Teacher retention is a challenge for schools across the country. For private and independent schools, teacher attrition is twice that of public and charter schools. The rate of teacher attrition has increased dramatically attributable to the global pandemic, making this a critical issue for K-12 education. Using an Improvement Science approach,…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify leadership qualities and practices that nurture relationships in school settings. The central question framing this study was: "What leadership tools and traits foster effective relationships in rural school communities?" I conducted semi-structured interviews in a small Northwestern…

This study explores teacher perception of teacher leadership and the influence of teachers on school culture. The study addresses a gap in scholarship regarding the perception of teachers (not administrators) on these issues. The research questions that guided this dissertation structured its analysis by limiting the data to information that…

School personnel across the United States are developing additional teacher leadership roles to improve professional learning and retain effective teachers. More information is needed concerning how middle school principals are guiding the development of teacher leaders in their schools. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore…

This applied action research with program evaluation aimed to determine if teacher-led professional development and empowerment initiatives such as the Teacher Leader Collaborative (TLC) contributed to a group of teachers' efficacy and professional growth to reduce teacher turnover of English Language Arts (ELA) teachers at Bernard Williams Middle…

In response to addressing the increasing requirements to enhance the competencies of students and teachers, as well as the quality of schools in the global environment, the need for fostering teacher leadership has been proposed by many scholars and practitioners. School context is regarded as an important influence on the successful development…

In response to addressing the increasing requirements to enhance the competencies of students and teachers, as well as the quality of schools in the global environment, the need for fostering teacher leadership has been proposed by many scholars and practitioners. School context is regarded as an important influence on the successful development…

In response to addressing the increasing requirements to enhance the competencies of students and teachers, as well as the quality of schools in the global environment, the need for fostering teacher leadership has been proposed by many scholars and practitioners. School context is regarded as an important influence on the successful development…

In response to addressing the increasing requirements to enhance the competencies of students and teachers, as well as the quality of schools in the global environment, the need for fostering teacher leadership has been proposed by many scholars and practitioners. School context is regarded as an important influence on the successful development…

While many studies have analyzed educational hiring practices through the lenses of recruitment, retention, and promotions, this qualitative dissertation study examined the experiences that Black educators endure in their journeys into leadership positions. Qualitative interviews allowed Black educators to speak their truths on policies,…

Nationally, collective teacher efficacy (CTE) has been correlated with higher levels of student achievement. The problem addressed through this study was that local school district leaders have been unsuccessful in cultivating CTE through the district's collaborative planning process. Guided by the enabling conditions of CTE, the purpose of this…

The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of three middle school English language arts teachers whose social justice orientation shaped the ways they acted as teacher leaders. The decision to focus on English teachers as school leaders was a response to the narrowing of literacy education in the age of standardization (Brass,…

The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of professional learning communities by comparing practices and strategies of content and grade level teams in middle schools. Utilizing data from student assessment, comparison of teams in this middle school was conducted to determine practices and conversations that have an impact on…

How educational leaders initiate and sustain change is often hotly debated by those inside and outside of the system. Given the many reform initiatives of the past 30 years, and the resulting changes public educators have made lurching from initiative to initiative, one must ask if public education has truly improved. The answer to why public…

Reading proficiency is crucial to academic success across all content areas. This study takes a close look at student reading achievement over the course of one full school year and the impact that the quality of teacher-student interactions have on student reading growth at the middle school level. The middle school level students participating…