UNT Theses and Dissertations - 87 Matching Results

Search Results

Results: 1 - 24 next
open access

Adequacy and Equity: How the Texas Supreme Court's Perceptions Have Changed Over the Past 50 Years

Description: The purpose of this study identifies state court cases involving public school finance specifically related to adequacy and equity in funding. Results address how state court cases have challenged the constitutionality of school finance in the United States, including Texas, over the last 50 years. The study further shows how the decisions from previous cases have influenced the Supreme Court of Texas decision in the Texas Taxpayer & Student Fairness litigation.
Date: May 2017
Creator: Ford, Daniel William
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

African American Student Placement in Disciplinary Alternative Education Programs

Description: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship (predicative capability) between selected variables, specifically, African American student enrollment, teacher ethnicity, and urban or rural district classification and the number of African American student placements in a disciplinary alternative education program (DAEP). The study used a non-experimental ex post facto design. Archival data from the Texas Education Agency were used to identify Texas schools that sent African Ameri… more
Date: December 2017
Creator: Foss, Ivy
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

An Analysis of Legal Liability of Virginia Educators and School Systems

Description: The doctrine of sovereign immunity in the Commonwealth of Virginia has evolved over time and the redefinition of the doctrine has been subjected to the interpretation by courts involving cases with varied facts and circumstances that have challenged the boundaries and flexibility of this legal concept. Determining the protection that a state agent was entitled to was the guiding principle in case law regarding sovereign immunity; however, understanding the purpose and intent of the doctrine of … more
Date: May 2019
Creator: Johnson, Tracy Lou
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

An Analysis of Litigation against Kansas Educators and School Districts under the Kansas Tort Claims Act

Description: This dissertation examines the significance of the Kansas Tort Claims Act of 1979 on state of Kansas court decisions in litigation against Kansas school districts and their employees. Through providing a historical perspective of the adoption and abolishment of the doctrine of sovereign immunity in the United States, which subsequently led to the enactment of the Federal Tort Claims Act, and ultimately led to the Kansas Tort Claims Act, the researcher analyzes pertinent case law and scholarly … more
Date: May 2017
Creator: Perry, Shaun P.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Analysis of Texas Education Agency Commissioner of Education Decisions Regarding Superintendent, Associate Superintendent, School Administrator, Athletic Director and Central Office Administrator Term Contract Nonrenewal Appeals From 1983 to 2013

Description: I conducted a legal analysis of decisions by Texas Commissioners of Education in appeals by Texas school administrators from nonrenewal decisions made by Texas school districts from 1983 to 2013. I analyzed the findings of fact and conclusions of law described in the commissioners’ rulings to determine the legal basis of school districts’ decisions to nonrenew school administrators’ term employment contracts. I also examined the legal rationale for commissioners’ rulings and determined which pa… more
Date: December 2014
Creator: Ramirez, Carlos
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

An Analysis of the Leadership Development Competency Frameworks of Nontraditional Principal Preparation Programs

Description: This study explored the competency frameworks of nontraditional principal preparation programs to determine how they aligned to research-based best practices for school leaders. The research questions that guided this work were: To what degree are the McREL 21 Leadership Responsibilities addressed in the competency frameworks of nontraditional principal preparation programs? How do the leaders of the nontraditional principal preparation programs view the degree to which their competencies in… more
Date: May 2016
Creator: Horton, Tonya
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries

Asian and Asian Indian American Immigrant Students: Factors Influencing Their Academic Performance

Description: Asian American students have done well in school; they have had higher academic achievements, higher academic scores, lower dropout rates and higher college entrance rates as compared to other minorities and generally other students in the United States (U.S.). A possible explanation to the higher academic performance and achievement of the Asian American students is that they are more likely to have experienced an environment that is conducive to learning at home; their parents were involved a… more
Access: Restricted to UNT Community Members. Login required if off-campus.
Date: August 2019
Creator: Mathew, Subhas
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Becoming Successful in Education: Beating the Odds, Despite a Background Entrenched in Poverty

Description: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of three relationships on academic achievement in mathematics in students of poverty. The three factors that were examined included: teacher-student relationships, parent-student relationships and peer- student relationships. The driving question for the research was as follows: Do external factors such as teacher-student relationships, parent-student relationships and peer-student relationships lead to academic success for students of pov… more
Date: May 2017
Creator: Thompson, Pauline Andrea
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

A Case Study of an Urban Charter School’s Journey of School Improvement: Organizational Theory, Institutional Learning and School Reform

Description: The problem for this study was the need to increase and maintain in student achievement in charter schools. The purpose of this single-case study was to discover how an inner city charter school with a high percentage of at-risk students increased overall student achievement and attained acceptable performance status when faced simultaneously with administrative challenges and increases in state and federal standards. The participants for the single-case study included the school district’s s… more
Date: May 2015
Creator: Subjinski, Amanda
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

A Case Study of Leadership Supports of Job-Embedded Professional Development

Description: Professional development is a critical part of school improvement and enhancing teacher quality; yet there is limited literature about how principals design and lead effective professional development systems. The research activities in this qualitative single case study explored the leadership practices at one successful school implementing job-embedded professional development. A conceptual framework relating Hallinger's leadership for learning construct to professional development helped f… more
Date: December 2019
Creator: Jones, Amber
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

College and Career Readiness of Students with Autism

Description: With one in every 59 individuals now diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), there is a significant increase in college enrollment for these students, yet, alarmingly, this population has the highest college dropout rate. Using Rawl's social justice theory as the frame, this qualitative study identified the perceptions of students with ASD, their college professors, and the director of the Office of Disability Accommodation (ODA). Perceptions were examined through open-ended surveys re… more
Date: May 2019
Creator: Stello, Christina N
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

College Readiness and Dual Credit Participation of Alternative High School Students

Description: The purpose of this study was to explore the extent to which alternative schools add value to the college readiness of their students, as well as to measure the capacity of alternative school students to successfully complete dual credit courses while enrolled at the alternative school. This mixed methods study utilized an exploratory approach with a descriptive research design to explore the extent to which alternative schools produce college-ready students. The Texas Success Initiative Asse… more
Date: December 2017
Creator: Bradley, Jeffrey James
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

A Comparative Analysis of State Funds on Student Achievement of Economically Disadvantaged Elementary Schools in Independent School Districts and Charter Schools in the State of Texas

Description: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the instructional outcomes in the independent school districts and charter schools in relation to the expenditure of public funds for instruction and total operating expenditures from the general fund. The study considered Texas elementary charter schools and independent school districts, whose school populations were identified as having greater than or equal to 50% of economically disadvantaged students, according to the Texas… more
Date: May 2015
Creator: Applewhite, Gary
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Culturally Proficient Leadership: Teacher Perceptions of Elementary School Principals in Urban, Title I Schools

Description: This study examined elementary teachers’ perceptions of their principal’s level of cultural proficiency. Practices for Developing a Culturally Competent School Environment, a survey Camille Smith and adapted by Dr. Mack T. Hines, was completed from a sample size of 119 teachers. The survey contained 35 items, including six constructs: valuing diversity, assessing the culture, managing the dynamics of difference, institutionalizing cultural knowledge and resources, adapting to diversity and i… more
Date: December 2015
Creator: Hendrix, Royond P.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Culturally Relevant Recruitment and Hiring in an Urban District

Description: This qualitative case study examined the recruitment and hiring practices of an urban district. Participants in this study included five district-level, human resource staff members and six campus principals. Data collected and analyzed including audio recordings of semi-structured interviews of each participant and documents at the district and campus levels used during the recruitment and hiring processes. The findings suggested that there is evidence of the district's use of the fit theory a… more
Date: May 2018
Creator: Winn, Takesha LaShun
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Determinants of Principal Pay in the State of Texas

Description: The purpose of the study was to examine district, campus, and community determinants of principal’s salaries using a spatial econometric framework. Among the district variables business tax (p = 0.001), property tax (p < .01), and the Herfindahl Index (measure of competition) were statistically significant indicators of principal salaries. The results suggest that more affluent districts tend to pay principals higher salaries, which was expected. Regarding campus characteristics, the percent… more
Date: May 2016
Creator: Asbury, Elizabeth Ann
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

District Support: Strategies for Building Capacity in Elementary Principals in a Rapid Growth District

Description: The purpose of this descriptive case study was to examine the role of the central office staff and the strategies used to support capacity building in elementary principals in a rapid growth district. By synthesizing research and models from education reform scholars, the conceptual framework of professional capital, intrinsic motivation, the educational change process, and professional learning communities was generated to advance the understanding of utilizing PLCs as a foundation for centra… more
Date: August 2016
Creator: Jamar, Jacye
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

District Systematic Supports of an Instructional Coaching Program

Description: The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify the systems, structures, and behaviors district leaders employ and enact to assist elementary school principals' relationship with their school instructional coach. Through the synthesis of current research, the conceptual framework was developed with a focus on district leadership behaviors and instructional coaching programs. The conceptual framework consisted of professional capital theory, instructional coaching model, and principal le… more
Date: December 2019
Creator: Webb, Mary Katherine
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Does Instructional Delivery Method in an Elective Business Class Impact Student Achievement with Respect to Gender, Race and Socio-economic Status in a Selected Texas Public School District?

Description: The problem that guided this study was a socio-constructivist view of education via online learning. Based in the extant literature, a deficiency existed that directly correlated online learning closing the academic achievement gap between student populations. In other words, schools invested in technology; however, few empirical data sets existed that established a connection between technology integration and the academic achievement of different student groups. The purpose of this pooled … more
Date: December 2015
Creator: Moore, Eldridge D.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Educational Involvement of Nonresident Parents in the Decision-Making Process for Students with Disabilities Receiving Special Education and Related Services

Description: Although the population of children attending schools that came from single parent or remarried households is significant, school leaders have failed to institute policies regarding the involvement of nonresident parents. School districts should have procedures to educate personnel on the legal rights of nonresident parents. To avoid confusion concerning legal terms, the term "nonresident" had been utilized to describe a biological parent with whom the child did not reside. This differs from th… more
Date: August 2019
Creator: Weidenbach, Jason L
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Educator Perceptions of Forces Influencing Implementation of a Statewide Writing Portfolio Assessment

Description: Leaders of the 84th Texas Legislature drafted and ratified HB 1164 (2015), prompting the Texas Education Agency to pilot a portfolio assessment option for assessing student writing growth and proficiency. The purpose of this study was to identify the perceptions, characterize the experiences, and identify the forces that influenced initial implementation of the statewide writing pilot. Through interviews with district leaders and the collection of open-ended questionnaires from participating e… more
Date: December 2018
Creator: Morgan, Christi A.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

The Effect of Instructional Expenditures on College Readiness

Description: With limited state and local funds as well as a growing student population, how elected decision makers allocate money to impact college readiness needs to be explored. The purpose of this research study was to explore the impact of instructional expenditures on educational outcomes. This multivariate multiple regression study specifically explored the impact of instructional expenditure ratios and per pupil instructional expenditures of every public school district in Texas on student performa… more
Date: August 2017
Creator: Blair, Cody
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

The Effect of Professional Learning Communities on Perceived Teacher Self-Efficacy

Description: This qualitative case study examined the effect of PLCs on teacher self-efficacy, and whether the type of PLC structure on each campus affected efficacy. The overarching research question that guided the study was, to what extent does perceived teacher self-efficacy change as a result of the practice of PLCs? Participants were selected using purposive and convenience sampling. Ten teachers and two principals on two different campuses participated in teacher focus groups and one-on-one princi… more
Date: May 2018
Creator: Prince, Coryn Elizabeth
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

The Effectiveness of a Professional Learning Community on Student Achievement in Elementary Reading and Mathematics in a Large Urban School District

Description: The study was to determine the impact of a Professional Learning Community on student achievement as measured by the state's criterion referenced reading and mathematics achievement tests. Data for this study were extracted from the school district's student database. Two cohorts of 90 students each were randomly selected from a population of approximately 600 students in 3 schools that participated in a Professional Learning Community (treatment) and 3 schools that did not (control). Profess… more
Date: May 2016
Creator: Landry, Jacqueline Hayles
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
Back to Top of Screen