abstract: This dissertation identified ideas and prototypes framing the notion of “preschool” in two types of influential public discourses in Arizona during the 1987-2014: a) editorials, op-editorials, and opinion letters appearing in the Arizona Republic and Arizona Daily Star and b) political documents, including Senate and House Committee Meeting Notes and Comments, Gubernatorial Speeches, Executive Orders, Comments, Proclamations, Memos, and Press Releases. Seventy seven newspaper articles and 43 political documents that substantively addressed debates about preschool in Arizona were identified from an initial pool of 631 documents, of which, 568 were newspaper articles and 63 were political documents. This dissertation argues little progress can be made in education policy by ignoring the unconscious and automatic levels of thinking, which are not easily dissuaded with rational and factual arguments. Haas and Fischman’s (2010) model for identifying prototypes provided an analytical method to capture the richness and diversity of the educational policy debate about preschool in Arizona. Prototypes captured the values, ideologies and attitudes behind the discourse of “preschool.” Prototypes provide a window into the unconscious thoughts of the authors of the editorials, op-editorials, opinion letters and political documents. This research identified five newspaper prototypes: “Last Resort,” “Community and Family,” “Evidence-Based for At-Risk Children,” “New Knowledge Community,” and “Learner of 21st Century.” It also identified four political political prototypes: ,three of them (“Community and Family,” “Evidence-Based for At-Risk Children,” “Learner of 21st Century”) were aligned with the newspaper prototypes. The fourth prototype was “Arizona Citizen.” This research concluded that: (1) Multiple “truths” of the concept of “preschool in the newspaper and political documents existed between 1987 and 2014, (2) An inter-relational cross-over existed between the newspaper and political documents effecting the policy debate of preschool, and (3) In less than 30 years, the newspaper and political prototypes narrowed to one. Movement away from the rational policy model, and a broader use of prototypes and discourse analysis in education policymaking, is advocated. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Educational Leadership and Policy Studies 2015

abstract: ABSTRACT This study of the policies of the U.S. public school system focuses on state and federal funding to examine how budget cuts, the teacher shortage crisis, and large classroom sizes are interrelated. A qualitative method of approaching these issues and a meta-analysis of the findings, combined with my personal experience as a high school English teacher in the public school system points to a ripple effect where one problem is the result of the one before it. Solutions suggested in this study are made with the intention to support all U.S. public school students with an emphasis on students with special needs, English language learners, and students from low-income families. My findings show that marginalized students in U.S. public schools are experiencing a form of education injustice. This study highlights the burden placed upon the states to fund education and asserts that qualified professionals are increasingly difficult to recruit while teacher attrition rates continue to grow. The changing teacher-to-student ratio means students enjoy one-on-on time with teachers less often due to overcrowded classrooms. The interrelationship of these issues requires a multifaceted approach to solving them, beginning with a demand for more federal funding which will allow previously cut programs to be reinstated, incentives to recruit and retain highly qualified teachers which will reduce classroom sizes, and implementation of new programs targeted to ensure the success of students with special needs, English language learners, and students from low-income families. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Social Justice and Human Rights 2018

<p> The purpose of this comparative study was to examine the relationship between student achievement and social-emotional well-being in three different school configurations for at-risk sixth grade students. This study sought to apply the stage-environment fit theory to investigate the effect of mismatched school environments on young adolescents when developmental changes occur. The mixed methods research measured academic and behavioral success and school connectedness using surveys and focus group interviews. The sample was made of 109 sixth grade students who qualified as at-risk in three northwest states. Results indicated alternative schools deliver supports that meet the academic and developmental needs of young adolescents by providing personalized and structured learning in a smaller environment.In addition, elementary schools were also found to have positive effects on academics through their use of effective teaching methodologies due to structured lessons and small ability groups. </p><p> A student&rsquo;s sense of connectedness was paramount in the findings of meeting the social-emotional needs of this marginalized population. Quantitative and qualitative results supported the elementary and alternative schools&rsquo; ability to provide students with a culture of care and support afforded through active engagement and personalized connections. Alternative students were found to have deeper conversations and stronger connections to their teachers resulting in statistically significant results according to teacher relationships from the survey and focus interviews. Alternative schools found a decrease in discipline and absenteeism as compared to at-risk students in elementary and middle schools. The behavioral results from the alternative configuration found the implementation of a sound positive behavioral intervention program was the factor that separated the alternative school program from the elementary and middle school configurations. </p><p> In light of prior findings of school configurations in relation to student success, this study supports small communities with smaller populations, lower teacher to student ratios, caring teachers who build relationships, and individualized multisensory teaching practices. These pedagogies increased student achievement and sense of connectedness to meet young adolescents&rsquo; developmental needs could reduce this vulnerable population&rsquo;s disposition of dropping out of school.</p><p>

abstract: This dissertation is based on an empirical study that focused on student reenrollment, an essential but largely overlooked element of school choice policies. Based on the school choice literature, I extended the hypothesis of parental charter school choice to the subject of reenrollment. In doing so, I referred jointly to theories from the fields of public choice and business, in order to better understand student reenrollment in a maturing education market. By tracking student enrollment records over multiples years and linking them to school attributes (socio-economic status, racial/ethnic composition of the student body, school quality label), student demographics, and student academic performance, I established a complex student reenrollment database. I applied a rigorous statistical model to this data, allowing me to identify a number of important insights about student reenrollment in a maturing education market. I described the reenrollment patterns at the state level, as well as a predictive model of reenrollment outcome at the individual level. My analyses indicate that student reenrollment was the most common school choice outcome: most students reenrolled in their present schools, regardless of that school's quality label; however, the student reenrollment rates in charter schools were lower than those in traditional public schools. I observed patterns of segregation in student reenrollment within Arizona, as reenrollment appeared to be significantly polarized with respect to school attributes and students' characteristics. There were two distinct patterns that appeared to coexist in Arizona's student reenrollment data: quality-oriented reenrollment and similarity-oriented reenrollment. The findings of this study extend the school choice literature to include student reenrollment. This study challenges the application of market metaphors in the context of school choice, which generally advocate the reform of public schools through encouraging students to switch, promoting school competition and thereby improving public education quality. Instead of using command and control policies to shame schools into improvement, however, policymakers and parents should employ school accountability policies and the practice of school labeling as a trigger to reinvest in struggling schools, rather than encouraging students to find a new one. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Educational Leadership and Policy Studies 2012

<p> The Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EHA) was signed into law on November 29th, 1975 by Republican President Gerald Ford and as he signed it, he acknowledged that while the intent of the law was a step forward, the aspirations were complex. The law was renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1990, and has undergone updates and revisions roughly every five years since its inception. Despite these continual modifications, the academic and social outcomes for students with disabilities lags far behind that of their regular education peers. In 2012, the Office of Special Education Programs initiated Results-Driven Accountability (RDA) to measure and improve the efficacy of Special Education programs. </p><p> In contrast to previous iterations of IDEA monitoring, RDA is not based solely on procedural compliance but makes a critical shift to evaluating special education services by also weighting student outcome based indicators. The literature traces the data that led to the practical and philosophical change to RDA and points to the critical role of State Education Agencies (SEAs) in the success of this initiative. SEAs, long expected to offer training, technical assistance, support and monitoring to all districts with special education programs, are now tasked with the implementation of RDA. </p><p> Through this qualitative case study, the researcher sought to investigate the efforts of a SEA in leading the implementation of RDA by focusing on the initial phases of that process with select Local Education Agencies who are participating in the pilot program. Seven school districts were involved in that program and three of those participated in semi-structured, one-on-one interviews with the researcher. During the interviews, participants were asked to reflect on the process of the RDA pilot program, known as the State Identified Measurable Result (SIMR), and how, in the perception of each district representative, the SEA had best assisted with the implementation scheme. Those interviews were analyzed for recurrent themes about the implementation process and the role of the SEA as perceived by each district. The researcher then conducted a comparative document review to triangulate the information from the interviews with the written plans from the SEA to check for congruency and response to the concerns and perceptions of the initial implementers. </p><p> The researcher concluded that the SEA, in providing a designated literacy coach and instructional strategy assistance through the implementation process, helped to create an environment for improved educational outcomes for students with disabilities in the schools that were part of the pilot program, and that the SEA did incorporate the SIMR LEA&rsquo;s input on areas of challenge in the implementation of RDA. </p><p> The researcher also concluded that LEAs face many barriers to the implementation of RDA, and although most of the barriers are not directly under the control of the SEA, they cannot be ignored as the SEA prepares for a state-wide implementation of RDA.</p><p>

<p> The purpose of this study is to investigate the existing influences faced by today&rsquo;s urban inner-city elementary school principals that impact the successful implementation of reform strategies as measured by student achievement data. The study examines dynamics such as the characteristics and qualities, leadership style and behavior, instructional leadership, school community, and political influences encountered by principals assigned to low-income urban inner-city schools and the impact of these forces on student achievement in South Los Angeles elementary schools. It utilizes a mixed method design phenomenological approach. The quantitative phase entails the use data from the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ)-5X from Mind Garden Institute and the Principal Instrumental Management Rating Scale (PIMRS) authored by Hallinger (1982). Information was collected from interviews with principals, assistant principals, and approximately 30% of classroom teachers at two underperforming schools. Grounded within the Coherence Framework by Fullan and Quinn (2015) and the Public Education Leadership Project (PELP) Coherence Framework by Childress, Elmore, Grossman, and King (2011), the study provides an insight into the effectiveness of the principal position and its impact on school reform efforts. The findings of this study revealed the transformative style of leadership is most preferred as it allows stakeholder voice in decision-making. Data also verified that urban innercity principals devote the least amount of time in their day to instructional leadership activities. These activities are focused on framing the school&rsquo;s goals and coordinating the school curriculum and require emphasis on engaging in the behaviors that develop the school&rsquo;s learning climate. Moreover, several themes emerged from the study. These included (a) teacher &ldquo;voice&rdquo; in school-wide decisions impacts reform efforts; (b) the school community severely impacts the principal&rsquo;s decision-making towards school improvement; (c) the principal&rsquo;s style of leadership influences teacher commitment; (d) the political/district influences can limit reform efforts.</p><p>

<p> Place-based environmental education provides myriad physical, cognitive, social, and emotional benefits. In this study, 13 environmental educators illuminated how policy, partnerships and place shaped environmental education in pre-K&ndash;12 schools in Washington, DC. I recruited participants from the local government, nongovernmental organizations, and three public and public charter schools. Place studies and Bronfenbrenner&rsquo;s ecological systems theory influenced the design of this instrumental case study. Data sources included interviews, analyses of policy documents, and observations of participants and teaching settings. Analytic memos and coding using NVivo supported data analysis. Data representation included using narratives to center participants&rsquo; voices. </p><p> Participants described iteratively expanding place-based environmental education for DC students by (a) influencing and enacting policies that promote interdisciplinary engagement with the environment, (b) expanding partnerships between non-formal and formal educators, (c) enriching students&rsquo; sense of place, and (d) promoting students&rsquo; mental and physical wellbeing alongside their academic achievement. </p><p> In DC, interconnected local, regional, and national policies, standards, and initiatives served as catalysts for new funding, opportunities, and partnerships. Among the most relevant were the local DC Healthy Schools Act of 2010, the regional Chesapeake Bay Agreement of 2014, and the national Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS); collectively, these documents addressed wellness, environmental protection, and science education &ndash; all areas relevant to environmental education. </p><p> Multi-institutional partnerships addressed policy goals and enabled teachers to access a) professional development, b) curriculum materials, and c) place-based experiences for students in gardens and on waterways. Through a DC government-funded project, non-formal educators and mentor teachers created an environmental literacy framework that aligned existing environmental education activities with NGSS. Non-formal educators collaboratively led waterway-based fieldtrips that addressed regional efforts to protect the Chesapeake Bay. </p><p> Structured environmental education activities on waterways and in gardens engaged students, inspired educators, and provided links across disciplines, locations, and past experiences. Non-formal educators provided direct instruction, encouraged student inquiry, and fostered relationships with place. By contrast, few educators utilize the school building for environmental education. My findings suggest that expanding place-based environmental education requires engaging diverse stakeholders, including school custodians and others who have not traditionally been consulted as experts.</p><p>

<p> A growing body of research suggests that any serious effort to eliminate the achievement gap in U.S. schools must address the school-readiness gap upon school entry (Sadowski, 2006). As a result, preschool programs remain the focus of public policy interests as a possible solution to address achievement shortfalls (Cannon &amp; Karoly, 2007). The question of whether a child is &ldquo;ready&rdquo; for school is a dynamic one and depends on complex interaction between early experiences and child, family, and community characteristics. The purpose of this study was to examine the circumstances and conditions of school readiness and what it looks like in practice through the lens of the Head Start preschool director. Based on the results of program observation, interview, focus group, and child-outcome assessment data, a case for an ecological approach to school readiness was made. Furthermore, the results identified strengths, weaknesses, and challenges experienced by one Head Start preschool director striving to create a high- quality program for the purpose of getting young learners ready for school. Based on the findings, recommendations are made to make California&rsquo;s early learning system more coherent and effective. </p>

<p>The purpose of this research is to investigate Chickering and Reisser (1993) Seven Principles of Good Practice in Undergraduate Education and determine the relationship, if any, among these principles and student performance and satisfaction in the in-residence verses virtual Professional Military Education (PME) programs. Additionally, determine if there is a difference in satisfaction and performance between the virtual and in-residence PME. All Airmen (Amn) of the United States Air Force (USAF) must attend Airman Leadership School (ALS) as a part of their Professional Military Education (PME) (Air Force Instruction 36-2502, 2009; Air Force Instruction 36-2618, 2009). This training is offered via two venues: an in-residence program and a virtual learning program. The average age of students (Senior Airmen) attending ALS is 28.7 years of age (J. Geidner, personal communication, January 29, 2015), which aligns these individuals to the Millennial Generation (Koeller, 2012; Papp & Matulich, 2011). Despite a population of students well-versed in the use of computers and technology, the individuals attending the virtual learning program experience a failure rate which is 34.21% higher than for students attending in-residence (J. Geidner, personal communication, January 29, 2015; E. DeVoursney, personal communication, January 30, 2015). Research by Chickering and Reisser (1993) describes seven principles of good practice in undergraduate education that facilitate effective learning in both in-residence and virtual environments. Partridge and Hallam (2006) suggests these principles of good practice may align well with the characteristics of millennial learners. This research has determined we can support current literature (Koeller, 2012, Espinoza et al., 2010; Papp & Matulich, 2011, Coomes & Debard, 2004) which shows a relationship between Chickering and Reisser?s (1993) seven principles and the characteristics of the millennial students (Figure 1). It identified there is a statistical significant difference in student?s satisfaction and performance between the two learning programs. There is a moderate to strong positive correlation, in both in-residence and virtual ALS, between the seven principles, satisfaction and performance. The educational venue, with the inclusion of the seven principles, statistically significantly predict student satisfaction and performance. Therefore, the research has shown with the inclusion of Chickering and Reisser (1993) Seven Principles of Good Practice in Undergraduate Education there will be an increase in student performance and satisfaction.

<p> This study, <i>Teacher Insight: The Implementation of the Common Core State Standards in California School Districts</i> was designed to glean teacher voice on the large-scale reform. With a need for a global workforce in a 21st century society the existing education system is undergoing a tremendous change in order to prepare students for college and career. The purpose of this sequential explanatory mixed methods study was fourfold: (a) to determine how the implementation of the Common Core State Standards is changing teacher practices related to curriculum, instruction, and assessment; (b) to investigate the concerns and challenges faced by teachers as they implement the Common Core State Standards; (c) to determine what types of professional development teachers have been offered regarding the Common Core State Standards and what they perceive has been most beneficial; and (d) to determine what teachers still need from their site leadership to make the implementation successful. Additionally, this study was performed with surveys and interviews administered in three California school districts. Upon examination of the responses from teachers, this study yielded four conclusions. First, implementation of the Common Core State Standards has changed teacher instructional practices. With the fusion of the 21st century skills into the Common Core State Standards teachers are challenged with teaching the new academic standards and simultaneously providing instruction with 21st century skills. Second, implementation of the Common Core State Standards has generated concerns and challenges of teachers. Third, teachers state that collaboration is the most beneficial form of professional development. Fourth, the implementation has created needs from teachers of site leadership. The study also yielded four recommendations. First, it is recommended that school districts provide teachers with professional development on 21st century skills. Second, it is recommended that school districts allocate funding for the purchase of Common Core State Standard resources that have both rigor and relevance. Third, it is recommended that collaboration be the type of professional development that districts utilize, as teachers state it is the most beneficial. Fourth, site leaders are advised to address the needs of teachers by providing them with resources they need for the implementation.</p><p>