Doctor of Education, Miami University, 2018, Educational Leadership

Since the inception of the role of school principal, the responsibilities of the position have evolved and changed. Early principals were managers; however, over time social issues and the accountability movement led to state and national policies that have impacted the role of the principal to include instructional leadership. Literature on the topic of school leadership has identified a relationship between instructional leadership and student achievement. However, little information on how to develop instructional leaders has been studied. Therefore, the purpose of this explanatory, mixed-methods case study was to determine to what extent a principal development program fostered perceived instructional leadership skills in secondary school principals who have five years or less experience in the role. The case study was conducted in a large, Midwestern, suburban school district that implemented a Principal Academy in the fall of 2015 in order to equip principals to lead the implementation of district-wide instructional goals. This study focused on early career secondary principals as I hypothesized that they would be more likely to perceive an influence from the professional development experience. Qualitative data was gathered via interviews with five principals and their supervisor. Quantitative data was gathered from an online survey of teachers in the buildings whose principals qualified for the study. One overarching question and four sub-questions guided my study. The overarching questions was: To what extent has District X's Principal Academy strengthened the five identified instructional leadership behaviors of school principals with five years or less experience? The four sub-questions were as follows: • To what degree do early experience secondary principals perceive an improvement in their instructional leadership skills over time? • To what degree do early experience secondary principals who participate in job-embedded professional devel (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Kathleen Abowitz PhD (Committee Chair); Lucian Szlizewski PhD (Advisor); James Shiveley PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Adult Education; Education; Educational Leadership; School Administration

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2013, Leadership Studies

Twenty first century educational trends in the United States include increased accountability as well as standards that have served to challenge our expectations, practices and perceptions of teaching and learning. Educators, at all levels, are expected to do more with less and therefore must examine, modify, and improve current practices to create more effective systems. Research strongly supports the development of the principal-teacher relationship as a vital element in creating a positive learning environment laying the foundation for increased student achievement. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine how K-12 teachers perceived administrative support and how these perceptions were predictive of teacher self-reported follower readiness (Willingness and Ability) to engage in practices that enhance the learning community. Middle school teachers from three districts completed the Methner Administrative Support Survey (MASS) to ascertain their perceptions of principal support and the correlation between perceived support and their willingness and ability. Significant findings were revealed in four areas of the study. Forward multiple regression analysis found that Reflection and Growth was a significant variable in teacher Willingness and Overall Follower Readiness. Significant differences were also found relative to teacher years of experience in the areas of Instructional Improvement and Feedback. Additionally, Reflection and Growth, Overall Follower Readiness, and Ability were shown to be significant variables where teachers believed that Efforts to Build Teacher-Principal Relationships were present. And lastly significant mean differences were found between the three school districts in their perceptions of administrative support. Conclusions drawn from this study suggest that principals might improve teacher willingness by focusing on strategies that promote teacher growth and reflective inquiry. These strategies include but ar (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Judy Jackson May (Advisor); Jeanne Novak (Committee Member); Patrick Pauken (Committee Member); Rachel Vannatta Reinhart (Committee Member); Jamie Hollinger (Committee Member) Subjects: Educational Leadership; School Administration

Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership), Youngstown State University, 2024, Department of Teacher Education and Leadership Studies

This study investigates teachers' perceptions of instructional leadership qualities that influence self-efficacy and classroom practices, using Q-methodology in a snowball sampling study with state-certified teachers from Pennsylvania and Ohio. The research identifies instructional leadership qualities teachers find most impactful, explores differences between elementary and secondary school teachers' perceptions, and examines qualities that significantly affect professional growth. Findings reveal that positive reinforcement, support, constructive feedback, modeling, trust, autonomy, and collaborative leadership are the most influential instructional leadership qualities enhancing teacher self-efficacy and classroom effectiveness. These qualities align with five themes: Sculptors of Curiosity and Creativity, Orchestrators of Harmony and Growth, Champions of Potential and Possibility, Architects of Confidence and Curiosity, and Masterminds of Adaptability and Structure. By leveraging Q-methodology, the study captures diverse perspectives on instructional leadership, offering insights into the leadership qualities that shape teacher efficacy and classroom success.

Committee: Karen Larwin PhD (Committee Chair); Michelle Martin EdD (Committee Member); Ruth Zitnik EdD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Leadership; Teaching

Doctor of Education (EdD), Ohio University, 2023, Educational Administration (Education)

This study explored the Deming System of Profound Knowledge as a method of leadership and management in K-8 education. The study focused on the process of acquiring and understanding Deming's teachings as they related to the principalship and educational leadership. Using autoethnography as methodology, I leverage personal qualitative data and related educational leadership literature to present my personal journey of becoming an educational leader who practices Deming's System of Profound Knowledge as their primary method for leading and managing a school. Upon reflection and analysis, I found W. Edwards Deming's System of Profound Knowledge practical and valuable as a leadership method in today's schools. Though the mastery of Deming's teachings was a long, complex process, it greatly improved my leadership practice. The findings highlight essential knowledge and skills required to understand and practice the System of Profound Knowledge. It connects educational leadership and Deming's method and recommends further research.

Committee: Michael Hess (Committee Chair); Leonard Allen (Committee Member); Mustafa Shraim (Committee Member); Jesse Strycker (Committee Member) Subjects: Adult Education; Armed Forces; Behavioral Sciences; Business Administration; Business Education; Communication; Continuing Education; Early Childhood Education; Education; Education History; Education Philosophy; Education Policy; Educational Evaluation; Educational Leadership; Educational Psychology; Educational Sociology; Educational Theory; Elementary Education; Higher Education; Higher Education Administration; Management; Mental Health; Middle School Education; Military History; Military Studies; Operations Research; Pedagogy; Preschool Education; School Administration; Statistics; Sustainability; Systems Design; Teaching

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2021, Educational Studies

This dissertation measures teacher leadership and the factors that facilitate it. As a multiple-manuscript dissertation it contains three stand-alone manuscripts. In this dissertation there is a proposed new scale for measuring teacher leadership (Chapter 2), a quantitative study that examines the relationship between collaboration and teacher leadership (Chapter 3), a quantitative study that examines the relationship between instructional leadership and teacher leadership (Chapter 4), an introduction (Chapter 1), and a conclusion (Chapter 5). Teacher leadership is not a very clearly defined term in the field of education. To add to this confusion, practitioners and academics have taken somewhat different approaches in operationalizing it. Through this dissertation I show that teacher leaders are school-based professionals who 1) use teaching strategies effectively to support student learning, 2) collaborate effectively within their school, 3) intentionally engage in continuous improvement, and 4) lead beyond their classroom to share best practices, contribute to schoolwide improvement, engage with the broader community, and advocate for their communities. The Teacher Leadership Practice Scale (TLPS) is an instrument that operationalizes teacher leadership based on this definition and has demonstrated construct validity and internal reliability. Chapter 2 presents an analysis of the various definitions of teacher leadership and presents the structure, validity, and measurement properties of the TLPS. Collaboration refers to the ways in which teachers come together to create something that they would not have otherwise been able to accomplish alone. In this study I use the Collaboration for School Improvement Scale by Goddard, Goddard, Kim, and Miller (2015) to test whether collaboration facilitates teacher leadership in schools using hierarchical linear modeling. I find that collaboration positively and significantly predicts teachers' self-identification as a te (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Anika Anthony (Committee Chair); Belinda Gimbert (Committee Member); Roger Goddard (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Leadership

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2020, Leadership and Change

Paraeducators play an important role in the classroom supporting students and certificated teachers. However, literature on the actual roles of paraeducators has revealed that paraeducators are rarely included in the teaching team (Patterson, 2006). Paraeducators are frequently asked to perform difficult or unpleasant jobs and may not be recognized as important professionals who support the educational system (Giangreco, Suter, & Doyle, 2010; Lucero, 2010). Surveys and interviews have shown that paraeducators view themselves differently from how coworkers view them (Chopra, Sandoval-Lucero, Aragon, Bernal, De Balderas, & Carroll, 2004; Patterson, 2006). The purpose of this phenomenological study was to gain a deeper understanding of the positionality and lived experiences of K-5 paraeducators from an urban school district in the Pacific Northwest. This research focused on exploring the positionality, agentic, and systemic influences on paraeducators. Qualitative data were drawn from 12 participants, using demographic checklists, 21 interviews, and the researcher journal. First, a pilot study was conducted with three paraeducators; this flowed seamlessly into the expanded study. A researcher journal documented affective elements of interactive data collection and bracketed the researcher's potential biases. Data were transcribed and analyzed using thematic coding and constant comparison, viewed through a general lens and a critical theory lens. Key themes, supported by the critical narrative data from the dialogs with paraeducators, are reported. Then, using the lens of critical theory, supported by educational and leadership perspectives, I discuss the potential impact of the conclusions on paraeducators' positionality and practice in the U.S. K-5 public school system, with the possibility of transformation. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA, http://aura.antioch.edu/ and OhioLINK ETD Center, https://etd.ohiolink.edu/etd.

Committee: Lize (A. E.) Booysen DBL (Committee Chair); Jon Wergin PhD (Committee Member); Susan Dreyer EdD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education

PHD, Kent State University, 2019, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration

The purpose of this study was to explore how urban elementary principals enact instructional leadership in K–5 urban elementary public schools at a time when principals are held accountable for students' state test scores. The participants in this bounded case study were three urban elementary principals from the same school district. Data collection was obtained from interviews, documents, and school walks in the participants' schools. The following three themes emerged: (a) instructional leadership was shaped by district focuses, (b) building positive school climate was important to principals as instructional leaders, and (c) principals in urban districts face a variety of challenges. Implications that emerged from this study were: (a) principals knowing that it is possible to navigate the tension of trying to lead with integrity while dealing with the tensions of accountability, (b) principals can lead teachers to think about curriculum through the lens of critical theory, (c) principals have a variety of strategies that are available to be an instructional leader in their building, and (d) principal preparation programs can use the findings from the study to align them with the ISLCC standards. Further research on this topic could be studied using principals from different school districts.

Committee: Rosemary Gornik Ph.D. (Committee Co-Chair); Stephen Mitchell Ph.D. (Committee Co-Chair) Subjects: Education

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2018, Leadership Studies

A theme in education stems from comparing international students' scores on standardized tests with sub-par American students' scores. The gap between the scores of international students and American students has prompted educational reforms to be passed by state and federal legislatures in the United States. This study begins with an investigation in the A Nation at Risk report and includes No Child Left Behind, Race to the Top, Common Core, and the Every Student Succeeds Act. States and school districts across the United States have struggled with adapting these educational reforms over the last few decades. Therefore, research on educational leadership over the decades has provided insight into strategies educational leaders can utilize to successfully implement educational reform. Additionally, the National Policy Board for Educational Administration (NPBEA) established the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (2015) to provide a set of updated standards for educational leaders. Often tasked with implementing educational reform, principals routinely bear the brunt of guiding the people in their buildings through the maze of changes. The purpose of this phenomenological study is to discover how six principals see their role and what those six principals do to implement educational reforms. The intended method of coding and data analysis is an existing method by Moustakas (1994). The research questions guiding the study are (1) What do principals from secondary schools in Northwest Ohio perceive to be their role as instructional leaders concerning the implementation of Ohio's Learning Standards and assessments? and (2) What leadership strategies do principals utilize to carry out implementation of Ohio's Learning Standards and assessments in their school environment? Themes from this study that revealed principals' role perspective included their desire to practice distributed leadership and build relationships to foster a culture of collaboration. T (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Patrick Pauken (Advisor); Stephen Demuth (Other); Jamison Grime (Committee Member); Tracy Huziak-Clark (Committee Member); Paul Johnson (Committee Member) Subjects: Educational Leadership

Doctor of Education (EdD), Ohio University, 2015, Educational Administration (Education)

The role of context in shaping principals' leadership has been operationalized in this study as their allocation of time to three leadership domains. A cross-sectional survey design was utilized to measure the current self-reported practices of intermediate, middle and junior high school principals in the state of Ohio. Findings from this study determined that locale did not have a significant association with the amount of time principals allocate to any of the leadership domains. Secondly, several of the exogenous variables under study were determined to be predictors of how principals allocated their time. Lastly, after controlling for level of bureaucracy and other contextual variables, principals in both urban and suburban locales allocated approximately the same amount of time to the leadership domains.

Committee: Aimee Howley (Committee Chair) Subjects: Educational Leadership

Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership), Youngstown State University, 2014, Department of Teacher Education and Leadership Studies

This current investigation explores the relationship between the effect of mentoring beginning principals and their growth and development in their first year assignment. Decades of research has suggested that the initial years of the principalship are critically important in order to accelerate mastery of the skills needed to lead change in schools and enhance student achievement. Good mentors are key to providing needed knowledge, time, and commitment to support mentees who are transitioning from classroom teachers to leaders of change. The support to aspiring or beginning principals in their first year is central to evaluating and documenting the competency and skill development of these individuals. This mixed-methods investigation sought to discover the relationships between quantitative assessments and participant responses in an effort to determine whether the process of mentoring principals enhanced participant's skill and leadership development. The results indicate a significant increased on pre- to post-scores in all areas of the Ohio Leadership Advisory Council modules as well as across the factors of the Leadership Practices Inventory, with the exception being the Encourage factor. The qualitative responses provided three emergent themes: the importance of relationships, support through communication, and value of networking opportunities were the areas that resonated with the participants. Implications for further research deemed that the training and selection of mentors should be examined. In addition, the impact of mentoring on principals and/or superintendents should be examined for the potential impact on tenure longevity.

Committee: Karen Larwin PhD (Advisor); Jane Beese PhD (Committee Member); Richard VanVoorhis PhD (Committee Member); Sylvia Imler PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Communication; Education; Education Policy; Educational Leadership; School Administration; Teaching

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2012, EDU Policy and Leadership

This phenomenological case study explored the experiences of 5 transformation coaches who led the implementation of a federal school improvement grant at four urban high schools in a public school district in the southern United States. The knowledge generated from this inquiry provided new insight into the role of the transformation coach. The research question driving this study was: What is the lived experience of the transformation coach during the first year of implementation of the transformation intervention model? Naturalistic inquiry was used to collect qualitative data through semi-structured interviews and document analysis including researcher field notes and learning community agendas. The data were explicated using open codes and memoing, then categorically coded leading to the identification of 5 themes represented as tensions: formal vs. informal authority; ambiguity vs. clarity of expectations; closed vs. open relationships; vision vs. reality; and turnaround vs. instructional leadership. The interpretation of these themes revealed 5 assertions that captured the experiences of the transformation coaches: (1) Holding a position of formal authority yet protected from conducting teacher evaluations is necessary for transformation coaches to provide receptive support and feedback to teachers; (2) Clear expectations and ongoing professional learning experiences are necessary for the preparation, support and alignment of transformation coaches; (3) Establishing strong, open, trusting relationships with teachers and students is essential for transformation coaches to overcome resistance to change and move the turnaround initiative forward; (4) A high degree of administrative and managerial skills including prioritization, documentation, and multi-tasking are required of transformation coaches to effectively and efficiently meet the demands of the school improvement grant; and (5) Instructional and turnaround leadership responsibilities are shared by trans (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Belinda Gimbert PhD (Advisor); Helen Marks PhD (Committee Member); Anika Anthony PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education Policy; Educational Leadership; School Administration

Doctor of Education (EdD), Ohio University, 2008, Educational Administration (Education)

This study involves teachers' and principals' perceptions of teacher leadership with a specific focus on teacher leadership with at-risk students. The dimensions of teacher leadership for this study include teacher involvement, teacher change agency, teacher collaboration, knowledge bases for diversity, and instructional improvement regarding at-risk students. Teachers and principals in elementary, middle and high schools in 15 Southeast Ohio counties participated in the study. Data analyses were completed by descriptive and MANOVA computations. There was no significant difference in the respondents attitudes regarding teacher leadership and gender; however, there was for position. Of the four dimensions of teacher leadership, data show teacher collaboration as the most agreed, followed by teacher involvement and teacher change agency comes third while knowledge bases for diversity is the least agreed. Data also reflect that the respondents believed their professional qualifications did not prepare them for the leadership challenge of dealing with at-risk students.

Committee: Catherine H. Glascock PhD (Advisor); George Johanson EdD (Committee Member); Arlie Woodrum PhD (Committee Member); Timothy Mckeny PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Theory; Higher Education; Public Administration; Secondary Education; Teacher Education; Teaching

Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership), Youngstown State University, 2024, Department of Teacher Education and Leadership Studies

This research examined, through a qualitative grounded theory approach, perceptions of classified, non-instructional staff, and leaders in business and operations on a best practices professional development framework for operational staff. The study also examined the responsibility of leaders to provide professional development opportunities to their staff and touched on how it affects the workplace culture. In the past, studies have examined the benefits of continuous job-embedded training and professional development opportunities for teachers, the administrators' responsibility to provide such opportunities, and the effect professional development has on school culture; but there is limited research about providing consistent professional development opportunities for classified and non-instructional staff. Classified and non-instructional staff in business and operations have both a direct and indirect impact on student learning and achievement. Providing continuous professional development opportunities to this population, to mirror that of teachers, may help increase the knowledge and skill capacity in a school district. This study was conducted using a survey for classified and non-instructional staff, a semi-structured focus group interview of leaders in business and operations, and document reviews from the same leaders. Results from this research supported the existing literature summarized in Chapter Two about professional development for teachers and the theoretical framework that guided the study. The researcher highly recommends that K-12 districts adopt this best practices framework for the continuous development of non-teaching staff.

Committee: Jane Beese EdD (Advisor); Melissa Mlakar EdD (Committee Member); Richard VanVoorhis EdD (Committee Member) Subjects: Adult Education; Education; Education Policy; Educational Leadership; Educational Theory; Organizational Behavior; Teacher Education

PHD, Kent State University, 2023, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the extent to which instructional leaders providing principal feedback to teachers with five or more years of teaching experience influence student high value-added growth in urban Ohio middle schools, specifically in regard to their Black students. It examined statistical information between principal feedback, instructional leadership, and cultural responsiveness in middle schools from a sample of Ohio teachers and principals responding to questions on an instrument assessing principal feedback in two Ohio middle schools with high value-added growth serving a majority Black students. Ohio's Spring 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) data suggest over a 30-point racial gap in reading and math, and principal instructional feedback may be a tool that can be used to address this gap. Thirty participants in northeast Ohio who were teachers, intervention specialists, assistant principals, and principals completed the instrument in the pilot phase regarding principal feedback topics, quantity, and cultural responsiveness. The instrument was revised after incorporating data from the pilot and then administered to 38 principals and teachers in two Ohio middle schools serving Black students with high value-added growth. Data collected from the full study phase showed that the instrument is reliable for measuring instructional leadership and may assist instructional leaders in providing a feedback system deepening teacher understanding of incorporating children's voices within the classroom.

Committee: Christa Boske (Committee Chair); Gumiko Monobe (Committee Member); Edward Bolden Jr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Black Studies; Cultural Resources Management; Education; Educational Leadership; Educational Tests and Measurements; Minority and Ethnic Groups; School Administration

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2023, Leadership Studies

This study explored teachers' perceptions of the servant leadership behaviors of instructional coaches. Additionally, the study examined teacher well-being measured as teachers' feelings of school connectedness and teaching efficacy. The participants were teachers (N = 72) from three public school districts in the southern United States. Participants were asked to complete the Servant Leadership Questionnaire (SLQ) (Linden et al., 2008) and the Teacher Subjective Well-being Questionnaire (TSWQ) (Renshaw, 2020). The study used a between-groups, 2x2x2 ANOVA to determine if significant mean differences existed between perceptions of servant leadership behaviors of instructional coaches and years in education, years working at the current school district, and years with an instructional coach. Similarly, a between-groups, 2x2x2 ANOVA was used to determine if significant mean differences existed between teaching efficacy and years in education, years working at the current school district, and years with an instructional coach. Another between-groups, 2x2x2 ANOVA was used to determine if significant mean differences existed between teachers' school connectedness and years in education, years working at the current school district, and years with an instructional coach. Finally, multiple regression was used to determine if the perceived servant leadership behaviors of instructional coaches are predictive of teachers' school connectedness and teaching efficacy. Findings indicated that time (measured by years) plays a role in how teachers perceive their instructional coach's servant leadership behaviors. While no main effects were found, there was a significant interaction between total years of experience and the years in the current school district. The study also found no significant mean differences between teachers' feeling of school connectedness and teaching efficacy, total years of experience, years in the current school district, and years working with an i (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Julia Matuga Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Joseph Furgal Ph.D. (Committee Member); Paul Johnson Ph.D. (Committee Member); Amanda Ricketts Ed.D. (Committee Member); Chris Willis Ed.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education

Doctor of Education, University of Toledo, 2023, Educational Administration and Supervision

In March 2020, the educational system changed. The COVID-19 virus impacted the entire world. Teaching students looked very different. Teachers were required to teach remotely to continue to educate students. Parents had to assist their children with learning while they were at home. The COVID-19 pandemic changed some students and staff. Some staff members were afraid to be around others in fear of the COVID-19 virus. The stress of COVID-19 caused levels of trauma in many people. Teachers' social-emotional competence and well-being strongly influence academic outcomes and the teaching of social-emotional learning in classrooms and schools (Schonert-Reichl 2017; Jones, Bouffard, & Weissbourd 2013). The social-emotional well-being of teachers thus, affects teacher morale. “As schools reopen, schools must be prepared to ensure the learning environments are emotionally and physically safe to minimize potential long-term negative reactions to the pandemic” (Minkos & Gelbar, 2020, p. 5). The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand how elementary teachers perceive (a) morale in their school during COVID-19 protocols, (b) factors elementary teachers attribute to positive morale, and (c) how principal impacted teacher morale in their school during this time frame. Ten teachers from grades PreK-8 from one school in the Mid-West were selected and interviewed to learn their perspectives on COVID-19, identify factors that influenced the school climate, and how leadership influenced the school climate before, during, and after COVID-19. Overall, teacher morale decreased during COVID-19.

Committee: Nancy Staub (Committee Co-Chair); Treva Jeffries (Committee Member); Edward Janak (Committee Co-Chair); Randall Vesely (Committee Member) Subjects: Elementary Education

Doctor of Education, Miami University, 2023, Educational Leadership

In 2022, Ohio House Bill 436 went into effect. The law required Ohio reading teachers to shift their literacy instructional practices to be consistent with structured literacy based on The Science of Reading research. This large body of research may be in direct conflict with widely used instructional practices that are generally thought of as consistent with the Whole Language philosophy. Thus, helping teachers make the shift required by the Literacy Bill quickly became a problem of practice for educational leaders. The literature in the area of organizational change includes Weick's sensemaking theory which asserts that a lack of clarity could get in the way of policy implementation rather than a lack of compliance on the part of teachers. The Ohio Improvement Process provides a framework for leaders to support the sensemaking of new policy that includes a tool referred to as a practice profile. The practice profile, paired with components of a second framework referred to as The Lippitt-Knoster Model for Organizational Change are tools to support leaders as they help teachers make sense of policy and implement change in the classroom. A mixed-methods case study was conducted to determine the extent to which a practice profile and targeted professional development could support change in literacy instruction in kindergarten first grade, and second-grade classrooms in on suburban Ohio district. Semi-structured interviews with six teachers were conducted in an attempt to answer the research question. The study participants responded to a pre-and post-survey during the same weeks as their interviews in August and December. The survey questions were constructed with the goal of measuring the teachers' knowledge of key understandings from the Science of Reading before and after the study was completed. The survey and interview results revealed that it is unlikely that simply stating policy and providing materials will lead to meaningful change. Additiona (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Lucian Szilizewski (Committee Co-Chair); Noltemeyer Amity (Other); Kathleen Knight-Abowitz (Committee Co-Chair) Subjects: Educational Leadership

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Leadership Studies, Xavier University, 2021, Leadership Studies and Human Resource Development

This mixed-methods study explored how a Black female school principal serves a low-income urban school based on a partnership with a private STEM industry in an effort to improve students' math and science performance. Using Lidens et al.'s (2008) servant leadership instrument and ad-hoc survey items related to the principal's contribution level of improving students' academic performance, exploratory factor analyses identified the principal's servant leadership and partnership competencies in a sample of 49 school community members consisting of 15 teachers, 13 paraprofessionals, and 21 parents. The servant leadership and partnership competencies included empowering community and helping others succeed, problem solving for others and organization, ethical and critical thinking skills, others' needs and interests, and principal's partnership with a private STEM industry. One sample T-Test revealed that the school community members perceived the principal's servant leadership and partnership competencies significantly contributed to the improvement of science and math performance. Further, the principal's partnership competency was significantly and positively correlated with the following two servant leadership competencies: Problem solving for others and organization and Ethical and critical thinking skills. The principal perceived that students have built authentic relationships with their mentors including the private STEM industry's volunteered staff and tutors, thereby contributing to student academic growth and community engagement. The survey findings were consistent with the narratives of the principal as shown a positive correlation with the principal's servant leadership competencies and students' academic growth in math and science through the partnership with a private STEM industry. Therefore, the study's data provide evidence that the Black female principal is well equipped with the competencies necessary for a servant leader and for building a partner (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Ahlam Lee Ph.D. (Advisor); Littisha Bates Ph.D. (Committee Member); Rhonda Norman Ed.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: African American Studies; African Americans; Education; Education Philosophy; Educational Leadership; Educational Theory

Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership), Youngstown State University, 2021, Department of Teacher Education and Leadership Studies

The researcher utilized a correlational, non-experimental design to gain a better understanding of the relationship between teachers' ratings of factors of school culture and their motivation to integrate professional development into practice. The survey, a cross-sectional design, studied data from teachers who participated in professional development from Educational Service Centers (ESCs) in northeast Ohio (n=80). The constructs of leadership that impact school culture: vision, trust, power, and collective efficacy were also explored. Using the School Culture Survey (Gruenert & Valentine, 1998) and the Expectancy-Value-Cost for Professional Development scale (EVC-PD) (Osman & Warner, 2020), the researcher considered the relationship between teachers' ratings of their school culture factors (collaborative leadership, teacher collaboration, unity of purpose, professional development, collegial support, and learning partnership) and their quantitative measure of motivation from the EVC-PD scale. The results suggest that three out of the six school culture factors show a statistically significant positive association with the EVC-PD scale. Results show that the factors of school culture predict a significant variation in the EVC-PD composite scores. Additional variables were measured to investigate if demographic data and teachers' professional development experience would predict the outcome of teachers' motivation to implement professional development. The results suggest that following up with teachers or leaders after a professional development is associated with teachers' increased motivation to integrate the professional development into their practice Results of this study support previous research regarding instructional leadership practices, with specific connections to student-centered and collective leadership approaches.

Committee: Jane Beese Ed.D. (Committee Chair); Charles Vergon J.D. (Committee Member); Richard Rogers Ph.D. (Committee Member); Melissa Mlakar Ed.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Educational Leadership

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2021, Leadership Studies

The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences and mindsets of teachers, administrators, and coaches who have utilized instructional coaching for teacher learning and leadership development in an urban, impoverished high school. The literature indicates that instructional coaching as professional development has benefits not only for teachers and administrators, but also for students. In addition, urban school districts in impoverished settings are faced with a unique situation because the need is significant for quality teacher professional development. Very little is known about the experiences of instructional coaches, especially at the high school level. Using case study as an approach to capture teacher, coach, and administrator experiences with instructional coaching, this study utilized Mezirow's Transformative Learning Theory, which focuses on learning as a process: through dilemma, reflection, and change as a theoretical framework. Overall, the findings suggest that coaching is heavily influenced by the interrelationships and interdependence of learning and leading. Establishing shared mental models about coaching and working to build common frames of reference about the importance of teacher learning and how it relates to student learning are significant themes that emerged in this study. This study has several implications for policy and practice in the realms of instructional coaching, leadership practice, adult learning, urban education, and higher education.

Committee: Patrick Pauken (Advisor); Wendy Watson (Other); Christy Galletta-Horner (Committee Member); Kristina LaVenia (Committee Member); Robert Falkenstein (Committee Member) Subjects: Education Policy; Educational Leadership