<p> The purpose of this study was to understand and analyze the degree to which southern California women superintendents utilized networks and mentorships and the impact it had in their career advancement. More specifically, this study set out to determine: 1) what barriers do women perceive hinder their access to the superintendent position, 2) what professional supports are available to women as new superintendents, 3) what networking opportunities assist women in their pursuit of the superintendency, and 4) what are the best networking methods used by women to ascend to the role of superintendent. This study utilized a mixed-method methodology. For the qualitative data, electronic surveys were distributed to 45 superintendents for a return rate of 42%. Three interviews were conducted for the quantitative perspective. Participants represented a diverse background and diverse school districts. The lens of feminist standpoint theory and social capital theory informed the analysis. Through the process of triangulation, the study&rsquo;s findings indicate the participants utilized networks and mentorships to different degrees and with mixed results. An in-depth analysis of the impact networks and mentorships have on women&rsquo;s career trajectory provided recommendations for networks and mentors to challenge gendered professional norms, increased access to influential people in women&rsquo;s networks, and defined career pathways to the superintendency in terms of demonstrated leadership experiences over male-dominated leadership positions held. Overall, this study finds hope for women aspiring to become superintendents. Women should participate in multiple networks and develop relationships with several mentors who are willing to share the access to the superintendency.</p>

<p>This research aims to facilitate better understanding of perceptions of gender roles and gender equality among members of the Evangelical Church and to determine whether these perceptions differ by gender. The evangelical community?s ideologies and values have come to shape social and political dialogues within the United States. A key component of the faith is understanding the role each member plays within his or her family unit and community at large. The evangelical faith?s organizational structure and ideologies are informed by a patriarchal model that?s placed women at internal and structural odds, based on research exploring evangelically informed organizations. However, there is a gap in literature related to gender roles and equality within the faith, and how these perceptions may differ by gender and the influence a church?s organizational structure may have on these perceptions. This process involved the examination of perceptions of gender among evangelical Christians in a nationally representative sample. These findings informed a series of questions designed to explore, at greater depth on a regional level, the views of evangelicals regarding gender roles and gender equality within their organizations. The study provided a multidimensional construct of how the evangelical community defines themselves, understands gender roles and gender equality, and how these definitions affirm and conflict with definitions outside of the church as well as their own church?s leadership and organizational structure.

<p> We expect all students to achieve and succeed in school, yet current data shows that 23.6% of African American students in Arkansas drop out of school (Bailey &amp; Dziko, 2008). The African American male high school dropouts are much higher than the number of male dropouts from other ethnic groups. As the researcher reviewed the current data about African American dropouts, it was the impetus behind this study. Although many have discussed and written about African American male dropouts in educational forums, essays, short stories, dissertations, and even movies, few have captured the experiences of the African American males in qualitative research, allowing them to have a voice.</p><p> The study focused on the African American males&rsquo; perspectives and their educational experiences during high school and how these experiences influenced their decisions to drop out of high school. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the reasons why African American males decided to drop out of high school. The researcher engaged subjects in an in depth assessment of the issues that influenced their decisions to leave high school. The researcher felt that, in order to glean a true picture of the facts as it relates to the African American dropouts, it was imperative to relate the issues to those who were affected. As we examine this dilemma, it is very important that educators understand how African American students might respond or not respond in the learning environment.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between college male leaders and their perceptions of masculinity, gender role norms and their leadership style. This qualitative study utilized a brief questionnaire and semi-structured, one on one interviews with 14 former Interfraternity Council and/or North American Interfraternity Conference fraternity chapter presidents at one of two site institutions near a Mid-Atlantic metropolitan area. Bandura&rsquo;s (1971) social learning theory was used as a framework in this study. A post-intentional phenomenological approach was used to gather data reflecting the experience of the participants through their term as a fraternity president. </p><p> Nine themes emerged to answer the two research questions of how perceptions of gender role norms inform leadership styles in college men, including what messages of masculinity and gender role norms college men receive and from where those messages are received, and how leadership styles of college men are reflections of their learned masculinities. The themes identified in this study contributed to four findings. First, authoritarian approaches to leadership hide a lack of confidence in knowledge and abilities of leading a group. The second finding is that in caring for others, participants saw themselves as their organization&rsquo;s savior. Third, the participants had such difficulty navigating conflicting expectations of gender and unprovoked attacks on campus that they chose to disengage entirely. Finally, participants isolated themselves from their organization in order to maintain moral authority and power over their members. </p><p> Five recommendations for practice are outlined based on the findings of the study. The first recommendation is to develop materials to help students decide to run for a position and facilitate transition into that decision prior to their fraternity elections. The second recommendation is to provide ongoing training and debriefing for fraternity chapter presidents. Third, it is recommended to incorporate healthy masculinity into new member programming. The fourth recommendation is to encourage and facilitate relationships between chapter presidents. Finally, it is recommended to develop a campus or fraternity Good Samaritan policy.</p><p>

<p> <b>Purpose:</b> This phenomenological qualitative multicase study explored leadership from the perspective and experiences of women leaders in law enforcement to increase comprehension of what women in law enforcement can achieve with proper motivation and support. </p><p> <b>Methodology:</b> Semi-structured interviews and field observations were utilized. Data was collected through in-person and telephonic interviews and field notes. Data was analyzed through multiple levels of coding. The researcher utilized purposeful convenience sampling to identify 10 total participants and obtained a sample size of nine participants. </p><p> <b>Findings:</b> Data analysis revealed 24 themes and three subthemes related to the study&rsquo;s four research questions. Mentoring and having a mentor and a support network were found to be essential. The data also uncovered reasons for mentoring and being mentored; the usefulness of formal, informal, and reverse mentoring; and the impact of having too few women in the profession. Building trust revealed the importance of drawing the line, following through, communication, and inclusive leadership. The themes of organizational commitment, a shared vision, caring, ego, change, and characteristics of the profession were related to leadership styles. Observations supported three themes: preparation, active engagement, and social media presence. A total of three subthemes emerged: late in career, benefits, and succession and career development related to mentoring. </p><p> <b>Conclusions:</b> This study identified participants&rsquo; perceived barriers as women in a male-dominated profession. Participants identified mentoring as essential for organizational and individual success. The research findings indicated that work ethic, compassion, equity, and professionalism are essential to building trust. The study highlighted effective leadership qualities women contribute to male-dominated professions aligned with transformational and authentic leadership. These findings assisted the researcher with outlining a plan for women to positively impact male-dominated professions. </p><p> <b>Recommendations:</b> The following are recommendations for further study: (1) include a larger sample of participants below rank of chief or sheriff; (2) include male perceptions of women leaders; (3) conduct a cross-sectional study to expand research in other organizations; and (4) conduct a longitudinal follow up study to further expand research.</p><p>

<p> This participatory action research (PAR) described Restorative Justice (RJ) as a paradigm that supports the socio-emotional and behavioral development of students. Restorative practices are a framework for building school community, responding to challenging behavior using authentic dialogue, and accepting accountability to make things right. RJ is a philosophy that shifts from punitive discipline to an alternative, positive- based approach to discipline. Students of color have been disproportionately suspended from school, specifically Black male students. School suspensions lead to poor attendance, loss of instructional days, low academic achievement, and potentially to dropping out of high school. RJ is a proactive approach to transform schools and stakeholders into a positive school culture built on the foundation of community building, fairness, and justice. The purpose of this action research was to investigate and describe the experiences of 10 Black male 10th-grade students who participated in the restorative justice group. Participants engaged in a 6-week Restorative Justice Community Building Circle to develop social-emotional learning and to explore in-depth outcomes in the process. The following research questions were used to guide the study. 1. What is the experience of Black male students&rsquo; in restorative justice Community Building Circles? 2. To what extent did Black male students change during the Restorative Justice Community Building Circles in terms of social-emotional, behavioral, and academic outcomes? </p><p> This PAR provided a systematic approach to qualitative research. The findings were based on observations, semistructured interviews, and the interview protocol. The students expressed 6 predominate themes that showed relationships matters in the success of young Black male students. The participants reported that the RJ community building circle positively improved their self-perception and influenced their attitude and mind-set. The teacher-to-student and the student-to student relationship matters for the success of Black male students. The relationships teachers have with students appear to be related to student performance and academic achievement. The participants described the RJ group as a safe space that provided solidarity to express their personal views, thoughts, and emotions openly. The recommendations suggest how RJ can be embedded in school practices and how they can be used to address traumatic experiences of students.</p><p>

<p> In 2014, the RAND Safety and Justice Program published a comprehensive analysis that &ldquo;found, on average, inmates who participated in correctional education programs had 43 percent lower odds of recidivating than inmates who did not and that correctional education may increase post-release employment&rdquo; Davis et al., 2014, p. xvi). The RAND report concluded that &ldquo;the debate should no longer be about <i>whether</i> correctional education is effective or cost-effective; rather, the debate should focus on <i> where the gaps in our knowledge are and opportunities to move the field forward </i> (italics original)&rdquo; (Davis et al., 2014). </p><p> Informed by Thomson, Turner, &amp; Nietfeld&rsquo;s Theory of Motivations and Beliefs about Teaching (2012); Beijaard, Verloop &amp; Vermunt&rsquo;s Theory of Professional Identity (2000); and Pratt and Associates&rsquo; General Model of Teaching (1998), Schlossberg&rsquo;s Theory of Mattering and Marginality (1989) provided the theoretical frame to examine faculty members&rsquo; understanding of their professional and social roles within a women&rsquo;s prison. </p><p> This study used a non-experimental, basic interpretative, qualitative research design, with thematic analysis. Interviews with 12 faculty members from two states who taught in college in prison programs at women&rsquo;s state prisons resulted in nine themes that answered the overarching research question: How do higher education faculty members understand their professional and social roles within a women&rsquo;s prison? The research provided four findings: (1) the commitment to maintain rigorous academic standards in the prison college classroom strengthened faculty members&rsquo; resolve against inconsistent procedures and lack of resources; (2) by modeling prosocial behaviors, faculty members&rsquo; personal and professional identities were positively impacted by the respect they received in the prison classroom; (3) faculty members believe that higher education is crucial to successful functioning in society and, therefore, a right deserved by incarcerated women; and (4) for established career educators, persistence in teaching in a women&rsquo;s college-in-prison program was a satisfying option in their search for meaning in their professional lives. </p><p> This research serves to move the discussion of college-in-prison programs beyond just recidivism statistics, and provides recommendations to highlight the significance of college-in-prison programming in the higher education landscape.</p><p>

<p> Working class Black girls experience multilayered oppression informed by their triadic social identity that sits at the intersection of race, gender, and class in their lives and more specifically in their schooling experiences (Collins, 1986, 1989; Onyeka-Crawford, Patrick, &amp; Chaudry, 2017). A variety of mentoring practices have been adopted among educators throughout the public-school system to remedy the impact of poor educational opportunities for Black girls. In contrast to the use of traditional mentorship practices that solely focus on the individual, critical mentorship seeks to engage and support the cultural, political, and economic contexts that positively shape the experiences and aspirations of Black girls and young women. To better understand this phenomenon, this deeply insightful autoethnographic study engages the following questions: (a) What were my particular experiences with mentors that prepared me to persevere in education in ways that nourished my commitment and empowerment? (b) What were the particular experiences with my mentors that assisted me in connecting with the Black girls that I have mentored in my work? and (c) What can my experiences as a Black feminist mentor of Black girls contribute to our understanding of critical mentoring? The application of Black feminism, Black girlhood studies, and critical mentoring frameworks found the following major themes to be critical in mentoring Black girls during childhood, adolescence, and the university years: (a) individual identity development, (b) development of individual voice, (c) sisterhood and solidarity, and (d) conscientization and resistance. This dissertation offers key principles in mentoring Black girls, and recommendations for how to shift the larger approach of mentoring to better meet the needs of Black girls in childhood, adolescence, university years, and beyond. </p><p>

<p> From slavery to modern times, African American males have faced a wide range of obstacles growing up in America. This study used resiliency and self-determination theories as the lenses to understand the experiences of 21 academically successful African American males. Their stories were examined to better understand their experiences. Interview data were analyzed to extract subject matter from each interview to develop codes and themes within the participants&rsquo; experiences. Demographic questionnaires are used to enhance and supplement the individual experiences of each participant. </p><p> This qualitative study highlighted the fundamental reasons why a small group of African American male high school juniors and seniors in the selected high school have succeeded academically. Through interviews, and field notes, I uncovered factors related to home and school environmental factors, academic and surrounding community factors, factors of self-motivation from participants, and the role of sports and extracurricular activities, which contributed to the success of these African American males. </p><p> The qualitative methods used in the study gave voice to the students and made their individual experiences clear. The findings indicated that parent and teachers&rsquo; high expectations and positive relationships, loyal peers who also served as accountability partners and a strong relationship with their parents; especially their mothers contributed to their academic success. An in-depth examination of the study findings could lead school personnel to actively participate in critical conversations about issues related to African American male achievement. The context centering on the mutual themes present in the lives of the 21 participants of this study may lead to significant school-based, school district, local and national school reform and increased achievement for all students; particularly African American males.</p>

<p> This basic qualitative study addressed one research question: <i> How do African American male leaders in predominantly white K-12 independent schools describe their strategies for navigating social identity?</i> The study utilized the semistructured interview format (Merriam &amp; Tisdell, 2016). The criterion-based sample (Merriam &amp; Tisdell, 2016) included 16 participants who identified as African American men who were in their second year or more of a role that reported directly to a white head of school in a predominantly white K-12 independent school. </p><p> The study was grounded in the social identity theory of leadership, which &ldquo;asserts that leadership is a recursive, multi-dimensional process that centers on leaders&rsquo; capacities to represent, advance, create, and embed a shared sense of social identity for group members&rdquo; (Steffens, Haslam, Reicher, Platow, et al., 2014, p. 1002). The research question aimed to understand how nonprototypicality (Hogg, 2001) affects the experience of leadership for African American men in predominantly white work environments and the strategies they use to navigate those experiences. The study also had foundations in Wingfield&rsquo;s (2007) concept of gendered racism, which acknowledges that the experience of racism is different for African American men and African American women because of the intersection of race and gender. </p><p> Key findings from the study included identity entrepreneurship (Steffens et al., 2013; Hogg, 2016) and assimilation (Hornsey &amp; Hogg, 2000) as less utilized strategies for African American men leading in predominantly white K-12 independent schools. The key strategy used by the leaders was the cultivation of allies and mentors. The study also found that the leaders exhibited a sense of pride in being nonprototypical leaders as well as having feelings of anger, frustration, and isolation that align with other experiences of African American men in the workplace (Chavez &amp; Wingfield, 2018). Participants discussed the role of direct reports, colleagues, and their own supervisors in helping them navigate nonprototypicality&mdash;mainly the need for their colleagues to invest in their own diversity education. Implications of the findings are discussed for the social identity theory of leadership and for the concepts of intersectionality (Collins, 2015) and gendered racism (Wingfield, 2007). </p><p>