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Impact of Teacher and Student Ethnicity on Student Assessments
The purpose of the study was to answer the questions: Do students show greater academic success in English language arts/reading as measured by the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) exam scores in secondary education when their teachers are the same ethinicity? Do students show greater academic success in math as measured by the TAKS exam scores in secondary education when their teachers are the same ethnicity? Minority students' success on the TAKS test was compared to the assessment scores of White students from the 2010-2011, 2011-2012, and 2012-13 school year in thre suburban school districts. This topic has been a subject of discussion since the late 10970s when Cardenas and Cardenas (1977) studied the achievement among minority students and their White peers. The conversation continued through authors such as Takei and Shouse (2008), Hays (2011), Ladson-Billings (2006), Dee (2003, 2005), and Brown (2006). To answer these research questions, a hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted on the data collected. Although the study verified the achievement gap between minority students and White students, the study indicated no consistent pattern corroborating that minority students were more successful when taught by teachers of the same ethnicity. In many cases, students learned better with teachers of a different ethnicity. Black students were successful with Hispanic or White teachers, Hispanic students were successful with Black or White teachers, and White students were successful with Black or Hispanic teachers. The TAKS assessment scores were the only data used to support this analysis.
Analysis of Factors for Successful State-Level Support of Low-Performing Schools
This study provides a qualitative look at Texas' Professional Service Providers' (PSPs) strategies for supporting low-performing schools. Four PSPs were selected for participation based on the number of schools they helped exit the Texas Title I School Improvement Program from 2007-2012. Data collected and analyzed included provider and principal interviews, providers' progress reports documenting services, and principals' evaluations of provider services. Results indicated key support strategies in two of four cases were supporting and mentoring/coaching while communicating and building trust were important in the other two cases. Communicating, reviewing information, and planning were important across all cases. The quality indicators aligning with the PSPs' strategies were fit, comprehensiveness, and coherence. They were also the most common across all cases. Finally, analysis of the evaluation of provider services revealed PSP-1 with the highest ratings, followed by PSP-2, PSP-3, and PSP-4 respectively. The findings suggest, first, that PSP support has a dual nature. Contextual support was provided based on the campus leaderships' skills and requests. PSPs also ensured coherence among the strategies of all stakeholders. Secondly, a hierarchy of quality service indicators aligned to the PSPs' strategies: fit, comprehensiveness, and coherence. Finally relationships are vital to a successful provider-campus relationship. The findings have implications for PSP selection, professional development, and evaluation.
Career Paths and Perceived Success Levels of Women Superintendents of Public Schools in the State of Texas
The purposes of this study were to determine the career paths of women superintendents in the state of Texas and their school board members' perceptions of their levels of success. All women currently serving as superintendents of public schools in Texas, as well as all school board members of districts with women serving as superintendents were surveyed. The findings of this study indicate that the "typical" woman superintendent was hired from inside the district, with a master's degree. She was 48.3 years of age. Her first administrative position was the principalship and she moved directly from the principalship to the superintendency. The typical woman served in one district as superintendent. Her teaching and prior administrative experience was at the elementary level. Women superintendents perceived the position of teacher as the most beneficial experience prior to the superintendency. Women superintendents perceived leadership as the most important area of her professional development. School finance was the area perceived by women superintendents as needing to be more extensive in their professional development. Of the women superintendents who responded to this survey, 68.1 percent reported that they did not perceive discrimination in attaining the superintendency. Of the school board members who responded to this survey, 56.2 percent rated their women superintendents as excellent, 2 6 percent rated women superintendents as good, 12.5 percent rated women superintendents as average, 4.1 percent rated women superintendents as below average and 1 percent rated women superintendents as poor. Most school board members either strongly agreed or agreed with statements that women superintendents are capable in areas of school finance, school law, personnel, public relations, bonds and building programs and leadership. Women school board members rated women superintendents slightly higher, on the average, than male school board members.
The Impact of a Long Term, 5E Inquiry-Based Professional Development on Content and Pedagogical Knowledge in Eighth-Grade Science Teachers
The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to examine the impact of a long-term, 5E inquiry-based professional development on content and pedagogical knowledge in eighth-grade science teachers in Texas. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected via university designed reflective prompts, science content pretests and post-tests, and a classroom observation instrument. Results showed the professional development had a statistically significant impact on teachers' content knowledge in earth science, less significant impact in content knowledge in physical science and that teachers' levels of inquiry-based practice were in the early stages. The teachers' reflections of the professional development's impact indicated self-identified growth in their content knowledge and an impact on their understanding of inquiry-based classroom instructional practice. The findings suggest inquiry-based professional development has an impact on teachers' content and pedagogical knowledge, specifically regarding conveying content effectively, concept interconnection, lesson design, and teachers' opportunities to experience inquiry-based learning themselves before implementing it in their classrooms. The study's implications for further research include examinations of professional learning opportunities at local district and campus levels to identify and incorporate science teachers' existing levels of content and inquiry-based pedagogical knowledge and provide opportunities for practice to incorporate the pedagogy in classrooms.
A Legal Analysis of Litigation Against Alabama Local School Boards and Teachers under the Alabama Sovereign Immunity Law
As American schools moved into the twentieth century and beyond, they encountered an increasingly litigious society. While many school districts and their employees have enjoyed protections from tort liability via some form of state tort claims act or exemption, this immunity varies from one state to another. The variations in these laws have made it difficult for educators and school districts to understand how state legislation impacts their daily activities inside and outside the classroom. In this environment, it has become imperative for educators to understand state and federal laws related to tort liability. By focusing specifically on tort claims filed against school boards and educators in the state of Alabama under the Alabama Sovereign Immunity Act, this dissertation adds to a growing body of research on state tort laws as they apply to local school boards and their employees. From over one hundred cases reviewed, fourteen were selected for in-depth analysis of the ways in which Alabama courts have interpreted sovereign immunity statutes and the specific limits on those protections. This study found that courts in Alabama have recognized local boards of education as state agencies and their employees as state agents, making them subject to the doctrine of sovereign immunity so long as they are operating within the scope of their assigned roles and responsibilities.
Including Special Education Teachers in High Functioning Professional Learning Communities: Implications for School Leaders
Public education in America became a target of reform since the passage of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. Some reforms come from court cases, some from presidents wanting to enact change, and others from political events from as far away as Russia. Yet, one concept remains the same: the improvement of educators is needed for supporting student growth and achievement. Getting both special education and general education teachers together to work collaboratively is critical to the growth of teachers and students. A gap in education research exists in the area of including special education teachers in high functioning profession learning communities (PLCs). The purpose of this study was to examine the impact that special education teachers have on students and other teachers when special education teachers are included in content-area PLCs. Using a mixed method case study design, quantitative data from an electronic survey and qualitative data from face-to-face interviews and PLC documents were collected and analyzed to answer two research questions. The survey findings revealed that the studied district operates high functioning PLC teams. One-on-one, semi-structured interviews and PLC document analysis showed that special education teachers were included on a regular basis in PLCs in three of the four campuses. Three themes emerged from the study: (a) a teacher's function in a PLC is tied to the teacher's role, (b) teamwork, and (c) integration. Integration is the inclusion of special education teachers in PLCs. The findings may present school leaders with action steps to improve the inclusion of special education teachers in PLCs and implement staff development about how PLC teams should function.
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