Thesis (M.S.)--The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2009. / Directed by Lauren Haldeman; submitted to the Dept. of Nutrition. Title from PDF t.p. (viewed May 14, 2010). Includes bibliographical references (p. 48-50).

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Children living in poverty in the United States face some of life's greatest challenges, including achieving academic success in school. Evidence is also emerging of a growing income disparity in America that affects families, communities and local labor markets in ways that can undermine the effectiveness of schools serving disadvantaged populations (Duncan & Murnane, 2011). Evidence exists, however, that high academic performance is within the reach of all children in high poverty schools, and that principal leadership is a contributing factor. This study examined principal leadership practices in three high poverty K-5 elementary schools in Oregon identified as Model schools under the Oregon ESEA waiver to No Child Left Behind. This study identified themes of leadership practices including 1) high expectations, 2) meeting children's basic needs, 3) shared leadership and teamwork, 4) use of data, and 5) personal attributes of the principal. Other themes considered important to one or more groups of respondents but not necessarily to all included 1) caring, 2) positive support, 3) addressing biases about children and families in poverty, 4) principal's elementary teaching experience, and 5) pride in the local school. As such, the findings of this study support the knowledge base in educational leadership regarding principal leadership as a factor in schools that impact the academic growth of children (Hallinger, 2005; Hallinger, Bickman, & Davis, 1996; Hallinger & Heck, 1998; Hattie, 2009; Jacobson et al., 2004; Leithwood & Jantzi, 2012; Leithwood & Louis, 2012; Leithwood et al., 2004; Lyman & Villani, 2004; Marks & Printy, 2003; and, Water, Marzano, & McNulty, 2003). This study has implications for district hiring and planning for principal succession, teacher hiring, resource allocation, community engagement, and district support for schools serving students in high-poverty communities.

The Alternative Primary Program (APP), a classroom strategy for accommodating the academic readiness levels of entering first grade students, was implemented in two schools with high concentrations of economically disadvantaged students. For identification purposes, students were designated as Regular and Transitional First Grade students by utilizing existing school district guidelines, but were grouped heterogenously in reduced class size groups rather than being placed in self-contained classes. After two years in this setting, academic progress in the area of reading by students in the two pilot school sites was examined to determine the relative progress of Regular and Transitional (identified) students in comparison to one another. A second comparison was made to determine the relative progress of students in the APP with students moving through the same two schools in a previous student cohort. Heterogenously grouped students were evaluated periodically with an instrument used to assess pre-literacy stages of development including: Sense of Story, Sense of Word, Spelling Awareness, Letter and Word Recognition. The experimental instrument used in the study monitors student progress through three continuous stages of pre-literacy development. Assessment of students is carried out by classroom teachers for the purpose of directing instruction and determining appropriate instructional strategies for classroom use. The analysis of data produced by this measure and relating this data to other more traditional forms of reading achievement was one of the purposes of this study. Information produced by the Stages Assessment instrument was found to be reliable as an early indicator of readiness for reading instruction and predictive of later reading achievement. Multivariate analysis of variance techniques were used to analyze reading dependent variables. Multiple regression and discriminant analysis were used to analyze the relationship among reading achievement measures and indicators of reading readiness, including stages assessment data. Methodological limitations regarding the use of intact groups and problems relating to program implementation in a period of change are discussed. / Ph. D.

University of Macau / Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities / Department of Government and Public Administration

Recently, a great deal of interest has been generated around the role of principal and its effectiveness, especially its impact on improving teacher instruction and student learning. Waters, Marzano, and McNulty (2003) concluded that one quarter of all "school effects" on achievement can be attributed to principals. While there is general agreement on the principal's importance and affect, do we understand how principals have adapted to changes in schools with reduced resources and increased learning needs of students? How have principals made decisions in an environment where resources have been reduced over time? Given the stories of retired principals from high poverty elementary schools, the purpose of this narrative inquiry is to understand how principals made sense of their experience when having to respond to decreasing resources and the need for increased student achievement. Participants in the study included retired principals from high poverty elementary schools who were employed during the time period extending from 2008 through 2014. Findings from the study make sense of the meanings elementary principals have constructed and attached to the phenomena of decision -making in times of financial reduction in order to help other principals who have been challenged by similar circumstances. Three categories of leadership styles and seven skill areas emerged in the study. Principals made use of these styles and skills in their responses to the crisis.

The aim of this study was to investigate the implementation and sustainability of Free Primary Education (FPE) in Swaziland in terms of the interplay between policy and practice. The study was undertaken in four schools in the Manzini region of Swaziland. The schools were purposively sampled on the basis of their location. The participants consisted of the head teacher, a teacher and a parent, and six learners from each of the schools. Two Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) officials were also included; a regional inspector for primary schools stationed at the Manzini Regional Education Offices (REOs) and a senior official stationed at MoET headquarters. A qualitative approach and a case study design were used. The participants were interviewed using semi-structured interview schedules, while the learners were engaged in focus group interviews at each school which were conducted according to a focus group interview schedule. Documents were also used as data sources. Data was analysed using a thematic and document analysis approach. The findings revealed a disconnection between policy and practice. FPE implementers are not well versed on the policies they are supposed to implement as they were not included in the policy-making process. Moreover, no consideration had been given to the legal framework underpinning FPE. It was found that the sustainability of FPE is threatened by certain indirect costs of schooling as well as the top-up fees that are being charged illegally by some schools, resulting in some learners dropping out of school – defeating the purpose of FPE and violating their right to access education. It would appear that the most contentious issue for FPE in Swaziland is the top-fee, although the head teachers were of the view that the FPE grant paid by government is inadequate for running schools and therefore top-up fees are necessary. Problems were also identified with the embezzling of school funds by head teachers. These issues have led to tension between schools and the MoET. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)