Master of Science (MS), Bowling Green State University, 1952, Educational Administration and Supervision

Committee: John E. Gee (Advisor) Subjects: Education

Master of Science (MS), Bowling Green State University, 1949, Educational Administration and Supervision

Committee: John E. Gee (Advisor) Subjects: Education

Master of Science (MS), Bowling Green State University, 1952, Educational Administration and Supervision

Committee: John E. Gee (Advisor) Subjects: Education

Master of Arts (M.A.), Xavier University, 1969, History

North College Hill, Ohio, an independent suburban city on the northern boundary of Cincinnati, normally follows the unexciting routine of a typical residential community. The year 1947 was an exception. An ugly school controversy arose that year, which threw this suburb into a bitter sectarian conflict between Catholics and Protestants over policies governing the public school system. Before it was resolved, this school crisis included student strikes, mass resignations of teachers, professional blacklisting, civil disorder, and bitter charges and counter-charges between religious and educational spokesmen. As a prologue to the treatment of the 1947 conflict, chapter one gives a brief history of the consolidation arrangement, which lay at the heart of the controversy. Chapters two, three, and four narrate the course of events from 1938 to 1948 which fomented the community schism. Finally after presenting the points of view of both sides, chapter five explores the impact and truthfulness of each position

Committee: Paul L. Simon Ph.D. (Advisor) Subjects: Education History; Education Philosophy; Education Policy

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Leadership Studies, Xavier University, 2020, Leadership Studies and Human Resource Development

The purpose of this study was to apply two of Kirkpatrick's Four Levels of Training Evaluation to evaluate the implementation of PAX Good Behavior Game training in a challenged Ohio middle school. The study explored teacher reactions to and perceived learning from the training as it relates to the middle school's goals, and recommended changes to make the training more middle school focused. Data were collected via survey and semi-structured interviews of the trainees. Findings suggest a majority of the trainees perceived the training as useful to the goal of building relationships, but not the goals of creating student incentives, implementing the PBIS Framework or decreasing chronic absenteeism. A majority of trainees perceived the training was not relevant in their particular role but was effective in preparing them to implement the PAX GBG to address specific identified gaps affecting the school's report card, with varying perceptions on specific kernels. Qualitative data from open-ended questions and five participant interviews suggest trainees wanted more concrete examples and modifications to make it more middle school focused. Findings are consistent with Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick's (2016) recommendations to include participants in the planning phase to ensure usefulness, to tie training to specific roles to ensure relevance for all participants, and to collect formative feedback to ensure the effectiveness of the training. Limitations of this study are discussed, as well as recommendations for future research to determine if results can be generalized, and extend evaluation of the PAX GBG training beyond reactions and subjective learning, to assess objective learning, behavior change and results.

Committee: Gail F. Latta Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Thomas Knestrict Ed.D. (Committee Member); Michael Flick Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Curricula; Education; Educational Evaluation; Inservice Training; Middle School Education; School Administration; Teacher Education

Doctor of Education, Ashland University, 2017, College of Education

This dissertation addresses approaches to closing the achievement gap for urban public high schools. High school graduation rates have been increasing, both nationally and in Ohio; however, this is not the case for all students. The problem addressed in this research is that graduation rates of African-American and Hispanic students in Ohio were not increasing at the same rate as those of White students within the past decade. The literature review indicated that poverty was not always a predictor of lack of academic success. Through qualitative case study methodologies, this research explored how three urban public schools in Ohio made significant gains in improving the graduation rate of African-American and Hispanic students. Eighteen individuals were interviewed during the course of this study and their testimonies show that instructional strategies, academic interventions and building strong relationships with students were important in closing the achievement gap. The findings of this research include specific strategies and approaches that led to increased graduation rates. Additionally, this study provided participants, including African-American and Hispanic students, their parents, community leaders, and educators, an opportunity to voice their opinions and concerns, and make valuable recommendations on how to continue to improve the education of underperforming African-American and Hispanic students in Ohio. The personal experiences of the participants in this study may help other public school district educators in the nation serving similar ethnic groups, gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities to closing the achievement gap.

Committee: Harold E. Wilson PhD (Committee Chair); James Olive PhD (Committee Co-Chair); Judy Alston PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: African Americans; Educational Leadership; Hispanic Americans; Multicultural Education; Secondary Education

Doctor of Education (EdD), Ohio University, 2017, Educational Administration (Education)

The shale gas rush, commonly called the fracking boom, began in Appalachian Ohio in 2010. The region was of interest to oil and gas companies that wanted to invest in the Marcellus and Utica shale located beneath many of the state's 32 Appalachian counties. This qualitative study took place in seven of these counties--Belmont, Carroll, Columbiana, Guernsey, Harrison, Monroe, and Noble--where many public school districts decided to lease district owned property to oil and gas companies for exploration and drilling. This study considers how Appalachian Ohio superintendents and treasurers navigated the pressures and responsibilities of entering into legally binding agreements with natural gas companies. Semi-structured interviews with 20 superintendents, treasurers, and educational service center administrators were conducted along with document analysis of 52 financial documents: 24 independent audits from fiscal years 2010 and 2015; 23 five-year forecast assumptions from fiscal years 2010 and 2016; and five performance audits conducted between 2004-2015. Participants in the study reported that the decision to lease was first, and foremost, financial, depicting it as a way to pay down debt or invest in capital outlay and academics. Six major findings emerged from the study: 1) Participants reported they were moderate pro-actionists who were cognizant that fracking is a boom to bust industry. 2) Revenue earned by school districts from leasing deals and value-added opportunities is a stopgap. 3) Value-added opportunities (e.g. ad-valorem taxes) provided revenue opportunities beyond initial leasing deals. 4) Participants were able to engage new initiatives focused on educating-in, or reversing the propagation of what some scholars call the rural brain drain. 5) Revenue from fracking was invested with the bigger financial picture in mind. 6) As the fracking boom was unfolding, the potential for long-term powerlessness loomed for many districts and their surroundi (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Frans Doppen Dr. (Advisor); William Larson Dr. (Committee Member); Charles Lowery Dr. (Committee Member); Geoffrey Buckley Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education Finance; Educational Leadership; School Administration; School Finance

Master of Arts (M.A.), University of Dayton, 2016, Theological Studies

The primary ministry of a religious community has an impact on the way that that group understands its place in the Church. In this work, the Sisters of the Precious Blood's charism will be presented from the time of the community's foundation in the 1830s up through today, noting how active ministry has brought about a community which lives an apostolic life. These sisters, who in the beginning lived in large semi-cloistered convents, soon found themselves in active ministries, one of which was teaching in the area's public schools in northwestern Ohio. The narrative of renewing religious life in the middle of the twentieth century runs parallel to the standardization of religious education during release time in public schools. Finally, there is a discussion of how both the schools and the sister's charism lives on today through the involvement of lay people.

Committee: Sandra Yocum (Advisor); William Johnston (Committee Member); Cecilia Moore (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Education History; History; Religious Congregations; Religious Education; Religious History; Theology

Doctor of Education (EdD), Ohio University, 2014, Educational Administration (Education)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the ethical leadership perspectives of Ohio public school superintendents. Secondly, this study examined to what extent ethical leadership perspectives of Ohio public school superintendents vary according to school district characteristics. Furthermore, the study examined to what extent do ethical leadership perspectives of Ohio public school superintendents vary according to leader demographics. A survey was used to collect data of both superintendent demographics and school district characteristics. Included in this survey were an Ethical Leadership Scale (ELS) and Social Desirability Scale (SDS). The ELS was used to measure ethical leadership perspectives of the superintendents. The SDS was used to measure social desirability of the superintendents. The survey was sent to 606 public school district superintendents in the State of Ohio of which 231 responded. Additionally, this study included an ancillary study in which the researcher conducted interviews with 15 superintendents from across the State of Ohio. The goal of these small group and individual interviews was to gain further information regarding ethical leadership perspectives and social desirability of superintendents in the State of Ohio, and furthermore, to identify district characteristics and leader demographics associated with ethical leadership perspectives. Included in these interviews, the researcher administered the ELS and SDS instruments to each participant.

Committee: Gordon Brooks (Committee Chair) Subjects: Education; Educational Leadership; Ethics

MCP, University of Cincinnati, 2009, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning : Community Planning

Ohio's funding system for K-12 public education has been ruled unconstitutional by the Ohio Supreme Court four times within the last eleven years, yet state-level legislators have yet to make significant changes. Instead, the citizens of Ohio have been given a patchwork of solutions which, in an attempt to treat the source of the problem, have only treated the symptoms thereof. This has resulted in a confounding of the issues, a breakdown of communication between politician and constituent, and a still-broken funding system. Using Hamilton County's public school districts as a microcosm of this situation, this paper will provide quantitative evidence to support the existence of real and perceived barriers to achieving consensus and constitutionality. Analyzing this evidence and using principles of communicative planning theory, it will explain why there is an informational disconnect between policy-makers and their respective constituents as well as how the planning community can constructively contribute.

Committee: Christopher Auffrey PhD (Committee Chair); Brigid O'Kane MFA (Committee Member); Gayle Foster (Advisor) Subjects: Education; Political Science; Public Administration; Secondary Education; Urban Planning

MCP, University of Cincinnati, 2003, Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning : Community Planning

A growing body of literature has emerged in recent years examining the feasibility and desirability of economic mixing on a residential basis (Brophy and Smith 1997, Rosenbaum et al. 1998) but little attention has been to the feasibility of this mixing when it involves middle-class families with children. This paper examines school-housing linkages as part of HOPE VI public housing revitalization at City West (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Park DuValle (Louisville, Kentucky). Overall, the study highlights the difficulty of achieving mixing of children from lower- and middle-income homes in schools serving public housing revitalization sites. HOPE VI planners in both cities placed little or no emphasis on attracting of middle-income families with children. Instead, officials emphasized income mixing and improved homeownership opportunities for low and moderate income families. Overall there has been closer housing-schooling cooperation in Louisville than in Cincinnati. Jefferson County Public Schools was highly involved from the start of the HOPE VI application process because the school system had been involved in an earlier Empowerment Zone application. While Cincinnati Public Schools was not involved at all in the early plans for City West, it became involved during the implementation phase because CPS was conducting its own facilities master planning process. While Park DuValle has attracted many middle-income families with children, all of the middle-income families moving into City West have been childless. Park DuValle's success is largely due to the fact that Louisville's schools are part of a county-wide school system based on busing. Unlike other cities, families considering moving to Park DuValle are not influenced by perceptions of neighborhood school quality; they know that their children will be bused to a school outside the neighborhood. Because Louisville's countywide school system is so unique among American cities, it may be difficult to replicate Louisvill (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: David Edelman (Advisor) Subjects:

Master of Public Administration (MPA), Ohio University, 2009, Political Science (Arts and Sciences)

The purpose of the current study is to evaluate the sexual education program in the public school system of Athens County, Ohio. The local program generally seeks to promote health and disease prevention through information, communication skills, and decision-making skills. The local program does not adhere to federal Title V guidelines, since it covers as part of its curriculum issues related to contraception and sexually transmitted diseases. This comprehensive nature is a nationwide trend. Additionally, the state of Ohio does not require that health education, generally, be taught in public schools. Though many comprehensive programs are effective, many others are not. Therefore, it is necessary and valid to investigate if the local program is effective, and if so, why. An interrupted time series analysis demonstrated a weak, short-term effect. The pregnancy rate for 15 to 19 year-olds and the birth rate for 18 to 19 year-olds both declined. However, the program effect was not maintained over time. Indeed, STD ratesand the birth rate for 18 to 19 year-olds all increased over time. Process analysis shows that the short-term effect may be due to the logical ordering of material or the personal involvement that the student project creates. Additionally, the program impact may fade away in the long run due to the short amount of time the students are exposed to sexual education, or the lack of teacher accountability.

Committee: Jay E. Ryu PhD (Committee Chair); Judith Millesen PhD (Committee Member); Lesli Johnson PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Evaluation; Health Education; Public Administration; Public Health

Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, 2011, Educational Leadership

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether charter schools produce higher test scores than traditional public schools within the largest eight urban school districts in Ohio. With an emphasis on techniques and contexts borrowed from critical race and feminist empiricist frameworks, this study examined state test data and provides insight into charter schooling reform. The results of the overall study suggested that charter schools were not performing significantly better than traditional public schools. The few times that differences did occur,traditional public schools were outperforming their charter school counterparts.

Committee: Nelda Cambron-McCabe PhD (Committee Co-Chair); Sally Lloyd PhD (Committee Co-Chair); Gerri Susan Mosley-Howard PhD (Committee Member); William Boone PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: African Americans; Education; Education Philosophy; Education Policy; Educational Evaluation; Educational Leadership; Educational Tests and Measurements; Educational Theory; Elementary Education; Gender

PHD, Kent State University, 2011, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration

Using an inductive method, this case study seeks to give voice to recognized school finance experts throughout Ohio on the topic of the K-12 school funding formula. The research focuses on the experiences of superintendents, treasurers, professors, and organizational leaders who have navigated the state formula. The main thrust revolves around what these authority figures see as crucial issues and their ideas on how to possibly reform an unconstitutional method of funding Ohio's schools. Data sources include interviews with 11 school funding experts at multiple sites, as well as any participating school district's financial documents, and also state level task force reports. In order to build the study upon a solid structure, the data collection and analysis are guided by the tenants of interpretive, qualitative research and based upon the tenants of grounded theory. Understanding the voices and perceptions of recognized experts in the field of public school funding could be a significant piece in informing state officials, lobbyists, and educational stakeholders in the ongoing saga of Ohio's school funding reform.

Committee: Stephen Thomas Ed.D (Committee Chair); Dale Cook Ed.D (Committee Member); Mark Kretovics Ph.D. (Committee Member); Averil McClelland Ph.D. (Other) Subjects: Education Finance

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2012, Leadership Studies

Increasing qualitative evidence in the literature supports specific characteristics and practices, presented from a distributed leadership perspective, to be prevalent in school districts that demonstrate significant increases in student achievement. Quantitative evidence linking these identified district-level characteristics and practices to increased student achievement, however, is lacking. Lack of quantitative evidence appears due to want of an acceptable, psychometrically sound instrument. The purpose of this study was to create an instrument, the District Leadership for Effective Schools Scales (DLESS), to address this void. The DLESS is a measure of district-level characteristics and practices identified to improve instruction and increase student achievement. The activities suggested by Wolfe and Smith (2007a, 2007b) to facilitate the documentation of evidence relating to the development and validation of measures using Rasch modeling served as the outline for the DLESS's development. The Ohio's Leadership Developmental Framework served as the conceptual framework, serving as progenitor of the DLESS's test specifications. For the validation study, the DLESS was completed by 277 superintendents of traditional K-12 public schools in Ohio. The sample demonstrated excellent representation of school districts in Ohio. Qualtrics on-line survey software was used to recruit participants, distribute the DLESS, and collect responses. Responses were analyzed using the Rasch measurement procedures contained in WINSTEPS Version 3.73. Linacre's guidelines for optimizing rating scale effectiveness were used to direct the analyses. Pearson correlations of the DLESS measure with a measure of district-level student achievement were calculated using SPSS. Results indicate the DLESS adequately meets the Rasch specifications and is a well functioning scale with adequately functioning rating scale categories. Separation indices for persons and items indicate an excellent degre (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Paul Johnson PhD (Committee Co-Chair); Judith Zimmerman PhD (Committee Co-Chair); Toni Sondergeld PhD (Committee Member); Eric Worch PhD (Committee Member); Susan Zake PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Leadership; Educational Tests and Measurements; School Administration