This study examined the fundamental values, beliefs and principles that guided the work of Native Hawaiian principals (po?okumu) in Hawaiian-focused charter schools. Through an ethnographic case study, the lived experiences of seven Kanaka po?okumu/po?okula (of 14 possible participants) were collected through surveys, individual and group…

Rural students deserve a high-quality literacy education comparable to their non-rural counterparts. As rural teachers and leaders face multiple roles and responsibilities, professional learning focused on instructional improvement can lack priority. This study aimed to examine how leaders within a rural, public elementary school setting supported…

Colleges and universities have increasingly turned to fundraising as an opportunity to meet short- and long-term goals of the institution without increasing tuition and adding to the student loan burden. As a result, there is increased competition among institutions and non-profits to appeal to the motivations of donors to support their…

Current elementary data from a large suburban district in the eastern part of the United States demonstrate that less than half of students in Grades 3 through 5 are demonstrating sufficient literacy achievement as measured by state assessments. This problem is of great concern since strong literacy achievement is fundamental to student success in…

High expectations of schools to produce positive results at the end of each school year continue evolving and often include rigorous accountability measures; however, the centuries-old structure of public education remains. Teacher and leader turnover continues rising while fewer professionals enter the field prepared to teach. School leaders are…

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to determine what preparational experiences are necessary for assistant principals to effectively transition to the principalship. Fifteen principals completed a 21-item survey and answered seven interview questions to better understand how the North Carolina Standards for School Executives aligned with…

To influence student achievement and improve learning outcomes, building leaders are expected to exercise key elements of instructional leadership. School leaders experience barriers to engaging in efforts to increase teacher effectiveness and guide instructional improvement, due to the demands on their time as they balance the operational,…

The purpose of this study was to examine how school leaders in the state of North Dakota define success in their schools or districts without using test scores as a measurement. The information shared by these school leaders will be shared with other school leaders in North Dakota with the intent that test data becomes less of a driving force in…

A school safety team collaborates with stakeholders to promote and maintain a physically and psychologically safe school environment. Together they must identify safety deficits and prioritize initiatives and practices. This phenomenological qualitative case study examined how a school safety team makes decisions and determines safety outcomes.…

The effectiveness of SEL programs in promoting students' social-emotional competencies is well documented in North American and European countries; however, evidence is more limited for other cultural and educational contexts. This dissertation examines the perceptions and experiences of teachers and students, cost of implementation, and…

Ongoing worldwide crises have imposed profound challenges on school leaders. Principals face increasing pressure to understand and address the multifaceted needs of their communities. However, traditional paradigms often isolate principals by emphasizing individualism, patriarchy, and management, thus maintaining separation between school leaders…

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, higher education leaders in America were navigating a notable shift in the trajectory of the field (Soliday & Lombardi, 2018). The COVID-19 pandemic added urgency to the challenges facing institutions of higher education. For this study, the researcher sought to add to the body of knowledge to better understand…

School principals are responsible for improving low College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) scores; however, little was understood about how K-12 school principals' leadership practices were perceived to improve CCRPI scores in schools. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to examine the leadership practices of K-12 school…

The literature confirms that COVID-19 disrupted what was once considered normal. Evidence of lived experiences is emerging, creating a pattern of learned lessons that, if critically assessed, can lead to a better understanding of what happened globally. This integrative literature analysis (review) is among many other studies that evaluated how…

As discriminatory national rhetoric continues to grow and impact higher education institutions, it is essential to study how non-instructional staff (staff) both understand post-secondary organizations and how institutional cultures shape their own practices and engagement with students. Scholars identify staff as crucial to creating conditions…