<p> The purpose of this study was to determine if student housing gender-type is significantly related to student alcohol consumption at North Dakota State University. The researcher examined whether the residence of students in coeducational residence halls or single-gender residence halls was related to the rate they consumed alcohol in an average week or the frequency they engaged in binge drinking. </p><p> NDSU researchers allowed the researcher of this study to add an institutional question to the biannual Student CORE Alcohol and Other Drug Survey that gathered demographic information about what residence hall gender-type participants lived within. For the first time, this provided the opportunity to quantitatively compare alcohol consumption of students living in coeducational residence halls against those living in single-gender residence halls at NDSU. At the time of this study the NDSU on-campus population was particularly hospitable for such research since the multi-thousand person population was evenly distributed between single-gender and coed residency. </p><p> Using this preexisting data set regarding student alcohol behavior and residence hall demographics, the researcher analyzed the data through descriptive statistics, bivariate correlational analysis, and analysis of covariance while controlling for the effect of age and gender. Results revealed that there was no significant relationship between NDSU student alcohol consumption and their residence hall gender-type. </p><p> Recommendations for future research included adapting the national CORE Alcohol and Other Drug Survey to include residence hall gender-type to allow for further analysis.</p>

<p> School principal preparation programs have the obligation to ensure administrators are ready for the challenges that face them on a regular basis. This study investigated the effectiveness of school principal preparation programs. The purpose was to determine specific areas for which K-12 administrators are unprepared and the role school principal preparation programs play in helping administrators feel prepared for their roles, responsibilities, and duties. Administrators are expected to lead a diverse population of students and staff members while maintaining a budget, meeting state and federal requirements, understanding education reforms, implementing technology, and being responsible for daily operations of a school. Through the use of a mixed-study, there were several areas participants identified as weaknesses in their principal preparation program. This study surveyed and interviewed administrators who were within their first three years of being an administrator. The most prepared responsibilities identified in this study were knowledge of school law, establishing and maintaining a vision and focus on a core set of organization goals, implementing research-based school improvement, maintaining a safe school, and developing high expectations for student learning. The least prepared responsibilities identified in the survey were dismissing staff members, developing the master schedule, developing the school calendar, and scheduling parent/teacher conferences. Interviewed participants identified creating a vision of learning, ethics, importance of diversity and equity, collaborating with stakeholders, creating a school culture, and addressing facilities/maintenance as the six ISSLC standards they were most prepared to handle. The five least prepared ISSLC standards were evaluating teachers to increase student achievement, using technology to increase student achievement, managing human resource and personnel, preparing a budget and managing finances, and evaluating curriculum and best practices. </p>

<p> This study investigated a district magnet program that required high levels of actual parental involvement. The district that houses this program uses Epstein's framework of parent involvement to reach out to all families. The research sought to match parent responses with the magnet program expectations and the Epstein framework. Interviews were conducted and completed with twenty-four participants including diverse backgrounds. Particularly sought after were parents from different ethnic groups and gender within two separate middle schools. The research also endeavored to learn how the district school choice program forced parents to navigate their child's enrollment, whether at the elementary school or middle school levels. </p><p> My findings suggested that the parents in this study fit into more than one framework. During the study, two more frameworks emerged that better place parent engagement with the student choice program along with that of Epstein. My working hypothesis was that a "one size fits all" parent involvement framework does not exist for parents who chose this magnet program. </p><p> My study suggests that school districts need to reach out to all parents in whatever form works for both parties: the parents and school programs. School districts are charged with developing the flexibility needed to meet families where they are and provide support necessary to sustain higher levels of parent involvement. This action will lead to more success in the familial journey through their child's educational experience.</p>

<p> The purpose of this interpretive, qualitative study was to explore how the implementation of response to intervention (RTI) changed teacher perceptions regarding instructional and collaborative practices at one underperforming middle school located in Southern California. Twelve middle school teachers participated in the study. Instruments used to collect data consisted of an online teacher questionnaire, teacher interviews, and artifact analysis. Bandura's theory of social learning and the response to intervention framework served as the conceptual foundation of the study. Data analysis included calculation of descriptive statistics for the questionnaires. Interview transcripts were analyzed with Tesch's process led to the identification of five themes. Theme 1 showed RTI frameworks and structures were critical to the implementation of RTI at this middle school. The second theme focused on the efficacy of implementation. Collaborative practices and teacher knowledge and understanding of the RTI process needed more reinforcement and consistency. Theme 3 focused on student achievement. Teachers indicated varying opinions about how the implementation of RTI had influenced student learning. Teachers felt students in Tiers I and 2 were not mastering grade level standards after two years of implementation. Theme 4 showed that teachers were positive about RTI and believed that all students can learn. Theme 5 showed teachers felt RTI had changed their instructional practices and use of data. Implications of this study included the identification of key processes and documents for consistent training and support for sustainable RTI implementation. Further research is recommended on the topic. </p><p> Key words: Response to intervention, middle school, student achievement </p>

<p> The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions and opinions of school administrators surrounding workplace stress, its causes, and coping strategies selected to combat stress. This study was designed to elicit responses pertaining to why and how individual administrators experienced and coped with stress factors in the work setting. The study's major findings included: (a) Administrators reported that experiences and or issues pertaining to time management cause the most work related stress, (b) School administrators reported emotional strategies as the most utilized technique to combat stress, and (c) The demographic factor with the most influence on stress and the type of coping strategy utilized is years of experience. The major findings produced implications for current administrative practices as well as future research. Current trends related to stress implies a need for additional professional development, and education on how to cope with stress in a healthy manner for administrators to maintain longevity in the school administrator role. </p>

<p> The September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks against the United States ignited a profound increase in undergraduate-volunteerism on college campuses until 2006. Since then, a national decline in student volunteerism has occurred; simultaneously, scholars have focused on recruitment and utilization of student-volunteers instead of undergraduates' retention in civil service projects. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to investigate the lived volunteer experiences of alumni and undergraduates of the Scholarship Program for Volunteer Service (SPVS) at a private, Catholic college in western New York State. The alumni group had matriculated in the SPVS from 2001-2005, at a time when the national average of collegiate-volunteerism was higher than the undergraduates' group matriculating since 2006. Nine alumni SPVS participants participated in a focus group session. Ten undergraduate SPVS participants were interviewed individually. These data were analyzed by Groenewald's (2004) five-step approach of phenomenological reduction, which modified Hycner (1999) and Moustakas's (1994) original structures of phenomenological reduction. Data analysis included (a) bracketing and phenomenological reduction; (b) delineating units of meaning; (c) clustering of meaningful units to form themes; (d) summarizing each interview, validate, and modify; and (e) making a composite summary. The three thematic findings of this study were (a) motivation, (b) religious application, and (c) pre-service learning. Conclusively, the two surrounding phenomena working not in isolation were collectivism and individualism. Collectivism was best supported by Strauss and Howe's (1997) generational theory. Individualism was best supported by Bass's (2008) economic theories of organization. Future research should focus on how economic factors influence human motivation. </p>

<p> This exploratory study (a) assessed the political skill of superintendents in the Commonwealth of Virginia and (b) identified influences on the development of political skill as related by those in the position. Bolman and Deal (2013), in their research on leadership, viewed the concept through four frames. This study focused on the political frame, viewing organizations as arenas, contests, or jungles with stakeholders competing for power or scarce resources (Bolman &amp; Deal, 2013). In this frame, solutions arise from political skill and acumen, and therefore certain leadership skills are necessary. </p><p> Study data were collected through an electronic survey sent to the population of 132 Virginia Superintendents. The survey included the 18 items of the Political Skill Inventory (PSI; Ferris et al., 2005). The inventory includes four critical facets, each measuring a key dimension of political skill. Also included in the survey were demographic questions and questions related to factors that influenced development of political skill. </p><p> Findings indicated that superintendents in the Commonwealth of Virginia collectively self-rate as possessing an elevated level of political skill with a mean of 6.16, only slightly less than the maximum of 7. The only statistically significant correlation (r = .24, p = .029) was found between gender and political skill noting that females tended to score themselves higher than males did. In an effort to further explore, influences were examined, and results indicated that participants' political skill was influenced by a variety of factors, but mainly by previous professional experiences, personal role models, and professional mentors. </p><p> This exploration may bring more attention to this specific skill for those who currently hold the position to improve the skill as needed, those who aspire to the position, school boards hiring new leaders for their divisions, and higher education institutions offering pre-service preparation programs or professional development for superintendents. As the position of superintendent evolves to become more complex, far-reaching, and demanding (Kowalski, 2006), so should the examination of those skills required for the role.</p>

<p> This quantitative study examined the leadership efficacy of community college students in leadership positions using Bandura's (1997) self-efficacy concept. The sample included 124 respondents from 19 community colleges in California. The results indicated that student leaders' leadership efficacy was moderately high, suggesting participants believed they might be able to accomplish certain leadership tasks. There were no significant differences in leadership efficacy scores by gender or ethnicity. However, a significant difference was found in one category, the belief in ability to motivate groups. Implications for leadership educators, institutional practices, and future research are discussed.</p>

<p> The purpose of this exploratory case study was to explore teacher perceptions of the servant leadership characteristics of one principal and how that correlated with their job satisfaction. Thirty-two full-time elementary school teachers in one district located in the Southwestern United States participated in the study. Laub's Organizational Assessment (OLA) was used to measure their perceptions of the servant leadership characteristics of one principal, while the Mohrman-Cooke-Mohrman Job Satisfaction Scale (MCMJSS) was utilized to measure their job satisfaction. Interviews were conducted with eight participants to gain more information related to the teacher's perception of this one principal and job satisfaction. Overall statistical analysis indicated no correlation between the teachers' perceptions of servant leadership characteristics of one principal and job satisfaction. The majority of the r values generated from the correlation of the OLA and the MCMJSS were greater than the level of significance of .05 (p value > &alpha;), indicating an acceptance of the null hypothesis. However, some domains of the teacher's perceptions of the servant leadership characteristics of one principal had significant, negative correlations to teacher job satisfaction. These included Displays Authenticity, Values People, Provides Leadership, and Shares Leadership. Findings from the in-depth interviews indicated that teachers wanted transparent and consistent leadership, and a principal who is approachable, authentic and who values the staff. Furthermore, teachers indicated they valued a comfortable and consistent school environment. The study may enhance principals' understanding of the perceptions teachers have about the way principals lead.</p>

<p> Three generations of Americans are currently coexisting in the workforce. One of the primary challenges for educational leaders is to understand the similarities and differences in each generation while also educating a new generation of Americans &ndash; today's youth. This longitudinal study used data from the General Social Survey to determine if generational work values differ in accord with the five general categories outlined by Twenge.</p><p> Several significant differences emerged. First, Millennials rate higher in work ethic over Boomers and GenXers. Additionally, a linear decline from Boomers to Millennials was found in intrinsic values, while Millennials were found to have the highest need for extrinsic values. Finally, a linear decline from Boomers to GenXers to Millennials was evident in relation to social values in the work setting.</p><p> The primary implication from this study involves the contradictory nature of Millennials. While they have the highest work ethic, they also rate highest in leisure values and the need for extrinsic values. Further research should be conducted to isolate values pertinent to teachers and a cross-sectional study should be conducted to determine value differences of the current workforce. </p>