Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Organizational Leadership , Franklin University, 2025, International Institute for Innovative Instruction

A curriculum includes standards, learning objectives, and content that form the foundation of an educational program. It outlines what students are expected to learn, how they will learn it, and how their learning will be assessed. A curriculum change could require a shift in teachers' pedagogical thinking, innovative and creative thinking, adjusting assessment practices, and continuous professional development. Administrators must also adapt their management and leadership style to create a safe learning environment for all teachers. This study will focus on how elementary school teachers and administrators describe their emotional intelligence during an English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum change. Emotional intelligence includes emotional and social skills that affect how people perceive, communicate, develop relationships, work through obstacles, and make decisions. This qualitative descriptive study used Daniel Goleman's framework on emotional intelligence to analyze individual one-on-one interviews through the lens of his five components of emotional intelligence: self-awareness, self-regulation, self-motivation, empathy, and social skills.

Doctor of Ministry , Ashland University, 2025, Doctor of Ministry Program

The purpose of this project was to create a resource that develops a Christian philosophy for the praxis of adult Christian education in the local church. The resource written for this project entitled Meeting People Where They Are At and Giving Them What They Need: A Christian Philosophy for Adult Education in the Local Church explores the relationship between philosophy and adult Christian education in the local church. The resource was evaluated by ten expert readers using qualitative and quantitative questions. The results show that the resource fulfilled the project goals.

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2025, Leadership and Change

As schools increasingly adopt restorative practices, a parallel shift in leadership is occurring, challenging traditional leadership models like servant and transformational leadership. While research has largely focused on student outcomes, there is a critical gap in understanding how restorative practices influence school principals' leadership. Given their central role in sustaining and expanding restorative initiatives, this study aimed to address that gap by developing a definitional framework for restorative leadership, grounded in the experiences of women school leaders in grades 5 to 12. Using sensemaking theory, the research examined how leaders conceptualize and apply restorative values in practice. Key questions included how restorative leadership is understood, how it shapes leadership identity, and how it is enacted in practice. A mixed-methods design was employed, integrating survey data (N = 52) and semi-structured interviews (N = 12). Findings revealed that while 51.92% of participants recognized the term “restorative leadership,” many were already practicing it without labeling it as such. Restorative leadership emerged as a dynamic process of knowing, being, and doing, rooted in self-awareness, relational repair, participatory decision-making, and collective well-being. It challenges hierarchical paradigms and fosters inclusive school cultures, with the potential to disrupt inequitable systems, improve school climates, and promote leader well-being. Based on these findings, several key recommendations for action are proposed: establishing Restorative Leadership Intensives (RLIs) to deepen principals' engagement with restorative practices, integrating restorative leadership into leadership development programs and professional certifications, advocating for gender-equitable leadership models that emphasize relational strengths, and embedding restorative practices into school policies to create inclusive cultures. These actions a (open full item for complete abstract)

Ed.D., Antioch University, 2025, Education

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to observe the lived experiences of children while learning about place through a Kinship/Indigenous worldview and the impact of the experience on their love and care for place. The study unfolds from a theoretical framework at the nexus of critical theory, place-based education, and a Kinship/Indigenous worldview. The overarching question is, “Can teaching through an Original Kinship/Indigenous Worldview grow children towards connection and love for place?” Elementary students and their teacher explored one square block of the school community, illuminating a different aspect of our place daily through Kinship/Indigenous worldview Precepts (Wahinkpe Topa & Narvaez, 2022). Students constructed their knowledge of place from unseen organisms to the power systems present and developed an understanding of their impact on place. Data gathered included Natureculture (Haraway, 2003) journal notes, sketches, reflections, photovoice, and semi-structured interviews. Natureculture is a synthesis of nature and culture that recognizes their inseparability in ecological relationships that are both biophysically and socially formed (Fuentes, 2010; Haraway, 2003). Findings reveal that learning to see all elements of place/community through a Kinship/Indigenous worldview supports children in understanding interconnectedness, meaning children understand their connection to nature as a biological and cultural relatedness nurtured through connecting with all beings. Data was isolated, analyzed, and interpreted to illuminate themes giving voice to the lived experience of children learning about a place through an original kindship/Indigenous worldview and their shift to care for them. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership), Youngstown State University, 2025, Department of Teacher Education and Leadership Studies

This study investigated the effectiveness of systematic K-6 spelling instruction, exploring the historical context, instructional practices, and professional development necessary to support both novice and experienced teachers. Using qualitative methods, data were collected through surveys and interviews with 30 elementary teachers in a western Pennsylvania school district. Highlighting a reliance on informal strategies and digital tools, the findings reveal significant gaps in formalized spelling programs which often hinder the development of foundational spelling skills. Effective instructional practices, such as phonics-based and multisensory approaches, were identified as crucial for improving student outcomes. Challenges include differentiating instruction to meet diverse student needs and addressing systemic barriers, such as inconsistent resources and limited professional development opportunities. This study underscores the need for tailored professional development focused on explicit, systematic instruction to enhance teacher capacity and student learning. The implications of this research extend to designing robust training programs and standardized assessments to support effective spelling instruction. Future research could explore longitudinal impacts of these interventions across multiple districts and states.

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.

Ed.D., Antioch University, 2024, Education

This dissertation engages the spiritually-inspired methodology of organic inquiry to investigate how teachers practice self-healing in order to become available to students. Self-healing is a vital part of freeing up the teacher's perceptive capacities to more deeply and fully attend to the needs of students. Self-healing work includes a variety of practices and modalities, including spiritual ones, in order to work through trauma, adversity, dis-ease, stress, and one-sidedness. Research shows that self-healing, especially in regards to mindfulness and meditation, equips teachers to confront compassion fatigue, secondary trauma, burnout, illness, and more. There is also ample evidence that training one's attention to see as fully as possible, rather than seeing through narrow or biased lenses, plays an important role in learning and in health and healthy relationships. This research is situated within the emergent biopsychosocial-spiritual framework of health, which recognizes the interconnectedness of body, soul, and spirit in human beings, and within the salutogenic paradigm. This study's contribution to the field begins with stories gathered from teacher's lived experiences through open-ended questionnaires and interviews. In addition, it proposes new axiological considerations for teacher training, credentialing, and professional development that are sourced in expanded models of health and balance, both at the collective and individual levels. Finally, it offers original practices for experimenting with self-healing. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

Ed.D., Antioch University, 2024, Education

Leveraging the researcher's unique diverse cultural and educational background, this dissertation explores integrating social emotional learning (SEL) within an innovative pedagogy of “with ness” (PoW) towards planetary well-being in educational settings. The overarching purpose is to redefine educational strategies through SEL and PoW to advance planetary well-being in tertiary contexts. As such, this dissertation critically engages with three published articles authored during the researcher's doctoral tenure to highlight transformative SEL practices that are fundamentally attuned to ecological consciousness. Informed by critical theory, feminist perspectives, and process philosophy, the hermeneutic circle reflects on these articles to address complex 21st-century challenges educational systems face such as technological disruption, language and culture diversity, mental health and emotional awareness amidst global scale events. Ultimately, the research from this project suggests there is further potential for SEL to contribute significantly to an educational and eventual societal shift that prioritizes planet Earth. By centering planetary well-being, this dissertation aims to help the researcher and readership gravitate towards a more empathetic, equitable, and ecologically conscious generation. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree Program in Population Health Leadership DNP, Xavier University, 2024, Nursing

Abstract Orienting new RNs to a new organization can easily be derailed by pairing them with a preceptor who has no training. A RN unhappy with orientation is much more likely to leave the organization in the first year of employment. Ensuring RNs receive the appropriate training by a preceptor who has formal preceptor training that includes conflict resolution, adult pedagogy, and how to provide feedback at a minimum is vital to a successful orientation. Here we examine how the creation of a preceptor list to choose appropriately trained preceptors for all new RNs impacts new RN and preceptor pairings, new RN satisfaction, length of orientation, and costs associated with orientation. The Project uses qualitative statistics to examine new RN satisfaction, orientation duration and cost with trained versus untrained preceptors. Following the distribution of a preceptor list for unit managers and educators an 85% improvement in the use of trained preceptors was noted. Choosing trained preceptors can provide a more structured orientation, eliminating variance due to lack of guidance. A more structured orientation can improve new RN satisfaction with orientation, decrease the duration of orientation, and reduce orientation cost for hiring organizations.

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2024, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Educational Studies

Reading permeates throughout all parts of the school day and one's school career, from learning to read the words on the page to utilizing knowledge of vocabulary and comprehension skills to understand what is being read. Teacher knowledge and instructional delivery directly affect student learning outcomes (Scales et al., 2018), signifying the vital role the teacher has. It is important to investigate and capture the experiences of the novice reading teacher to understand what is included in the experience of teaching reading, highlighting areas teacher educators and administrators could focus support for preservice and novice teachers. The purpose of this study was to explore the experience of the novice reading teacher, including their experience as a preservice teacher and the transition from preservice to novice teacher. Seidman's (2013) method of in-depth phenomenological interviewing was utilized within this study. This method is influenced by concepts of phenomenology, which is a qualitative approach which aims to capture the lived experience of participants related to a phenomenon (Moustakas, 1994; Vagle, 2018; van Manen, 1990; van Manen, 2014). Seidman's (2013) three-interview structure was followed, with each interview having a specific focus related to the novice reading teacher experience and the meaning of those experiences. Analysis of the data included crafting participant profiles and vignettes, as well as using a labeling process, like coding, to find similar categories and themes related to the experiences the participants shared. A reflexive process was also used by the researcher to ensure the positionality and influence of the researcher to the study was consistently being considered. Findings related to the themes of the complexity of mentorship, fluctuation of self-efficacy, and necessity to include real life examples and experiences within preservice and novice teacher learning are discussed. Recommendations for future qualitative studies ar (open full item for complete abstract)

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

The rapid ascent of increasingly capable artificial intelligence (AI) brings new potential to revolutionize education—for better or worse. This study investigates the attitudes of high school teachers toward the integration of Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer, commonly known as ChatGPT, to support teaching and learning. This research seeks to understand the key factors that influence teachers' acceptance or resistance to using ChatGPT, focusing on the potential benefits and challenges posed by this advanced AI technology. The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) is used as the theoretical framework to forecast teachers' willingness to adopt ChatGPT for educational purposes. The research employs the quantitative attributes of a Q-methodological approach to classify and analyze the perspectives of high school educators. The study examines how some perceive ChatGPT as an asset to teaching and learning. Conversely, findings also illuminate concerns that ChatGPT will have a negative impact, thereby instilling a sense of caution about its integration. Participants in this study, 18 high school teachers, completed a web-based Q-sort that revealed three distinct viewpoints: Learning to Fly, Welcome to the Machine, and Comfortably Numb, which collectively accounted for 53% of the variability in the data. The results revealed varied opinions regarding technical confidence, openness to integration, perceived benefits, and potential liabilities. The findings provide insights into the diverse attitudes and beliefs held by high school educators regarding the educational use of generative AI tools like ChatGPT. The findings of this research contribute to the ongoing debate about the role of AI in education. The results emphasize a need for professional development programs to build teachers' capacity to effectively incorporate AI tools in the classroom. Ultimately, this study seeks to shed light on the factors that promote or inhibit the adopt (open full item for complete abstract)

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

Positive school environments have been shown to raise academic achievement. Youngstown East High School has had six principals in six years, and there has been a strong sense of disconnect from the community in their support (both academically and athletically) of the continuous changes that have been made in the Youngstown City School District. East High School has a 99.8% economically disadvantaged population with 13.6% being English Language Learners and 27.1% students with disabilities. Using Positive Behavior Intervention Supports (PBIS) to address discipline to affect the management of absenteeism and academic interventions, what measures can be taken to raise the staff and student morale of the high school environment? How can Golden Bears Alumni contribute to the culture and climate as they relate the past to the present? Since the Youngstown City School District is focused on PBIS and must use the Academic Improvement Plan to completely move out of the watchful eyes of the State of Ohio, one must ask how, exactly, can culture and climate improve the academic and athletic performances of their students? How can the district build school pride within the school as well as the surrounding community? How can remaining alumni be used as resources to connect to outliers who could possibly invest in East High School? This study explores these questions by examining data on the effects of climate and culture within the school and community and its impact of school pride on academic achievement and athletic performance, with a specific focus on improving the school pride at Youngstown East High.

Master of Arts, Miami University, 2024, Spanish

El estudio propuesto de comparacion replica inversa incorporara la linguistica aplicada, la transferencia ritmica y la adquisicion del espanol como L2 por los hablantes adultos nativos del ingles americano como L1 en la universidad. Las medidas ritmicas de ΔC, %V, ΔV, CrPVI y VnPVI se utilizaran para determinar la duracion silabica, vocalica y consonantica exhibida por el ingles frente al espanol. Una comparacion de las mediciones duracionales pondra de manifiesto la presencia y el grado de transferencia ritmica exhibida. El objetivo del estudio propuesto es destacar las diferencias segmentarias entre una lengua silabica frente a una lengua acentual como evidencia empirica de transferencia ritmica. Los resultados de un estudio previo del gallego como L1, una lengua silabica, y el ingles britanico como L2, una lengua acentual, de Rodriguez-Vazquez y Roseano (2022), muestran que el grado de transferencia linguistica que se exhibe, depende del nivel de competencia alcanzado, asi como la experiencia de estudiar en el extranjero. Se exploraran otros factores que podrian afectar la transferencia ritmica, como el numero de idiomas que se hablan. Finalmente, los resultados del estudio propuesto (del ingles-L1/espanol-L2) se compararan con los resultados del estudio anterior (del gallego-L1/ingles-L2) para un analisis comparativo posterior. El estudio propuesto de comparacion replica inversa incorporara la linguistica aplicada, la transferencia ritmica y la adquisicion del espanol como L2 por los hablantes adultos nativos del ingles americano como L1 en la universidad. Las medidas ritmicas de ΔC, %V, ΔV, CrPVI y VnPVI se utilizaran para determinar la duracion silabica, vocalica y consonantica exhibida por el ingles frente al espanol. Una comparacion de las mediciones duracionales pondra de manifiesto la presencia y el grado de transferencia ritmica exhibida. El objetivo del estudio propuesto es destacar las diferencias segmentarias entre una lengua silabica frente a una le (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2024, EDU Teaching and Learning

The number of English Language Learner students is rapidly rising. Yet, our understanding of how to provide culturally and linguistically responsive teaching to these diverse populations of students remains limited. Research has shown that incorporating students' cultural knowledge and home languages in the instruction and treating them as assets enhances learning. However, enacting such a pedagogy in classrooms with diverse backgrounds remains challenging, especially when there is a mismatch between the teachers' linguistic and cultural background and those of the students. This study investigates the asset-based practices of an ESL teacher in teaching English and content to her diverse students. It also examines how multilingual liaisons in this class support the teacher in teaching as well as directly interact with and teach the students through an asset-based stance. Furthermore, it addresses a gap in the literature by amplifying refugee students' voices regarding how they perceive their educational experiences by involving them in the research process and collecting data that students themselves generate and ascribe meaning to. Data were collected over six months (January to June 2022) in an ESL classroom at a midsize suburban public elementary school. Participants included a White teacher identifying as a woman, two multilingual liaisons, and eight refugee students aged 7 to 11. Using a qualitative case study design combined with rights-based research approaches with children, I observed naturally occurring classroom activities and interactions, supplemented by video-recordings, fieldnotes, semi-structured interviews, as well as educational artifacts and students' worksheets and artistic creations. Data were analyzed iteratively, including logging video and audio files, transcription of data, multiple cycles of qualitative coding, and student-led analysis of data they generated. My findings revealed that the ESL teacher incorporated multicultural and mult (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, 2024, Educational Leadership

This dissertation investigates the impact of digitalization on teachers' perceptions of their professional subjectivity and relationships within K-12 education in the United States. Assuming schools are political and ideological spaces, this project explores how digitalization informs teachers' identities, agency, and pedagogical values through a narrative inquiry approach. I conducted semi-structured interviews with eight teachers from five high schools in the Midwest, utilizing narratives analysis to examine their personal and professional stories. These interviews provided insights into how teachers navigate the tensions between digitalization's promises, impacts, and realities. By analyzing the narratives, I uncovered underlying values of relational democratic aims and ethics in education. Grounded in two central questions: how have teacher identity, subjectivity, and agency been challenged and uniquely developed within the digitalization of education and how teachers perceive its potential for fostering participatory agency – I utilize critical pragmatism and narrative analysis to highlight the tensions between the promise of digitalization and its practical realities that structure subjectivities. Teacher participants expressed frustration over students' struggles with technology, revealing a disconnect between the anticipated benefits and actual implementation. This project contributes to the literature by addressing the ethical implications of digitalization, arguing that while it has the potential to enhance educational practices, it often perpetuates ideologies that prioritize convenience and efficiency over relational values. Ultimately, this research advocates for more critical inquiry into digitalization, emphasizing the need for educational stakeholders to embrace the complexity and ambiguity to foster environments that uphold democratic educational values and relational ethics

Doctor of Education , University of Dayton, 2024, Educational Administration

The retention rate in online doctoral programs is incredibly low; given the increase in popularity in online schooling, it is necessary for colleges and universities to start adapting the way they work in the online degree space. This dissertation in practice examines what it is that keeps students in the program outside of financial support. Three themes became evident in the review of related literature - faculty preparedness tied with student skill set, social interactions between peers, and coaching support that goes beyond academia - and the subsequent interviews highlighted a fourth theme missing from the review - that of self-determination or self-confidence. This study starts by examining retention in the online doctoral program at Midwestern University, where the problem of practice is set and provides an action plan for programs looking to strengthen the retention of their students in online doctoral programs.

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2024, Leadership and Change

In higher education, the focus on student success often takes center stage in research and the professor-as-teacher practice. While numerous empirical studies concentrate on the growth and development of undergraduate students, this dissertation delves into professors' relational and felt experiences in positive teaching-learning relationships. Four terminal-degreed professors from four different schools and three different disciplines–education, humanities, and leadership–engaged in photography and were then interviewed. Participants reflected on their photographs and their experiences in a teaching-learning relationship with their students. The present study aimed to illuminate the unspoken language of connection by utilizing interpretive phenomenology and photovoice to uncover professors' relational and felt experiences and how these moments energize and rejuvenate them. Research revealed two overarching themes: generativity and seeing students' humanity; and five group experiential themes: foundational influences, relational proximity, intentional presence, assessment as a learning conversation, and feeling aligned. The theoretical foundation of this dissertation weaved together a diverse array of theories and concepts, including relational cultural theory (RCT), somatics, and embodiment. The insight from the literature combined with the findings from this study offer understanding in how professor-student relationships in higher education can be places of mutual empowerment, empathy, and mattering. By grounding the research framework in human interaction's relational and fluid, alive, and pulsating bodies, this dissertation contributes to a more humanized and inclusive understanding of the intricate relationships that shape higher education. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

PHD, Kent State University, 2024, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies

This study explored the mathematical learning experiences of adult students enrolled in a community college developmental mathematics course during the Fall 2023 semester. The study's main objective was to identify the types of experiences that help adult students learn foundational mathematics. Another goal of the study was to provide empirical data to help design programs and strategies to assist students in being successful throughout their mathematical learning journey. This was an interpretive qualitative study that utilized responsive interviewing and artifact collection. Five participants were obtained through a pre-survey sent to 746 students enrolled in the lowest level course at a community college, Arithmetic/Pre-Algebra. This pre-survey collected general demographic and student information. The pre-survey also asked participants to rank their mathematics self-efficacy, growth mindset, and perceived care in the mathematics classroom. Finally, students took part – at varying levels of participation – in two interviews, artifact collection, and a post-survey. Through my analysis of the interview transcripts and shared artifacts, eight themes emerged. Five of the eight themes involve student perceptions and relate to 1) mathematics self- efficacy, growth mindset, and care diminish after elementary school; 2) low readiness for college-level mathematics; 3) the teaching environment and didactics implemented; 4) perceptions of the learning characteristics needed for success; 5) the absence of student barriers. The final three themes relate to the power of interactions, specifically, the power as it relates to 6) words, 7) actions, and 8) expectations. The study's findings provide implications for my teachings, my mathematics department, community colleges at large, and the field of mathematics education.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2024, Higher Education (Education)

The changes in medical education have not kept pace with societal expectations and the rapidly evolving business model for healthcare delivery. Meanwhile, the socialization process in medical education has remained relatively unchanged. This has resulted in physicians with a high level of technical competence but lacking a comprehensive understanding of the ethical pitfalls of being a physician. It is crucial for medical school leaders to develop proactive strategies that are coherent, coordinated, and explicit in training physicians capable of navigating conflicting values and managing transient stressors. The findings in this study challenge the fundamental premise that it is enough for medical school leaders to simply view professionalism as an array of behaviors expected of others who offer services according to a social contract. Nor is it sufficient to promote teaching professionalism guided by directives of prescribed and prohibited activities or by guidance from aspirational goals. Moreover, the means of assessing any behaviors deemed problematic or unprofessional are varied and imprecise, and they do not account for those behaviors that are hidden or unobservable. This study examined two relevant theoretical frameworks within moral psychology and social learning theory. Specifically, they include professional identity formation and communities of practice. These frameworks present different facets for viewing the fostering of professionalism in medical education through the lens of moral psychology and social learning theory. They provide greater detail, build upon, and occasionally challenge established theories based on cognitive theory and moral development. They may also serve as a beacon to higher education leaders by influencing support efforts to form the students' professional identity and identify communities of practice in the professional journey of medical students.

Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership), Youngstown State University, 2025, Department of Teacher Education and Leadership Studies

This research study examines the influence of teacher involvement in extracurricular activities (ECA) on educators' job satisfaction, organizational commitment, classroom management, and perceived rapport with students. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, the study surveyed high school teachers across southwest Ohio, focusing on whether teachers who engage in ECA report higher levels of job satisfaction compared to their non-ECA-engaged peers. The research draws on Social Identity Theory (SIT) and Organizational Commitment Theory (OCC) to explore how teacher engagement in ECA may enhance their job satisfaction and foster a positive relationship with their institution. The findings highlight that teachers who participate in ECA often experience increased job satisfaction, enhanced rapport with students, and a stronger perception of classroom management. Furthering that point, the research shows increased levels of job satisfaction when teachers are engaged in a moderate amount of ECAs compared to too many or none at all. In addition, evidence suggests benefits for teachers' perception of student engagement in ECA. In conjunction with the findings, the research explores how involvement in ECA can counter burnout factors and contribute to teacher retention, as well as broader benefits for school communities, such as fostering a supportive school culture and improving academic performance. The study's results can serve as a basis for school districts to make informed decisions about budgeting for ECA and addressing teacher attrition, job satisfaction, and the overall health of the community.