nÃo hà / Tendo em vista os reconhecidos benefÃcios sociais e econÃmicos advindos da educaÃÃo, tanto em nÃvel individual quanto agregado, identificar os fatores que causam os problemas de evasÃo e repetÃncia escolar tem persistido como ponto importante na agenda de pesquisadores, seja de paÃses em desenvolvimento ou desenvolvidos. Nesse sentido, este estudo objetivou identificar os determinantes da evasÃo e da repetÃncia escolar no ensino mÃdio das escolas pÃblicas do CearÃ. Para tanto, foi utilizada a base de dados longitudinal do Sistema de AvaliaÃÃo Permanente da EducaÃÃo BÃsica (SPAECE) de 2008, acompanhada de 2009 a 2011, sobre a qual se construiu um modelo logÃstico multinÃvel que incorpora a natureza hierÃrquica dos dados, subdivididos em nÃveis de alunos e de escolas. Os resultados indicam a importÃncia do Programa Bolsa FamÃlia para a reduÃÃo da probabilidade, tanto para a ocorrÃncia de evasÃo, quanto de repetÃncia escolar. AlÃm disso, dentre os fatores que tÃm a maior influÃncia no aumento das chances de o aluno deixar a escola, estÃo o desinteresse pelos estudos e a persistÃncia de repetÃncia em anos anteriores. Sendo este Ãltimo, junto com o atraso escolar, os principais determinantes da retenÃÃo dos alunos cearenses. Uma vez que essas escolas possuem infraestruturas semelhantes, a intervenÃÃo dos educadores deve estar atrelada à motivaÃÃo dos alunos pelos estudos, atravÃs de medidas pedagÃgicas que os envolvam e os alertem efetivamente sobre os benefÃcios sociais e econÃmicos advindos pela acumulaÃÃo de educaÃÃo a mÃdio e longo prazo, tal como ocorre nos paÃses desenvolvidos. / Considering the overall benefits from education, the dropouts and school failures bring about severe consequences for economic progress and welfare of the population. The purpose of this study was to identify the determinants for the occurrence of such problems in public high schools of the State of CearÃ. For doing this, a longitudinal database of SPAECE of 2008, extended to 2009-2011, is applied to a multilevel logistic model on a hierarchical basis, which is divided in two dimensions: school and students. It is found evidence that factors associated with both the students themselves and their familiesâ status affects significantly the chances for dropouts and school failures. While the cash transfer (Bolsa FamÃlia) to studentâs household is an important mechanism to reduce the probability of dropout and school failure, the lack of students' dedications in school activities and persistency of failures are the main deficiencies for increasing the chances of dropouts from school. Since the sampled schools have similar infrastructure, the intervention of educators must be driven to student motivation in scholar activities, through educational measures that call for their attention and warn them effectively on the social and economic benefits arising from the accumulation of education in the medium and long term, as it occurs in developed countries.

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This qualitative research study explored the leadership perceptions of high school administrators who have been successful in raising academic achievement for Black males. Utilizing semi-structured interviews which served as the primary data source, this study aimed to uncover specific school-level factors that were being optimized in public high schools to help increase graduation rates for Black male students. In addition, a review of school documents acted as secondary data sources and offered more detailed views about the case studies. After thorough analysis of the data, the findings revealed five factors that the high school administrators were optimizing better support their Black male learners: 1) hiring Black males, 2) the staff, 3) school activities, 4) collaborations with community partners, and 5) formal and informal methods of offering positive feedback and special recognition. These five factors were found as having the greatest influence on the academic achievement of the males. Overall, the study's findings aligned with earlier research on student achievement. Based on the findings, it was clear that the five factors promoted a certain degree of academic achievement independently. However, the researcher posits that, if implemented simultaneously, the five factors are likely to build a greater network of support for Black male high school students that will help boost achievement that is converted to increased graduation rates. Thus, implications for practice for other high school administrators as well as recommendations for future research emerged from the findings of this study. / Doctor of Education / This qualitative research study explored the leadership perceptions of high school administrators who have been successful in raising academic achievement for Black males. Utilizing semi-structured interviews which served as the primary data source, this study aimed to uncover specific school-level factors that were being optimized in public high schools to help increase graduation rates for Black male students. In addition, a review of school documents acted as secondary data sources and offered more detailed views about the case studies. After thorough analysis of the data, the findings revealed five factors that the high school administrators were optimizing better support their Black male learners: 1) hiring Black males, 2) the staff, 3) school activities, 4) collaborations with community partners, and 5) formal and informal methods of offering positive feedback and special recognition. These five factors were found as having the greatest influence on the academic achievement of the males. Overall, the study's findings aligned with earlier research on student achievement. Based on the findings, it was clear that the five factors promoted a certain degree of academic achievement independently. However, the researcher posits that, if implemented simultaneously, the five factors are likely to build a greater network of support for Black male high school students that will help boost achievement that is converted to increased graduation rates. Thus, implications for practice for other high school administrators as well as recommendations for future research emerged from the findings of this study.

Well-resourced and functional school libraries are important resource centres for teachers and learners, particularly in historically disadvantaged communities where other information services such as public or community libraries and multipurpose centres are few or virtually non-existent. However, only a minority of the schools in South Africa have well-stocked and well-staffed school libraries. In the Limpopo Province, the situation leaves much to be desired because only 2.3 % of the state schools have well-resourced and functional school libraries. Importantly, for the different school library facilities to be functional, an approved school library policy with endorsed school library standards and models is essential. Amazingly, there is no approved and legislated national school library policy in South Africa to support a progressive, constructivist and resource-thirsty curriculum. The purpose of the study was to investigate provision of school libraries in the Limpopo Province. The purpose of the study was to investigate provision of school libraries in the Limpopo Province. With well-stocked and functional school libraries, teachers and learners can access the library-based resources for curriculum support. The study was limited to public high schools only in both urban and rural communities of the province. The study is based on the constructive teaching and learning theory which emphasises the use of different resources to stimulate progressive and constructivist teaching and learning styles in schools. A multi-case study research design was adopted for data collection. Qualitative and quantitative research approaches were adopted in the study to investigate the focus of the study in-depth and intensively. Data were collected through questionnaires administered to 163 teacher-librarians or principals of the sampled 306 public high schools. The education officials, that is, the senior manager and two chief education specialists were interviewed face-to-face using an interview schedule. The findings of the study established that more than 33% of the public high schools in the study had a library facility. However, the findings indicated that the majority of the school library facilities were non-functional because the fundamentals of school library development such as a legislated school library policy are not in place. The absence of an overarching library policy leads to, lack of strategic direction, inadequate provision of resources, compromised functionality as well as the poor standing and value of school libraries. The study recommends that the newly launched National Guidelines for School Library and Information Services (2012) be legislated to become school library policy so that school library standards can be implemented in different school library models to enable teachers and learners to have access to library resources to support the constructivist and resource-based curriculum. / Information Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)

This study reviewed the literature on the struggle for equal educational opportunity of the 1960s and 1970s, the reform movement of the 1990s, the public/private school debate of the 1980s and 1990s, the issue of school choice in the 1990s, and a brief history of private schools. The literature revealed that since the Supreme court's ruling, in 1954, on the unconstitutionality of separate-but-equal public schools and decisions on the separation of church and state, during the 1960s and 1970s, the number of and enrollment in private and parochial schools have grown steadily. This study was conducted on a sample of 14,242 students attending 17 colleges (15 private colleges and 2 public universities) to determine if there was a difference in their academic performance (GPA) at the end of their freshman year. The independent variables of the study were the size of the student's secondary school graduating class, the religious affiliation of the secondary school, the gender enrollment pattern of the secondary school, and the residential pattern of the secondary school. In addition, using the student's SAT score, an analysis was conducted to determine whether or not the student's first-year college GPA exceeded their GPA predicted by the SAT.

Well-resourced and functional school libraries are important resource centres for teachers and learners, particularly in historically disadvantaged communities where other information services such as public or community libraries and multipurpose centres are few or virtually non-existent. However, only a minority of the schools in South Africa have well-stocked and well-staffed school libraries. In the Limpopo Province, the situation leaves much to be desired because only 2.3 % of the state schools have well-resourced and functional school libraries. Importantly, for the different school library facilities to be functional, an approved school library policy with endorsed school library standards and models is essential. Amazingly, there is no approved and legislated national school library policy in South Africa to support a progressive, constructivist and resource-thirsty curriculum. The purpose of the study was to investigate provision of school libraries in the Limpopo Province. The purpose of the study was to investigate provision of school libraries in the Limpopo Province. With well-stocked and functional school libraries, teachers and learners can access the library-based resources for curriculum support. The study was limited to public high schools only in both urban and rural communities of the province. The study is based on the constructive teaching and learning theory which emphasises the use of different resources to stimulate progressive and constructivist teaching and learning styles in schools. A multi-case study research design was adopted for data collection. Qualitative and quantitative research approaches were adopted in the study to investigate the focus of the study in-depth and intensively. Data were collected through questionnaires administered to 163 teacher-librarians or principals of the sampled 306 public high schools. The education officials, that is, the senior manager and two chief education specialists were interviewed face-to-face using an interview schedule. The findings of the study established that more than 33% of the public high schools in the study had a library facility. However, the findings indicated that the majority of the school library facilities were non-functional because the fundamentals of school library development such as a legislated school library policy are not in place. The absence of an overarching library policy leads to, lack of strategic direction, inadequate provision of resources, compromised functionality as well as the poor standing and value of school libraries. The study recommends that the newly launched National Guidelines for School Library and Information Services (2012) be legislated to become school library policy so that school library standards can be implemented in different school library models to enable teachers and learners to have access to library resources to support the constructivist and resource-based curriculum. / Information Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)

In recent years, few laws have had greater impact on public education than Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. As a result of this legislation, participation levels of female athletes have risen dramatically. Conducted in the Texas Education Agency's Region XI, this study sought to ascertain the perceptions of high school principals, the lead coaches of male athletes, and the lead coaches of female athletes with regard to their schools' compliance with the components of Title IX. The study centered on the results of a survey instrument that included twenty Likert-scale questions as well as several demographic questions. The research questions sought to determine: (1) respondents' overall perception of compliance; (2) any differences in perceptions of compliance based upon the role of the individual; (3) any differences in perceptions based upon the percentage of students qualifying for free and reduced lunch; (4) any differences based upon the state classification of the schools; (5) any differences based upon the gender of respondents; (6) whether complaints filed via OCR result in a perception of increased compliance; and (7) the program component areas in which respondents view their schools to be most compliant. Descriptive and causal-comparative methods were used to analyze the data. The results revealed that school leaders in north central Texas public high schools perceived a high degree of compliance of their schools with the requirements of Title IX regardless of their role. A descriptive analysis of the responses based upon respondent role yielded slight differences between coaches of males and females. An ANOVA of responses considering the variables of free and reduced lunch as well as state classification did not yield a statistical significance in terms of perceptions of compliance. Although the mean scores of female respondents were slightly lower than males, the research did not yield statistically significant differences based upon gender. The study was inconclusive in terms of whether districts that have experienced formal Title IX complaints are more compliant with Title IX. Finally, the study indicated that school leaders should focus more attention on the areas of coaching assignment and compensation as well as publicity as they seek to comply with Title IX.