be motivated by their family members to improve firm value. The results also imply that the majority-minority agency problem (Villalonga and Amit, 2006) can be reduced when director’s family welfare is at stake. In addition, consistent with skill matching theory (Jovanovic, 1979), we find a positive association between independent director’s career affiliation of executive officer and firm performance, which implies that independent directors who are executives are likely to improve firm performance.

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This project tested the reliability and validity of the Portable Osteometric Device Version 1 (PODv1) the Paleo-Tech Lightweight Field Osteometric Board (PaleoTech), by providing measurements of intra-observer and inter-observer error during the collection of osteometric data. The PODv1 is a device that the author invented for measuring anthropometric data from human skeletal material. This device was 3D printed and uses laser sensors with time-of-flight technology to measure distance. Twenty-three different volunteers with various osteological experience from the Mississippi State University community collect osteometric data for this project. These volunteers measured four different bones using both the POD and the PaleoTech devices over three different rounds. The results show that the PODv1 is a reliable and valid device compared to the PaleoTech. Both devices were prone to the same issues, but the PODv1 can improve on these issues with more modifications and research, unlike the current osteometric board designs.

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This dissertation presents the results of three experimental research studies investigating factors within the executive compensation process and the effects these factors have on the pay-for-performance paradigm. The first study examines the influence of individual anchoring and the effects of private versus public decisions upon compensation awards by subjects role-playing as either an outside CEO or a non-CEO director. Research results show that subjects anchor to personal pay levels, CEO subjects shield the focal CEO from declining compensation when performance is below average, and that this phenomenon is mitigated when the individual director-subject decision is deemed to be made public. The shielding of compensation is consistent with Social Comparison Theory in that the CEO-subjects identify to and protect the CEO by limiting negative compensation awards of the CEO, and thus, representing an agency cost. The second study examines affect as an influencing factor on individual decision makers in the compensation setting process. Results are consistent with Prospect Theory in that, in the absence of a tangible payoff, personal affect is the outcome monitored and used by individuals in the decision process in the determination of a gain or loss. Using personal pay and personal performance as anchors for subjects role-playing as directors on the compensation committee, results indicate that subjects make decisions to maximize (minimize) positive (negative) affect in compensation awards to the focal CEO. The findings suggest that although individual anchors may interact and add to the complexity of the decision process, the outcomes are consistent with Prospect Theory. The third study examines group decision making as compared to individual decisions when making compensation awards. Results show that in a committee of individuals where a majority of beliefs is present, group polarization occurs and the compensation results are exaggerated as compared to the individual beliefs. The findings also suggest, though, that the appointment of a leader as chair of the committee, either in the majority or minority view, has a moderating effect on the group outcome. These results highlight the potential for agency costs in the group decision process that may be found in the executive compensation-setting environment. Overall, these results add to the knowledge of factors affecting executive compensation. These studies provide evidence that individual anchors, individual performance, individual affect, and the group decision process may add to agency costs and be contributing factors in the imperfection of the pay-for-performance paradigm. / Ph. D.

A study was conducted involving the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) State Superintendents of the Year to gain information related to their perceptions and strategies for success and longevity. The study examined the factors of personal traits, school board relationships and current instructional issues such as No Child Left Behind and IDEIA to determine which, if any, contributed to their longevity and success of tenure. Surveys were mailed to all 150 State Superintendents of the Year, as identified by AASA. Descriptive were analyzed to examine trends and possible correlations. Strategies used to build board-superintendents relationships and deal with educational mandates, their perceptions of the effectiveness of their boards, the impact of educational mandates, and personal and professional characteristics of these superintendents were found. / Ph. D.

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of selected school board members across the country regarding the quality and condition, maintenance, and improvement and renovation of existing public school facilities within their district. There were three research questions in this study. The first question examined how selected school board members perceived the quality and condition of existing public school facilities. The second question examined how they perceived the maintenance of these facilities. The third question examined what actions had been taken by the school boards of these selected members to address the improvement and renovation of these facilities. A descriptive research methodology was employed in this study. A nationwide stratified random sample had been selected to receive a coded mailed questionnaire consisting of twenty-one survey items, seven for each of the three research questions. The questionnaire included demographic information designed to allow the researcher to disaggregate the data received according to each of nine geographic regions throughout the country. Two follow-up mailings were made to non-respondents to increase the data collection return rate. Incomplete returns were not included in the data analysis. Frequency tables and descriptive statistics were constructed to display results with respect to each of the three research questions. The researcher found that the results of this study did not support significant recommendations that affirm findings in previous studies. Those findings described a continual pattern in the failure of school districts across the country to properly maintain the quality and condition, maintenance, and improvement and renovation of existing public school facilities. This study surveyed selected school board members nationally for the first time regarding their perceptions on these issues. / Ed. D.