More than thirty years ago Congress passed the Educational Amendments to ensure fair treatment for all students. Specifically, Title IX provided that [N]o person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance (Educational Amendments of 1972,p. 7). The number of court cases against colleges and high schools for violating various aspects of Title IX continues to increase. This study looked at court cases involving high school and college athletes claiming violations of Title IX, then six schools were selected in Virginia to determine if these schools met the legal standards, as determined by the Code of Federal Regulations. An analysis of judicial opinions for cases on Title IX formed the foundation of this study. The six schools were visited, records reviewed, principals, and coaches were interviewed The information and data gathered from site visits and interviews as well as the statistical data generated by the statistical software were used to determine if these schools were in compliance with Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972. / Ed. D.

With the emphasis on high standards and fiscal accountability, there is a heightened need to inform the research linking student achievement to the allocation of resources. This mixed methods inquiry sought to study how schools utilized Title 1 and Title 1 stimulus funding from 2009-2011 to determine if correlations existed between areas of resource utilization and student achievement by studying both the use of funding and the processes that fifteen elementary and middle Title 1 schools in southern California utilized. The focus was to document resource use of Title 1 and Title 1 stimulus allocations and determine if a correlation existed between expenditures and improved student achievement (quantitative) and to discover themes that existed in student achievement improvement, especially including factors that affect the decision making process at the school (qualitative). Findings suggested that expenditures for professional development and programs for at-risk students played a key role in student achievement growth. The leadership of the school principal was also an indicator of student achievement growth. The use of Title 1 monies, including the increase in Title 1 stimulus monies, were beneficial to schools and positively contributed to the increase in student achievement. Overall, money, when spent well, led to improved student achievement.

The purpose of the study was to identify instructional leadership practices elementary principals in Blue Ribbon awarded public elementary schools in Virginia implemented to influence the instructional program. A mixed methods research design was used to collect and analyze data. Principals at eleven of the sixteen public elementary schools in Virginia who received the Blue Ribbon Award between the years 2013-2015 were interviewed. An interview protocol consisting of eleven questions was used to collect qualitative and quantitative data. From the data collected during the interview process, a list of fifty instructional leadership activities was developed by the researcher. The list of fifty activities principals performed were grouped into the following categories; teacher observation practices, providing feedback to teachers, collaborating with teachers to analyze data, implementing professional development, and promoting a positive learning environment. / Ed. D. / The purpose of the study was to identify instructional leadership practices elementary principals in Blue Ribbon awarded public elementary schools in Virginia implemented to influence the instructional program. Principals at eleven of the sixteen public elementary schools in Virginia who received the Blue Ribbon Award between the years 2013-2015 were interviewed. From the interviews conducted, the researcher has provided a template of fifty instructional leadership activities that principals can implement that may have an impact on student performance. The list is categorized into the following sections; teacher observation practices, providing feedback to teachers, collaborating with teachers to analyze data, implementing professional development, and promoting a positive learning environment.

School leaders across the country seek ways to increase family engagement. Children learn and grow when parents, teachers and community collaborate in ways that encourage student development (Epstein and Sheldon, 2014). Current family engagement models do not support families of diverse socio-historical backgrounds and are not differentiated (Coady, 2019). "Every family needs a voice in certain school decisions" (Constantino, 2016). The purpose of this qualitative study, informed by phenomenological case study, was to describe school leaders' perceptions of family engagement practices with immigrant preschool families in central Virginia school divisions. The researcher conducted one-on one interviews with school leaders that support site based preschool programs in public school. The intended outcome of this study was to provide Virginia preschool school leaders with qualitative data to support the engagement of preschool immigrant families in Virginia. Data collected included four preschool leaders. An analysis of the data indicated that all school leaders perceive relationship building, open two way communication, and community partnerships as key components to family engagement with immigrant preschool families in Virginia. It is anticipated that this study's results could help school leaders implement practices that will impact the engagement of immigrant preschool families in Virginia as well as support student academic achievement. The findings will indicate school leaders lived experiences with preschool immigrant families. / Doctor of Education / School leaders across the country seek ways to increase family engagement. Children learn and grow when parents, teachers and community collaborate in ways that encourage student development (Epstein and Sheldon, 2014). The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe school leaders' perceptions of family engagement practices with immigrant preschool families in central Virginia school divisions. The researcher conducted one-on one interviews with school leaders that support site based preschool programs in public school. The intended outcome of this study was to provide Virginia preschool school leaders with qualitative data to support the engagement of preschool immigrant families in Virginia. Data collected included four preschool leaders. An analysis of the data indicated that all school leaders perceive relationship building, open two way communication, and community partnerships as key components to family engagement with immigrant preschool families in Virginia. It is anticipated that this study's results could help school leaders implement practices that will impact the engagement of immigrant preschool families in Virginia as well as support student academic achievement. The findings indicate school leaders lived experiences with preschool immigrant families.

Thesis advisor: Angela Boatman / In this dissertation, I critically examine the intersection of Title IX compliance in athletics and college admissions. In my first paper, I use descriptive statistics to show a pattern of noncompliance with Title IX at institutions in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) from 2002 to 2022. By analyzing cross-sectional data from 2002, 2012, and 2022, I demonstrate that institutions with higher admission rates for men compared to women are more likely to achieve compliance with Title IX athletic regulations. This suggests that admission practices may serve as a strategic tool for meeting Title IX requirements, a perspective that has not been thoroughly examined in existing research on Title IX compliance. In my second paper, I extend these findings by analyzing panel data from NCAA institutions between 2003 and 2022. The results indicate that as the proportion of female applicants increase for an institution, the institution is more likely to be non-compliant with Title IX athletic regulations. This suggests that the composition of the applicant pool and the choices of prospective students influence institutional adherence with Title IX. I also find that an institution is more likely to achieve Title IX compliance when it increases its admission rate for men compared to women. This demonstrates that admission strategies can be leveraged to meet Title IX requirements, further strengthening the conclusions drawn in the first paper. In the third paper, I utilize the same panel data as in the second paper and apply a fixed effects model to identify predictors of the difference between male and female admission rates. My findings suggest that an institution is more inclined to provide an admission advantage to men as the proportion of female applicants increases, an association that is compounded as an institution becomes more selective in admissions. However, my analysis also suggests that as female enrollment increases, an institution is likely to reduce the advantage for men. This indicates a potential inflection point where an institution that becomes more selective can offer an admission advantage to men, possibly motivated to achieve Title IX compliance. Conversely, as an institution becomes less selective, it focuses on meeting enrollment goals and is less concerned with Title IX compliance, resulting in its enrollment mirroring the composition of its applicant pool, which for many schools is increasingly female dominated. By bringing together the results of these three papers, my dissertation offers valuable insights into the strategic decision-making processes within college admission offices. It appears that admission practices can be useful tools to achieving Title IX compliance by adjusting the admission rate of women compared to men, especially as the share of female applicants increase. These findings have important implications for both Title IX athletic compliance and sex-conscious admission practices. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2024. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Leadership and Higher Education.

Exclusionary discipline is a consequence of behavior for students who break the student code of conduct. Extensive research about the effects that exclusionary discipline can have on secondary students, as evidenced by reduced graduation rates, has been conducted; but, research studies investigating the potential impact that exclusionary discipline can have on the academic outcomes of students at the elementary level have yet to be conducted. The use of exclusionary discipline is overrepresented in students with low socio-economic (SES) backgrounds; large populations of low-SES students are educated at Title I schools that receive federal funding to support academic growth. The purpose of this causal-comparative, non-experimental study was to investigate the impact that exclusionary discipline consequences had on fifth-grade students who attended all of the elementary schools within one north Texas school district during the 2018-2019 school year. In conjunction with the examination of the effect that the assignment of exclusionary discipline consequences can have on the academic outcomes of fifth-grade students, student-specific variables such as attendance at a Title I or non-Title I campus, student race, timing of exclusionary discipline assignment, and students in various educational programs were investigated to determine the potential impact of exclusionary discipline on fifth-grade students by student subgroup. Archival data such as the number of days a student spent in exclusionary discipline, student demographics, and students' scores on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) standardized test scores in reading and mathematics were utilized. A summary of findings, implications for administrators and schools, and recommendations for future research is also presented.

Thesis (LLM (Public Law))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / Bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Various types of rules govern many areas of life in a sectional title scheme. The Sectional Titles Act 95 of 1986 prescribes model management and conduct rules in its regulations. Other non-prescribed rules are adopted by either the developers initially or later by the trustees of the body corporate. These rules provide for the control, management, administration, use and enjoyment of the sections and the common property in the scheme. Sectional owners and other occupiers have the entitlements of use and enjoyment of their individual sections and their share in the common property of the sectional title scheme, in proportion to their participation quota. These entitlements are restricted by the rules in operation within the scheme. Although these rules limit the entitlements of sectional owners and other occupiers in the interest of the sectional title community, they may not be unreasonable in their application and effect. In some instances, the application of the rules might exceed the bounds of reasonableness and result in unfair discrimination, arbitrary deprivation, unfair administrative action or restrictions on access to courts for dispute resolution. If certain rules are unreasonable in their application, based on one or more of the abovementioned grounds, the court must interpret the potentially impermissible rules and if the court cannot avoid a declaration of invalidity by implementing a constitutional remedy such as reading-up, reading-down, reading-in or severance, these impermissible rules will need to be substituted, amended or repealed and replaced because they are potentially unconstitutional and invalid. After a statutory and constitutional enquiry into the nature, scope, application, operation and effect of the rules governing sectional title schemes, it can be concluded that the various types of rules governing sectional title schemes restrict and limit sectional owners’ and occupiers’ entitlements of use and enjoyment of their individual sections and share in the common property. However, after being tested against section 25 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 1996 and other non-property rights entrenched in the Bill of Rights, to determine if the rules are reasonable in their application and constitutionally permissible, it can be seen that the application of the rules do not necessarily amount to arbitrary deprivations of property and that they can be justified in terms of the Constitution because there is sufficient reasons for the particular regulations and they are procedurally fair. The various different types of rules governing sectional title schemes serve as reasonable regulations in as far as they contribute to a harmonious relationship between the trustees of the body corporate and the sectional owners and occupiers as members of the body corporate as well as between the members of the body corporate inter se. The rules serve an important function in this regard. Therefore, they are considered reasonable and constitutionally valid in as far as they do not enforce excessive regulation and as long as they are equally applicable and do not unfairly differentiate in their application. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Verskeie tipes reëls reguleer alledaagse aangeleenthede in ‘n deeltitelskema. Die Wet op Deeltitels 95 van 1986 maak voorsiening vir voorgeskrewe bestuurs- en gedragsreëls in die regulasies. Die ontwikkelaars of die trustees van die regspersoon kan aanvanklik met die stigting van die skema of op ‘n latere stadium addisionele reëls byvoeg wat nie alreeds deur die Wet voorgeskryf is nie. Die reëls maak voorsiening vir die beheer, bestuur, administrasie, gebruik en genot van die eenheid en die gemeenskaplike eiendom in die skema. Die deeleienaars van deeltitelskemas en ander okkupeerders van die skema is geregtig om hulle individuele eenhede sowel as die gemeenskaplike eiendom, in ooreenstemming met hulle deelnemingskwota, te gebruik en geniet; en dit vorm deel van hul inhoudsbevoegdhede. Hierdie inhoudsbevoegdhede word beperk deur die skema se reëls. Afgesien daarvan dat die reëls die deeleienaar en ander okkupeerders se inhoudsbevoegdhede beperk in die belang van die deeltitelgemeenskap, mag die reëls nie onredelik wees in die toepassing daarvan nie. In sommige gevalle kan die toepassing van die reëls die perke van redelikheid oorskry en neerkom op ongeregverdigde diskriminasie, arbitrêre ontneming, ongeregverdigde administratiewe handeling of ‘n beperking plaas op toegang tot die howe met die oog op dispuutoplossing. Indien daar bevind word dat sekere reëls onredelik is in die toepassing daarvan op grond van een of meer van die voorafgemelde gronde, moet die hof artikel 39 van die Grondwet volg en die reël interpreteer om ‘n deklarasie van ongeldigheid te vermy. As die hof dit nie kan vermy deur middel van konstitutusionele remedies soos “op-lesing”, “af-lesing”, “afskeiding” of “in-lesing” nie, sal die reëls gewysig of geskrap en vervang moet word, anders sal die reël ongrondwetlik wees en ongeldig verklaar word. Na afloop van ‘n statutêre en konstitusionele ondersoek ten opsigte van die aard, omvang, toepassing, werking en effek van die reëls wat deeltitelskemas reguleer word daar bevind dat die verskeie tipes reëls wat ‘n deeltitelskema reguleer ‘n beperking plaas op die inhousdbevoegdhede van deeltiteleienaars en ander okkupeerders wat betref die reg om die eenheid sowel as die gemeenskaplike eiendom te gebruik en geniet. Ten einde te bepaal of die reëls redelik in die toepassing daarvan sowel as grondwetlik toelaatbaar is, word dit getoets in terme van artikel 25 van die Grondwet van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika 1996 en ander regte in die Handves van Regte. Daar word bevind dat die toepassing van die reëls nie noodwendig ‘n arbitrêre ontneming van eiendom is nie en dat dit geregverdig kan word in terme van die Grondwet omdat daar voldoende redes vir die spesifieke regulasies is en omdat dat hulle prosedureel billik is. Die verskeie tipes reëls wat ‘n deeltitelskema reguleer dien as redelike regulasies sover dit bydra tot ‘n harmonieuse verhouding tussen die trustees van die regspersoon, die deeltiteleienaars en die okkupeerders as lede van die regspersoon sowel as tussen die lede van die regspersoon inter se. Die reëls het ‘n belangrike funksie in hierdie verband. Die reëls word geag redelik en grondwetlik geldig te wees sover dit nie buitensporige regulasies afdwing nie, gelyk toegepas word en daar nie ongeregverdig gedifferensieer word in die toepassing daarvan nie.

Improvements in technology and the Internet have seen a rapid rise in the use of technology in various sectors such as medicine, the courts and banking. The conveyancing sector is also experiencing a similar revolution, with technology touted as able to improve the effectiveness of the land registration process. In some jurisdictions, such as New Zealand and Canada, the paper-based land registration system has been replaced with one in which creation, preparation, and lodgement of land title instruments are managed in a wholly electronic environment. In Australia, proposals for an electronic registration system are under way. The research question addressed by this thesis is what would be the impact on fraud of automating the registration process. This is pertinent because of the adverse impact of fraud on the underlying principles of the Torrens system, particularly security of title. This thesis first charts the importance of security of title, examining how security of title is achieved within the Torrens system and the effects that fraud has on this. Case examples are used to analyse perpetration of fraud under the paper registration system. Analysis of functional electronic registration systems in comparison with the paper-based registration system is then undertaken to reveal what changes might be made to conveyancing practices were an electronic registration system implemented. Whether, and if so, how, these changes might impact upon paper based frauds and whether they might open up new opportunities for fraud in an electronic registration system forms the next step in the analysis. The final step is to use these findings to propose measures that might be used to minimise fraud opportunities in an electronic registration system, so that as far as possible the Torrens system might be kept free from fraud, and the philosophical objectives of the system, as initially envisaged by Sir Robert Torrens, might be met.

Cas à part dans le cinéma britannique contemporain, depuis 30 ans la société de production Working Title Films connaît un succès régulier sur la scène internationale. Son box-office cumulé se compte en milliards de dollars pour une centaine de longs métrages, qui lui ont valu des dizaines d'Oscars et de BAFTA, ainsi que quelques distinctions à Cannes, Berlin ou Venise. Ce succès attire pourtant les critiques de certains commentateurs, qui lui reprochent de se laisser submerger par les conventions du cinéma hollywoodien et de manquer d'ambitions culturelles, notamment à cause de son contrat avec la major Universal et de ses stratégies de distribution. Ils déplorent les représentations stéréotypées de la « britannicité » de certains de ses films, à l'instar des comédies de Richard Curtis ou de Rowan Atkinson. En effet, si Working Title a débuté avec un film audacieux, My Beautiful Laundrette (Stephen Frears, 1985), son premier grand succès commercial est Four Weddings and a Funeral (Mike Newell, 1994). Néanmoins, malgré leurs ambitions commerciales mondiales, Tim Bevan et Eric Fellner, les directeurs de Working Title, revendiquent leur britannicité et une « sensibilité européenne ». Celle-ci est concrétisée par un partenariat avec PolyGram Filmed Entertainment puis avec StudioCanal. Cette dimension transnationale – plutôt que transatlantique – n'est pas sans influence sur les films eux-mêmes, et concourt également à leur succès international. Plusieurs intrigues mettent même en scène des relations interculturelles. Les films affichent des stratégies de compromis entre spécificité culturelle et universalité, avec des équilibres changeants. En effet, on ne peut nier la diversité déconcertante de la filmographie, tant du point de vue des contenus culturels que du degré de créativité. Working Title collabore avec des réalisateurs britanniques d'horizons variés, comme Richard Curtis, Stephen Frears, Edgar Wright ou Joe Wright. De plus, elle franchit souvent les frontières nationales, essentiellement outre-Atlantique, en particulier grâce à son partenariat avec les frères Coen, mais aussi en Australie, en Afrique du Sud ou dans d'autres pays européens. Tout cela place donc Working Title au cœur des débats sur les enjeux du cinéma britannique actuel, concernant son identité (cinéma national / post-national), l'équilibre entre les aspects économiques et artistiques, les relations avec Hollywood, ou encore le rôle des politiques culturelles. Ainsi, cette thèse tâche de comprendre l'évolution et le succès de cette société phare du cinéma britannique, en s'attachant autant à l'étude de son fonctionnement (partenariats, développement, production, distribution) qu'à l'analyse textuelle de ses films. / A unique entity in today's British film industry, production company Working Title Films has been responsible for many international hits since its creation in 1984. Its films have earned billions of dollars, and they have won many film awards, including dozens of Academy Awards and BAFTA Awards, but also accolades in Cannes, Berlin or Venice. Yet, some commentators criticize Working Title for being excessively influenced by Hollywood, hence lacking cultural ambitions. They blame the company's partnership with Universal and underline that some of its films broadcast a stereotypical view of Britishness, especially successful comedies by Richard Curtis, or the ones starring Rowan Atkinson. Indeed, the company's first film was My Beautiful Laundrette (Stephen Frears, 1985), a creative, committed film, but its more recent films tend to be more mainstream and its first international hit was Four Weddings and A Funeral (Mike Newell, 1994). However, Working Title seems to draw some of its strength from its British identity. Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner, the two producers behind Working Title, also defend its “European sensibility”. The latter is reinforced by a partnership with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment in the nineties, and then with StudioCanal. So it is a transnational rather than a transatlantic company. Its films are transnational too, and some plots even include intercultural relationships. They use various strategies to broaden their audience, such as crossover and polysemy, and they try to balance cultural specificity with universality. However, most importantly, one cannot deny the incredible diversity of the films – regarding both their national identity and their level of creativity. Therefore, Working Title offers a fascinating case study to learn more about the issues of British cinema, about its identity (national / post-national cinema), the balance between art and industry, its relationship with Hollywood, and the role of cultural policies. In other words, this dissertation will study the evolution of Working Title Films, focusing on its methods, its strategies and also on the textual analysis of its diverse films, as a way to investigate contemporary British cinema and its issues.

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.