Previous research offers insights about characteristics of successful superintendents and provides generic lists of attributes (Collins, 2005 and Schleuning, 2003). However, little is known about specific characteristics of Hispanic male superintendents who have been successful in ascending to a superintendent position (Padilla, 2003, Garza, 2003 and Rueda, 2002). Given the current need to select superintendents who reflect the current population changes, further inquiry of the personal and professional attributes from a board presidents’ perspective is needed with a specific focus on male Hispanics who have been selected to serve as superintendent. The purpose of the study is to identify attributes (characteristics) that Texas school board presidents believe are important when having selected a Hispanic male superintendent. The study investigated four research questions: (a) the perceptions of Texas public school board presidents regarding the most important personal attributes when having selected a Hispanic male superintendent; (b) the perceptions of Texas public school board presidents regarding the most important professional attributes when having selected a Hispanic male superintendent; (c) the size (student enrollment) of a school district affect the perception of school board presidents regarding the important attributes; and (d) geographic location affect the perception of school board presidents regarding the important attributes? The study followed a quantitative research paradigm. A descriptive research design approach was used. Thus, a survey was used as instrumentation to collect data (Schleuning, 2003). Texas public school board presidents’ who were serving, and who selected and hired Hispanic male superintendents for 2008-2009 school year were surveyed. Data was analyzed: using descriptive statistics including means and standard deviations, one-way analyses and analyses of variance. Findings revealed that Texas public school board presidents regarding the most important personal attributes when having selected a Hispanic male superintendent are; level of education, previous experience in school administration, and years of experience in education. The most important professional attributes are; honest/fair standards, personal integrity, and visionary leadership. Findings also suggest that enrollment size and geographic location does not affect the perception of school board presidents when selecting a Hispanic male superintendent. / text

The Hispanic population continues to rapidly increase within the state of Texas as well as the nation. However, the Hispanic population educational attainment level lags behind that of the general population. Hispanic males are the lowest educated segment of society averaging less than a high school diploma. The negative long-term economic impact of such low educational attainment levels coupled with the rapid increase of the Hispanic population has been documented by Texas state demographers as well as the U.S. Census Bureau. The researcher conducted a qualitative study to inform a deeper understanding of the experiences that facilitated the persistence of 18 Hispanic male first-time-in-college students through the official reporting date of their fall first termat a community college in South Texas. An asset model and related conceptual framework, which recognized students as experts, were utilized. Focus group interviews, semi-structured interviews, and existing data were analyzed utilizing qualitative research methods. The researcher identified six overarching themes that significantly influenced the students? ability to persist. In addition, analysis of the data produced five barrier themes that these students overcame via the utilization of corresponding knowledge and actions themes. Finally, students provided recommended college changes for mitigating the barriers faced by future Hispanic male students. The researcher provided conclusions regarding Hispanic male students, recommendations for students, recommendations for colleges and universities serving Hispanic male students, recommendations for the focal community college, and implications for the theoretical model utilized. The researcher recommended expanding this research to other institutions of higher education and notes the national implications for increasing the educational attainment level of Hispanic male students.

abstract: The purpose of this study was to answer the following question, How does one's conceptualizations of misbehavior account for the way classroom misbehavior is constructed, interpreted, and negotiated between teachers and students? The literature on school disciplinary inequities from 2000 to 2010 was systematically reviewed. Utilizing qualitative research methods, this study drew insights from sociocultural theory and symbolic interactionism to investigate discipline inequities in moment-to-moment interactions between students and teachers during classroom conflicts. Fieldwork lasted approximately one school year and involved five male students and their two respective teachers. Data collection procedures included surveys, face to face and stimulated recall interviews, and direct and video observations. Findings revealed misbehavior is a ubiquitous notion in classroom everyday life; it is also malleable and dependent on contextual factors. In addition, classroom disciplinary moments between teachers and students are greatly influenced by intra and interpersonal factors. The situated intricacies and sophistication of teachers' and students' interpretations of negotiated classroom disciplinary moments are also reported. This study also sheds new insights into the situated nature of misbehavior as it arises from teachers' and students' sense making of classroom disciplinary moments and the findings have implications for teachers, school administrators, policy makers, students, and parents/guardians. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Curriculum and Instruction 2014

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The purpose of this study was to explore characteristics that influence Latino male students' enrollment in four-year colleges. This study utilized a mixed-methods approach and acquired information specifically pertaining to the high school Latino male population. Participants for the study included Latino male high school students in Grades 9-12, parents of Latino male high school students in Grades 9-12, and counselors of high school students in Grades 9-12. The study was conducted across two campuses. Data for student and parent participants were obtained through an online survey questionnaire and counselor data was obtained through face-to-face semi-structured interviews. The results of this study reveal that there are influential characteristics that contribute to Latino males' potential enrollment in college. Of the data obtained from student participants, 70.2% of participants on Campus 1 and 90.5% of participants on Campus 2 planned on attending college. Responses from parent surveys found that 85.8% of parents had expectations for their Latino male student to attend college. Through the semi-structured focus group interviews, it was found that the school district and campuses in which the study was conducted had several procedures or processes in place to positively encourage Latino male student enrollment in four-year colleges. Results of this study provide a better understanding and insight on characteristics that influence the high school Latino male student in Grades 9-12 to enroll in college.