<p> This study addressed the problem that no formal evaluation of a P-12 Washington state school district's change from a traditional hierarchical district organizational structure to a three-region organizational structure based on the feeder patterns of its three comprehensive high schools was conducted. A mixed-methods approach was utilized to address the research questions and hypothesis centered on the original goals set forth by the superintendent to increase student achievement, collaboration, planning time, and professional development opportunities. The study incorporated data collected by the state in the five years before the change in district structure and the five years after the change in the district's organizational structure. Quantitative data were collected on student achievement defined by graduation rates and the 10th-grade state assessments in reading, writing, and math over the past 10 years. Data were also collected through the use of an online survey with classified staff, certificated staff, building administrators, and central office administrators. A convergent parallel design was employed to analyze and interpret the data. Both theory generation and theories of organizational change provided the theoretical frameworks for the study. Results of the study showed no significant change in student achievement that could be correlated to the district's organizational structure change. Planning time and professional development was shown not to have increased but results from the data collected on collaboration did indicate an increase in collaboration for building administrators. This study is significant because it delivered a formal evaluation of a district's organizational structure change where none existed and offers a reference for current and future organizational leaders when considering a change in their own organization's structure.</p>

<p> Digital textbooks continue to hold the potential to revolutionize the dissemination of knowledge to anyone, anywhere. The understanding needed to reach a new digital paradigm includes tools that are consistent with the needs of a new generation of educators and students. This qualitative modified Delphi study provides a foundation that defines the function, structure, and role of the textbook in education. The textbook is defined as a basic educational resource that provides definitive knowledge, defines and bounds the scope of discussion and learning, and helps assure that the stated learning goals are met. A textbook is an educational resource and may contain other resources. As such, the textbook functions as an educational workspace; digital textbooks need to function as the principal resource in an online or interactive educational workspace that supports a mix of materials, including and regardless of multiple media formats. As is the role of the best technology, a fully functional digital textbook seamlessly encapsulates the educational materials and resources needed by the specific course. The consideration of linear and nonlinear study functions in terms of existing devices and interfaces played a critical role in understanding textbooks. Current PDF-based digital textbooks do not meet students&rsquo; needs. A list of functional considerations, that need to be part of the next generation of digital textbooks, is included in this study. Students need to be able to tailor the interface to best suit their individual preferences. The importance of reducing costs in the marketplace will ultimately decide which technologies will succeed.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to examine the phenomena of underrepresentation of African American women in corporate America. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 African American women with current or previous experience working in corporate America in senior-level roles, who acknowledged that racism and sexism exists in corporate America, and were willing to share their experiences. A phenomenological methodology was used to explore the lived experiences of these women. Results of the analysis uncovered five themes that described experiences of practices leading to inequality, diversity, leadership journeys, leadership practices and racial perceptions. Participants employed several strategies to cope with experiences of racism and sexism in the workplace. Theoretical and leadership implications, limitations, recommendations, as well as suggestions for future research were discussed.</p>

<p> The purpose of the study was to gain knowledge about the relationship between teacher level measures, calculated from student standardized test scores, and actual teacher performance. The existence or lack of correlation between these two measures may suggest the appropriateness of level measure data for teacher evaluation. The study used a quantitative method and correlational design to study central Florida secondary schoolteachers. The study sought to avoid the subjective bias observed in previous studies by comparing two different objective measures of student achievement (valueadded measures and level measures). The results, based on 15 teachers and 359 student test scores collected over a three-year period, suggest that value-added measures are strongly correlated with level measures (mean test scores). Additionally, the study data suggested that the strength of this correlation decreases from eight through tenth grade. In conclusion, the study found that value-added indicators measure nearly the same factor as level indicators. Considering the complication and expense of calculating value-added measures, level measures may be more attractive in light this study.</p>

<p> This qualitative study looked at the effects of cooperative charter school participation on adults. Research questions included: "How do parents who have identified personal changes as an outcome of their participation in a cooperative charter school understand and describe the changes?" and "What events or experiences do they perceive as having contributed to these changes?" The literature review focused on three areas: Charter Schools, Parent Partnerships, and Adult Learning. </p><p> The constructivist epistemology was the appropriate fit to study the effect of engagement in two cooperative charter schools, as the questions focus on constructed meaning. I employed surveys to gather participants who named change as an outcome of their experience, then conducted semi-structured interviews to elicit rich descriptions. Transcripts were coded, and themes emerged that combined to construct the following grounded theory: <i> The Elements of a cooperative charter school that appear to be most central to the experience of change and development of adaptive skills for adults are: a) a supportive, mentor-rich environment oriented toward a common goal; b) a diverse, collaborative community, and c) opportunities to engage in high-level leadership afforded through the cooperative model.</i> </p><p> Critical factors that enabled participants to challenge tacit assumptions included a common goal, and a sense of security stemming from the mentor rich environment. Four grand theories were compared to this grounded theory. They included Kegan's constructive development theory (1994), Mezirow's transformational learning theory (2000), Daloz's conditions that may promote transformative learning (1996), and Heifetz's technical and adaptive learning theory (1994). Each were congruent with the findings of this study.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study was (a) to identify the knowledge of special education law among administrators within a SELPA in California and (b) to identify the training needs of administrators; 65 administrators participated in this quantitative study, yielding a response rate of 84%. A survey created on the six principles of IDEA was used with administrators (principals and assistant principals) who serve approximately 42,000 students at 50 public schools. Analysis of data revealed that Hypothesis 1, which projected that 51% or more administrators would perceive their knowledge of special education law as average or better, was supported. Hypothesis 2, which predicted that 51% or more administrators would not be able to attain the 70% criterion of basic knowledge on the survey of knowledge of special education law, was supported by the findings of the study. Hypothesis 3, which anticipated a positive gap between perceived and actual knowledge of special education law for administrators, was supported. Hypothesis 4, which predicted a positive relationship between administrators' education level, position, years of experience as an administrator, and their actual knowledge of special education law, had partial support. A positive significant correlation was found between participants' current position and their total knowledge of special education law. Hypothesis 5, which anticipated a positive gap between the administrators' training needs and their actual assessed knowledge of special education law, was supported. Training areas of IDEA principles that require expanded emphasis include LRE, procedural safeguards, FAPE, evaluation, and parental participation. The results of this study will guide administrators to proactively and eagerly embrace the need to expand their knowledge, experiences, and professional acuity in special education. As for future research, effective communication and collaboration between administrators and parents should be studied in light of its impact on litigation. Additionally, a similar study, using the same survey, should be conducted with district superintendents and the results studied in light of their respective special education programs. Lastly, the field may benefit from a Delphi study utilizing a panel of experts to study and support the need for administrative training in special education. </p>

<p> Psychological resilience theory and the capacity to cope with adversity, trauma, tragedy, and threats (Anthony &amp; Koupernik, 1974; Garmezy, 1973; Masten, Best, &amp; Garmezy, 1990; Werner, 1982) has received growing recognition as an area of considerable theoretical and applied importance. This sequential explanatory mixed methods study seeks to advance the discussion regarding how some women who experienced one or more Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) (Felitti et al., 1998) coped with adversity. Specifically, the study looked at how these women decided to pursue a path to leadership. The study was divided into two phases. Initially, women who were in leadership programs or leadership roles were asked to take an electronic survey which included the existing Psychological Capital Questionnaire for Research, (Luthans, Youssef, &amp; Avolio, 2007) combined with a shortened version of the ACE questionnaire (Felitti et al., 1998). The first phase measured individual psychological capital, identified whether ACEs existed, and revealed whether leadership training or education was pursued. Women who self-identified as being willing to be interviewed were asked to participate in the qualitative phase of the study using Giele's (2002) life-course themes: "identity, relational style, drive and motivation, and adaptive style" to further probe the data collected. Findings included key influencers cited by the women that helped them move from adversity to leadership. The development of a conceptual model grounded in the research was also proposed adding additional findings to overcoming adversity, positive adaptation, resiliency and leadership. Keywords: Leadership, resilience, women, adverse childhood experiences.</p>

<p> Parent satisfaction with and knowledge of the IEP system were examined as part of this study. Overall, local parent satisfaction was found to be decent with the current system, and a positive and significant correlation was found between overall satisfaction and parent knowledge of rules and regulations. However, a strong relationship between satisfaction and other more specific variables was not found. Responding parents also provided open ended feedback concerning their experiences with the special education system to date, which will be of practical benefit to school staff members moving forward.</p>

<p> Problem and Purpose</p><p> The American K-12 school principal is responsible for providing a learning environment that is physically and emotionally safe. An abrasive teacher who displays bullying behaviors towards students is a threat to that environment, impeding student academic progress and decreasing student perceptions of safety. Principals intervene, with risk to themselves. </p><p> This study sought to understand principal intervention by: (a) estimating the prevalence of abrasive teachers, (b) asking how principals identify abrasive teachers, (c) classifying situational elements that enhance or inhibit the principal's motivation to intervene, (d) exploring the interventions principals used, (e) examining the effects those interventions had on the schools, and (f) searching for patterns in interventions that might be helpful to theorists and practitioners. </p><p> Method</p><p> A fully integrated, mixed-methods design was used in collecting and interpreting data from 515 surveys and 21 semi-structured, in-depth interviews. The volunteer sample was composed of K-12 principals from California public and private schools. Findings were based on the perceptions of the principals. Principal perception was used due to the principal's legal and moral responsibility for the school, its students, and its teachers, and due to his/her access to all school stakeholders. </p><p> Results </p><p> The study found that four out of five (80.1%) of the schools represented in the study currently have&mdash;or in the past 3 years have had&mdash;an average of 2.9 abrasive teachers. The teachers were disproportionately distributed across grade levels, subject areas, sex of the teachers, years of teaching experience, and race. </p><p> The study identified five types of teacher maltreatment of students: verbal, professional, physical, non-verbal, and social. The study found that student symptoms could be grouped under the headings of emotional states, psychosomatic manifestations, fight responses, flight responses, and asking for help. The study also categorized the various theories principals hold to explain why a teacher would use abrasive behaviors. </p><p> Nearly half of the reported interventions resulted in improved teacher performance as perceived by the principal. Nearly a quarter resulted in the teacher leaving the classroom, and a little more than a quarter resulted in no change or in the worsening of the situation. Local teacher unions sometimes worked cooperatively with the principal who was striving for the professional improvement or removal of a teacher. More often, unions impeded the principal's role of safeguarding the learning environment for each student. Due to the exploratory nature of this study, additional textual analyses were conducted, and 14 additional hypotheses and 18 sub-hypotheses were tested. </p><p> Conclusions and Recommendations</p><p> From the findings it was concluded: (a) abrasive teachers were present in a large majority of schools, (b) anxious principals were less likely to use interventions that required action with tangible outcomes, (c) schools need a systemic approach to dealing with aggression on all levels within the school community, and (d) principals and unions should develop ways to maintain teacher protections without sabotaging student learning. </p><p> Implications for practice include six recommendations for school stakeholders, three themes that should be included in professional development for principals, and 12 pieces of advice that veteran principals wished to give to rookie principals. The study ends with six specific recommendations for further research.</p>

<p> This study was an action research project using a mixed method approach. The researcher examined the current state of district office culture as well as how five interventions applied in an office setting played a part in improving the workplace climate and enhancing morale, trust, and self-efficacy among district office personnel. The interventions used for this study included changing the appearance of the office, introducing flexible scheduling, implementing training programs for personnel, updating staff at weekly meetings, and holding monthly celebratory gatherings. Methods included pre-and post-surveys, observations, and interviews. The study found that the workplace climate was positive, and that some of the interventions were welcome and perceived favorably while others were not.</p>