This doctoral project explores the relationship between Catholic school culture and teacher burnout within the context of Catholic secondary schools in the state of Texas. While the subject of teacher burnout has gotten considerable attention in educational research, there is very little research on the specific relationship between school culture…

This study was designed to explore campus administrators' best practices to achieve a campus rating of a B or better in the Texas Education Agency A-F rating system. This study takes an in-depth look at the various roles and responsibilities campus administrators' have to exhibit to influence campus accountability. The phenomenological study…

The current mixed methods study uses historical quantitative data collected from Qualtrics surveys with some qualitative data collected from seven elementary principals and two key informants to expand upon the quantitative data. The study was conducted in a large suburban school district in North Texas. The researcher used Qualtrics surveys from…

High teacher turnover and a pervasive teacher shortage has the education industry investigating new ways to attract and retain talent. Texas, specifically, has invested in compensating teachers for performance in hopes of retaining top teachers in the classroom through the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA), which was established and authorized by…

This study sought to explore the extent to which and how principals can help decrease the use of out-of-school suspension and close the racial discipline gap. This study comprised a qualitative case study of a principal in an urban school district. Data derive from in-depth interviews with current and former campus and district leaders, historical…

This study had two objectives. One objective was to assess the psychometric properties of a survey instrument measuring a new latent variable, Academic Culture (AC), combining three observed variables academic press, disciplinary climate and teachers' uses of instructional time. The second objective was to replicate the results of an earlier study…

This qualitative study delved into how educators, administrators, and counselors at a North Texas middle school perceived the impact of a school anti-bullying initiative on student behavior and school climate, guided by Bronfenbrenner's socioecological theory. Two main questions were explored: How do these educators, administrators, and counselors…

The attrition of classroom teachers has garnered significant attention due to its impact on education. While past discourse focused on pay as the driving force behind departures, our study delves into the qualitative aspects of attrition. Reviewing a dataset spanning 40+ years, we explore multifaceted reasons behind teachers considering leaving…

Successful leadership in the educational setting requires a unique and multifaceted skillset. It is a person-centric job with layered nuances which present challenges unique to the educational setting. The principal's responsibility to ensure positive outcomes and successful student achievement is beholden to creating and sustaining a safe…

Principal retention is essential for maintaining school stability, fostering positive cultures, and improving student achievement. This qualitative phenomenological study examines the factors influencing principals in Texas public schools to remain in their roles for more than three years and explores the consequences of principal turnover. Ten…

In an effort to keep pace with an expanding knowledge-based economy, K-12 schools across the U.S. are increasingly shifting their STEM teacher professional learning programs to help teachers foster student experiences with skills such as problem solving, adaptability, and creativity. This study utilized quantitative and qualitative data to examine…

Schools are dynamic environments surrounded by static brick and mortar. Schools are a complex entanglement of systems clinging to normalcy led and composed of individuals seeking growth and progress. There is constant turnover as students move through the systems, gaining mastery, seeking support, and receiving guidance. Employees similarly move…

As the Latinx/a/o population grows, college participation rates are rising. However, Latinx/a/o completions rates are not meeting national degree attainment benchmarks to meet workforce demands. The purpose of this interpretative phenomenological analysis study was to explore the lived experiences of leaders at private, faith-based, 4-year…

For the technologies, curriculum, skills, and subsequent successes to be realized, higher education must first rethink and rebuild its culture. Yet the foundation of this necessary transformation may come as a surprise. Instead of "higher edding" solutions (wrapping innovation in cumbersome bureaucracy and complex procedures and…

Most school districts lack a coherent, actionable strategy for improving teaching and learning across the system. Current instructional improvement strategies enacted in many districts could best be described as hire and hope, where districts focus on hiring great teachers and then hope those teachers will develop themselves. During the 2021-22…