73 research outputs found
Courageous Conversations Among Assistant Principals: How Trust and Time Influence Confidence and Capacity when Discussing Issues like Race
No full textAchievement disparities between students of color and their White peers continue to manifest despite the best intentions of educators around the county. When data is disaggregated by race and educators are expected to talk about achievement disparities, teachers often become defensive. The purpose of this research study is to determine if Glen Singleton’s (2021) protocol helped to build the capacity and confidence of school leaders in facilitating conversations about race. This study is a mixed-methods participatory action research study in which the author had dual roles as both a partiicipant in the focus groups and as a researcher. Elementary assistant principals participated and actively engaged in focus groups to simulate courageous conversations about race. Reflections, discussions, and implementation exercises were documented in each participant's journal as evidence of growth. Journals were the primary source of qualitative data and were analyzed using coding for themes and categories. Using Observation-Oriented Modeling (OOM) software (version 5.1.2022), ordinal comparisons were made between pre-and post-survey scores to determine if participant confidence and perceived capacity had grown. Trust and psychological safety are required for these types of conversations to be effective. Qualitative data indicated that participants grew in their awareness and understanding of race, privilege, and bias. Unexpectedly, this awareness was associated with lower self-assessments of confidence and capacity
Uncultured: Civil War and Cultural Policy
No full textHow does cultural policy affect violence? While cultural discrimination is frequently cited as a potential grievance motivating political violence, the relationship remains under-theorised and largely untested. I weave theoretical literatures with interviews and secondary sources on the experience of Kurds in Turkey to understand the socio-economic and psychological pathways through which cultural policies impact intrastate conflict. I then analyse cross-national data on political violence, demonstrating that cultural grievances increase support for violence, raise the chance and severity of conflict and prolong violent conflicts. In short, policy matters: cultural restrictions exacerbate violence through multiple pathways.Published articleThis article is not available to the general public. Please contact the author or publisher for access to this document
Enhancing Student Success: The Perceived Impact of Institutional Support Services on Retention and Graduation Rates at Hispanic-Serving Institutions
No full textThis multimethod case and situational analysis examined the perceived influence of institutional support services on retention and graduation at Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). Hispanic students often face cultural, linguistic, and financial challenges that influence academic achievement. Guided by Tinto’s (1997) Classroom-as-Community model, this multimethod case and situation analysis used a modified nominal group technique (mNGT) approach to explore how expectations, support, assessment, and involvement were believed to contribute to student persistence and retention. Findings indicated that culturally responsive support structures, timely feedback, and authentic faculty-student relationships were perceived as strengthening students’ belonging and academic perseverance. Implications for practice include developing inclusive institutional policies and coordinated programs that align support services with the lived experiences and cultural identities of Hispanic students
The Relationships of Diverse Family Structures with Student Academic and Behavioral Achievement
No full textThis final composite examines the influence of home environments on the educational
experiences of middle school students in a rural community. The first scholarly
deliverable, “Family Dynamics and Education: What’s the Relationship?” addresses the
challenges faced by students from complex family backgrounds, highlighting how these
conditions can affect their academic engagement and success. This case study features a
middle school student who becomes involved in an altercation on a school bus while
defending younger siblings, illustrating the limited response of school administration to
such issues. This analysis underscores the importance of a flexible and understanding
approach by school districts in addressing students’ needs while acknowledging their
external challenges. The second scholarly deliverable, an article titled “The Relationships
of Diverse Family Structures with Student Academic and Behavioral Achievement,”
investigates how various family dynamics correlate with student performance and
behavior during the middle school years in a rural community. This article presents a
comprehensive analysis of family structures and their association with student
demographics, academic achievement, and behavioral patterns, contributing valuable
insights to educators and policymakers on supporting students from diverse backgrounds
Enrollment Trends and Discipline Patterns: A Comparative Study of Texas Public School Districts
No full textThis paper synthesizes insights from two complementary works that examine how
organizational pressures and demographic change shape school discipline practices in
Texas public education. The first is a case study of a rural South Texas district
experiencing a sharp rise in suspensions despite minimal enrollment growth. Through the
lens of Organizational Strain Theory, the case highlights how limited counseling
capacity, rising behavioral needs, and the political expectations tied to a newly approved
$36 million facilities bond create competing demands that intensify stress on school
leaders and contribute to increased reliance on exclusionary discipline. The second study
is a large-scale longitudinal analysis of 833 Texas public school districts from 2012–
2019, which investigates how enrollment trends, demographic composition, and resource
constraints predict disciplinary outcomes. Findings from this empirical analysis show that
enrollment growth, racial composition, and fiscal capacity significantly shape suspension
rates, revealing structural drivers of discipline patterns beyond individual student
behavior. Together, these two works demonstrate how local organizational dilemmas and
statewide demographic dynamics intersect to influence disciplinary practices. This
synthesis underscores the need for equity-centered leadership, proactive resource
planning, and data-informed policy to ensure discipline systems remain fair and
supportive amid demographic and organizational transition
PRESERVING QUALITY EDUCATION FOR RURAL STUDENTS: A CASE STUDY OF TEACHER RECRUITMENT EFFORTS IN RURAL PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN TEXAS
No full textRural public school districts in Texas face significant challenges in teacher recruitment, particularly in the context of ongoing teacher shortages driven by high turnover and attrition rates. Almost 40% of Texas schools are located in rural areas, and systemic barriers, including poverty, limited resources, and geographic isolation, exacerbate difficulties in attracting qualified educators. This study presents a qualitative embedded case study approach with data collected from interviews with three rural superintendents. The interview questions focused on their marketing strategies, recruitment methods, and perceived conditions influencing teacher recruitment. Findings revealed that, while superintendents acknowledged the critical need for effective recruitment strategies, the approaches used were often inconsistent and limited. Areas such as the reliance on traditional job postings, minimal advertising on district websites, and a lack of formal strategic staffing models highlighted the need for innovation. Superintendents emphasized the importance of intrinsic benefits, such as supportive leadership and small class sizes, while acknowledging significant challenges, such as financial competition with larger districts. This research contributes to the literature by identifying effective practices in teacher recruitment tailored explicitly to rural contexts and underscores the necessity for targeted resources and support from state entities. Recommendations include the development of comprehensive marketing strategies that effectively promote rural districts' unique advantages and the establishment of partnerships with local teacher preparation programs to foster a grow-your-own approach to recruitment. By addressing these gaps, rural Texas school districts can enhance their recruitment strategies and ultimately improve student educational outcomes
The Influence of Title V Funding on Degree Attainment at Regional HSIs
No full textUsing a quantitative, non-experimental, retrospective analysis, this study ascertained whether public, regional HSIs that received a Title V grant achieved higher degree attainment compared to those that did not receive the grant. Secondary data from IPEDS was used to compare degree attainment rates between regional HSIs that received Title V grants and those that did not, from 2014 to 2023. The findings provide empirical evidence suggesting that Title V funding led to increased degree attainment. Notably, the most significant gains were observed among women and Hispanic women. However, the majority of subgroups demonstrated increases in graduation rates, indicating a positive association between Title V grants and degree completion within the specified timeframe
IMPLEMENTATION AND PERCEIVED IMPACT OF PERSONALIZED LEARNING IN A TEXAS INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL: AN INTERPRETATIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL ANALYSIS
No full textThis research combines a teaching case study of personalized learning implementation at a suburban Texas intermediate school with an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) examining teachers' perceptions of that implementation. The case study documents a campus's transition to personalized learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, while the IPA research explores the lived experiences of three educators who taught in both traditional and personalized learning environments. Analysis revealed significant implementation challenges including insufficient stakeholder involvement, inadequate support for diverse learners, and misalignment between platform curriculum and state assessment requirements. Teachers reported mixed achievement results, particularly concerning performance in higher-level categories on state assessments. Findings suggest successful implementation of personalized learning requires comprehensive planning, enhanced stakeholder engagement, improved resource allocation, and better alignment with state standards while preserving teacher autonomy
ADDRESSING DISPARITIES IN STEM DEGREE ATTAINMENT FOR UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITY STUDENTS
No full textThis paper synthesizes insights from two scholarly articles focused on the critical issue of STEM degree attainment among underrepresented minority students. The first scholarly article was a case study titled “Disparity in STEM Degree Attainment for Underrepresented Minority Students,” that explored the overarching challenges faced by one racially minoritized female student while pursuing a STEM degree at a predominantly white institution. Second was an empirical case study titled “Disparity in STEM Degree Attainment for Underrepresented Minority Students: How One Community College is Working to Increase Participation and Persistence for Degree-Seeking Underrepresented Minority Students.” This study provided a detailed examination of the strategies implemented by a community college to address this disparity, along with an overview of the current landscape and potential pathways for improvement. Through a review of documents provided by the college, secondary data from focus group interviews with students, and a factual interview with a faculty member, five themes emerged that may be instrumental in shaping a program’s successful implementation: faculty support, family support, teaching style, learning approach, and inclusivity. The findings aim to inform educators, policymakers, and stakeholders interested in advancing initiatives that promote diversity and success in STEM fields
What Is Essential Is Invisible To The Eye : Culturally Responsive Teaching As A Key To Unlocking Children\u27s Multiple Literacies
No full textRefugee students, language learners, and students in poverty are often viewed through a deficit model of everything they do not have in the way of school preparedness. However, many of them are survivors who possess courage and resilience. They also possess exceptional visual literacy developed through experiences with video and other images. Leveraging their visual literacy builds a bridge to help them understand text, which in turn helps them understand how literature reflects all of our experiences. Increased textual literacy helps students engage with vexing human questions. These questions form an inquiry base from which students can approach writing as an authentic task for self-expression. Student voice and culturally responsive teaching is valued in this model, which counters the experiences with failure that so many immigrant and low-income students learn when standardized testing is the focus of school. Inviting students to co-create literate spaces honors them, their families, and their cultures
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