Within the educational arena today, leaders face many problems ranging from shifts in governmental mandates and regulations, to increased expectations for teachers and administrators in order to improve academic outcomes. Combining facets of leadership behaviors with organizational changes, the educational arena has become more complex compared to…

Most literature about student-centered teaching focuses on classroom techniques and student assessment. Another important element is the meaning educators ascribe to the transition to a student-centered classroom style. In this study, the researcher proposes to examine faculty members' perceptions related to their use of pedagogical style in the…

Current literature on school leadership has shifted away from the traditional and hierarchical top-down model of leadership to a form of leadership that is collaborative and shared. Policymakers, researchers and educators are now calling for practicing teachers to assume leadership positions in schools. The goal is for these teacher leaders to…

School reform requires specific leadership skills. The journey to take an underperforming school to a school making adequate yearly progress is not an easy one. In this phenomenological study, the researcher focuses on the journey of one principal and his school as they work toward developing a restructuring plan. Interviews with staff members and…

This mixed-methods study examined the behaviors and concerns of K-12 teachers in Georgia undergoing the transformational change of implementing blended learning in the classroom. A sample of 106 full-time Georgia K-12 teachers' concerns were examined through the lens of the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM). The data was collected in two phases…

The purpose of this study is to develop an empowered collegial school culture to systemically improve the function of the academic institution through the impact of a positive environment and shared leadership. When compared to the other middle schools in the district, Eagle Middle School had the lowest math achievement growth index during the…

The following research study answered the following question: "What is the experience of high school counselors implementing an ASCA-based school counseling program?" School counselor experiences of the process were largely absent in the current and previous literature, as well as the profession's representation in qualitative research.…

The community school model is rooted in John Dewey's (1902) conceptualization of the public school as a hub for the community. This work has evolved over a hundred years and recently experienced prominence in the public eye as a fundamental component of New York City's school turnaround policy. This dissertation describes findings and…

Superintendents confront a number of external and internal demands as leaders of complex educational organizations. Compounding the external demands superintendents confront is the recent, heightened advancement of national educational reform policy occurring through the Clinton, Bush, and Obama Administrations. The federal education reform…

Astronomy is one of the oldest STEM enterprises today. It is a discipline through which technology has been advanced, as well as our understanding of the universe. Further, astronomy is a gateway science that inspires the imagination of young learners, and can be used to promote STEM careers. In order to advance the astronomy enterprise, we must…

In 1966, the Coleman Report alerted the American people to the unfolding tragedy of a dysfunctional educational system. Seventeen years later, the National Commission on Excellence in Education issued its report titled "A Nation At Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reform," on the declining quality of American schools in general. This…

The educational policy Response to Intervention (RtI) was established in 2004 following the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA). In California, the policy has become known as Response to Intervention and Instruction (RtI[superscript 2]). RtI[superscript 2] represents an educational reform initiative that…

This dissertation proposes a further conceptualization of intersectional identity as a fundamental topic in education reform research. Overlaying the theoretical lenses of Critical Race Theory and intersectionality, a modified narrative inquiry methodology was used to investigate the self-perceived identities among seven women of color, who are…

The 21st-century job description for school principals requires greater areas of leadership and accountability utilizing student data to improve instruction as mandated by state legislative reforms. The Principal's accountability is measured using the principal evaluation system. The general problem is that many principal evaluation systems are…

In New York City, early childhood education has become the topic of conversation when talking about public education due to Mayor Bill De Blasio's Pre-Kindergarten for All initiative which was introduced in September of 2014. New York City has always invested in early childhood education through Head Start, Early Head Start, Child Care and…