A rapid expansion of charter schools is occurring across the United States in spite of the fact that significant issues have come to light in relation to charter schools educating students with disabilities. The School District of Philadelphia is currently relying on charters to educate more than a quarter of all public school students and the demographic make-up of these charters does not mirror the sending district schools in relation to students with disabilities. These students may not have access to the same educational opportunities as their non-disabled peers. Policy governing charters is foundational to the implementation of charter school reform and, therefore, a potential key factor driving disproportionate access. This project examines applicable state law, interpretation of federal and state law into local policy, and the relative strengths and weaknesses of these policies regarding students with severe disabilities accessing free and appropriate public education in Philadelphia charter schools. The theoretical framework I apply is critical ableism. The analytical framework I utilize is based on the Bardach's methodology. My findings from this analysis of charter policy are that there is theoretical support in policy for the socially desirable outcomes of equal access and non-discrimination, though none for a comprehensive definition of diversity. In practical, implementation-related policies significant problems arise. When applied to students with disabilities, there are inherent flaws in the market-based model that is supposed to drive innovation and competition. Policies do not aggressively promote charters vying for the opportunity to educated disabled students. Charter schools are disincentivized to educate students with severe disabilities by fiscal and accountability measures in current policy. Effective remedies to these problematic areas will require fundamental changes in approach to educating disabled students, not simply privatizing current special education practice. / Urban Education

This dissertation as an exploratory study examines the characteristics of the students of a charter school participating in a partnership with a university located in an improving low socioeconomic environment in the northeastern U.S., which has been dedicated to providing educational opportunities to the underserved. This dissertation also discerns the configuration, processes, goals, future, and challenges of a charter network as it relates to a partnership. In addition, this dissertation aims to provide the following: some understanding to the phenomenon (for example, changes/present key issues in higher education) at hand; insight regarding structural factors which may or may not be impediments for the students; to discover if the goals and objectives set forth within the partnership could serve as a model to address affordability and access. This exploratory study on the partnership supports the continuation of investigation into the effectiveness of direct university-charter school partnerships. / Educational Administration

The question of why smart Black girls get in trouble is in need of an answer, particularly when the answer is provided from a smart Black girl’s perspective. In the past decade, researchers have suggested that school bonds amongst students and between students and adults can have a direct impact on the success of the student (Roorda, 2011). This research is particularly relevant as it pertains to school bonds for high achieving students of color within urban school environments (Archer-Banks, 2012; Eisele, 2009). Directly related to this conversation is how school bonds or teacher-student relationships are impacted by school discipline policies and how these policies affect student performance and perception towards school. The school discipline research speaks to clear disparities which suggest that students of color are disproportionately targeted and are frequently given more severe punishments than their peers (Crenshaw et al., 2015; Kinsler, 2010; Monroe, 2005; Townsend, 2000). While Black boys surpass all other students in terms of disproportionate disciplinary sanctions in school, Black girls are not far behind as the most highly targeted race amongst female students (Black et al., 2011; Jordan et al., 2009; Monroe, 2005). With the questions: how do high achieving Black female students conceptualize the cause of their own actions as they navigate classrooms and corridors especially behaviors categorized as discipline issues and 2) what effect does the institution’s discipline of them or their experience of that discipline have on their future aspirations, this study builds on the literature about the self-expressed experiences of African American girls by interviewing eight participants who fit the seemingly contradictory criteria of being high achieving students involved in excessive disciplinary infractions. The study finds that students identify two key areas as propellers of their misbehavior: a contentious teacher-student relationship and personal stress caused by home related issues or negative relationships with peers. Students expressed clear frustration with the discipline policies and felt that past discipline practices did not consider what caused misbehavior resulting in unfair discipline consequences. In fact, students often labeled the school as being unaware of their true self. Despite the high frequency of their involvement with the discipline system, most participants’ view of their personal self was not negatively impacted and all students had positive views of their future success. / Urban Education

While the experiences and challenges of principals at Title I schools has been studied, this research builds on those studies with the added dimension of exploring the perspectives of charter school principals who are new to the role and are working in the landscape of Title I schools in Los Angeles. This dissertation examines the history of charter schools and provides a contextual overview of charter schools and charter school accountability measures in the United States and in Los Angeles, with the added political context of the charter school landscape in Los Angeles after the historic Los Angeles teacher union strikes in 2019. The dissertation utilizes qualitative research to explore the experiences of six new charter school principals at Title I schools through semi-structured interviews, a focus group, and reflective field notes. The experiences of the new charter school principals are analyzed through transition theory and the three phases of transition (Bridges & Bridges, 2016) and transformative leadership practices (Leithwood & Jantzi, 2000). Findings explore the experiences of leaders who take on the mantle of principalship at Title I charter schools in Los Angeles, and how being new brings a unique dimension to those experiences. Findings also indicate that charter school principals value collaborative leadership and often use transformative leadership practices throughout their transition to the principalship during the first few years. The findings highlight the need for structured mentorship, coaching opportunities, and support xiii for new charter school principals and brings credence to the myriad of responsibilities and challenges inherently unique to leading Title I charter schools in Los Angeles.

yes / There have been many praises as well as criticisms against both the UN Convention on the rights of the child and the African Charter on the rights and welfare of the child. However, many writers are of the view that the African charter was an unnecessary duplication of the convention. This paper outlines some of the differences and similarities between the UN convention on the rights of the child, and the African children’s charter. The paper traces the development of children’s right treaties internationally and on the African continent, and argues that the adoption of the African children’s charter is in tandem with the United Nation’s call for regional arrangements for the protection and promotion of human rights, therefore not an unnecessary duplication of the UN convention.

This qualitative study focused on understanding the process immigrant Latina/o families in the greater Los Angeles area underwent when selecting a charter school for their children. Through narrative interviews, 13 participants shared their perspectives of how and why they chose a charter school, and detailed the factors they considered in their selection process. Through the theoretical framework of cultural community wealth, social and cultural capital, participants answered the research question why and how do immigrant Latina/o parents research and apply to charter schools, and what are the factors they consider in the decision-making process? Participants described social networks as connections to charter schools their children attended. They indicated reasons for selecting a charter school included a desire for a better educational opportunity than what they had encountered in the traditional public school environment. They viewed education as a vehicle for upward social mobility and understood the value of a quality education in helping achieve this outcome. Participants described their commitment to their children and families as a driving force behind their selection to actively search a better educational environment, which they found in charter schools. The primary factors parents considered when selecting a charter school were the school’s proximity and location, the attentiveness of teachers, the support of students’ learning needs and challenges, a welcoming community, the school’s leadership, staff who were able to communicate with parents in their native language as well as an active community of parents who demonstrated interest and involvement in the school.

Few studies have examined the intersection of charter school and special education policies. The concerns around the serving of special education students in charter schools must be carefully studied, especially as charter schools continue to grow in numbers and continue to serve a greater percentage of public school students. New policies must not only address equity in access for special education students in charter schools but must also study how charter schools can be leveraged to generate innovative and promising practices in the area of special education. This study examines a recent policy change in the Los Angeles Unified School District that provides great autonomy and increased accountability for charter schools in their provision of special education services. This policy change promotes key tenets of charter schools: (a) autonomy and decentralization, (b) choice and competition, and (c) performance-based accountability with the aim of increasing access for students with special needs and increasing the capacity of charter schools to serve them. The research design utilizes a mixed method approach to collect qualitative and quantitative data to evaluate the goals of this major policy change within this particular school district.

An arts equity gap exists in K–12 grade education. African American and Latinx students have fewer opportunities for access to arts education than do White students. In California, charter schools have an opportunity to address the equity gap for students in those demographic groups. The goal of this qualitative case study was to observe how Kahlo Charter Elementary School, an urban charter elementary school in Los Angeles County, implemented an arts integrated curriculum and to identify benefits and challenges for fourth and fifth grade students of color enrolled at the school. Aesthetic learning (Bose, 2008; Denaway, 2013; Greene, 1978, 1995, 2001; Holzer, 2009), arts integration (Silverstein & Layne, 2010), and Different Ways of Knowing (DwoK) (Johannesen, 1997, 2004) formed the conceptual framework for this study. Participants included fourth- and fifth-grade Latinx and African American students, one 12th-grade student, one parent each, grade level teachers, and arts specialist teachers, and administrators. Data sources included semi-structured interviews, a focus group, observation of classes and observations of school events. Inductive analysis was used to identify themes in the data. The approach at the school was primarily a constructivist, arts-integrated curriculum. Teachers created units from primary source materials and discipline specific visual and performing arts courses complimented the arts-integrated curriculum. Students evidenced increased self confidence, ease of self expression, development of imagination, engagement with school, and empathy of others. However, challenges included uneven implementation across classrooms. The study serves as an example for charter school leaders interested in planning an arts integrated curriculum and provides school leaders with a model program to analyze.

Little is known about how school leaders of color implement social justice leadership praxis within the urban public charter school context, especially amid a global pandemic and heightened racial injustice. This study aimed to better understand the phenomenon of being a social justice leader of color, specifically examining how these leaders implemented practices and policies aimed to minimize the marginalizing conditions within their school communities. The dissertation study was qualitative in nature and utilized a phenomenological framework to provide an in depth understanding of the policies, practices, and mindsets of nine school leaders of color (eight principals and one assistant principal). Approximately three, 90-minute semi-structured interviews were used to build rapport with participants and explore their responses so that they could reconstruct their experiences leading for social justice and make meaning from them. The findings were clear: school leaders for social justice engaged in practices that were student-centered, supportive of their staff, and involved community for insight, even amid socio-political challenges. With every decision they made, which was influenced by their lived experiences with oppression, they prioritized and considered the voices and experiences of those who were and are traditionally marginalized to ensure that systems centering Whiteness were not perpetuated within their schools.

Research clearly indicates that parental involvement plays an essential role in the educational process of any student regardless of grade level. However, technology is changing the way schools communicate, which affects the way parents are involved in their children’s education. Research on the digital divide indicates that there are differences in access based on race and family income. In other words, lower income and minority families tend to have less access to technology, and therefore may be less able to fully participate in schools. This issue of social justice was investigated at a small charter school located in West Los Angeles, California, where the researcher was an administrator. Over the past several years, there had been a demographic shift in enrollment. Teachers and administrators noticed a problem related to parental involvement at the school and all school communication relied on technology. The purpose of this study was to investigate the intersection of technology and parental involvement at West Los Angeles Charter (WLAC). Applying the theoretical lens of Epstein’s (1988) work on parental involvement and Davis’s (1989) work on technology acceptance, the administrator-researcher interviewed 16 parents, stratified by income level to guarantee that various experiences were represented, and concluded that while all parents expressed interest in being involved in their child’s education, barriers limited that involvement, particularly for the lower-income families. These barriers included issues related to language rather than issues related to access, which WLAC will be able to address to support parental involvement among all families.