This quantitative, exploratory study examined the budget decisions made by administrative leaders and academic leaders at 15 Pennsylvania community colleges as measured by the Budget Criteria Instrument (BDCI). Sixty-two leaders ranked 15 budget criteria items on the 4-point Likert scale used by the BDCI and the responses were analyzed based on…

The issue of teacher shortages has long been a concern in schools across the nation. Currently, the majority of states have reported persistent shortages, with special education experiencing the most severe gaps. The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of school climate on teacher retention in special education schools. Special…

This qualitative case study explored the relationship between teachers' trust of their principals and their decisions to implement feedback. Four tenured teachers who teach in a public school district in Pennsylvania participated in the study. Through semi-structured interviews, participants shared their experiences receiving feedback and their…

This phenomenological study aimed to examine the perspective of teacher experiences that affected their absenteeism in a specific school district in Pennsylvania. Participants were asked, via semi-structured interview protocols, to report on the experiences of absenteeism and how these experiences affected their decision to be absent from the…

Education is an opportunity for students, alongside educational leaders to learn and embrace strengths and build upon areas for growth. It is the role and responsibility of school administrators to help create a framework for leading students through each educational milestone of their K-12 career. School principals and assistant principals should…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify decision-making factors from parents of Southeast Rural School District (SRSD) who chose to transfer their children to one of 14 cyber charter schools within Pennsylvania amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. This research study utilized a phenomenological design, consisting of qualitative electronic…

Pregnant and parenting teenagers in the United States face academic, social, and emotional hardships (Baney et al., 2022; Kinser & Masho, 2015; Masterson et al., 2021). Schools, programs, and policies can aid pregnant and parenting students by alleviating burdens or improving schooling outcomes (Brouwer et al., 2019; Modesto, 2018; Zief et…

The first goal of this study was to better understand the differences between rural and urban students' selection of academic program upon entering a public university in Pennsylvania. The second goal of this study was to better understand if particular academic programs impacted rural to urban migrations after graduating from the university. The…

Pennsylvania has experienced a significant reduction in certified K-12 school librarian positions. This exploratory sequential mixed methods research study explored principal decision-making impacting K-12 school library programming. 30 survey participants and 8 interview participants located across 3 IUs in PA took part in this research study.…

High school graduates who opt for labor-based unionized positions, versus matriculating, are typically viewed as unable to matriculate, less intelligent and a myriad of other less desirable qualities. Current literature fails to showcase the decision-making experiences of unionized men who did not matriculate. There is also a gap regarding…

In 2018, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) enacted a new law called Act 44, which provided new form of funding for school safety in school districts across the State of Pennsylvania. The study focused on how school superintendents and high school principals prioritized each category in Pennsylvania Act 44 from highest to the lowest…

This qualitative case study explored the perceptions of hiring administrators in a suburban Pennsylvania school district regarding the influence of the Danielson Framework for Teaching (DFT) on the district teacher hiring practices. At the time of this study, research had shown that, out of all other factors, teachers had the largest influence on…

This phenomenological study provides insight into the experiences of public-school board directors as they experience, cognitively process, and respond to religious-based reasoning during deliberations on controversial issues while serving in their elected role at school board meetings. Understanding how elected public-school district directors…

Using data to inform decision-making in the educational environment has increased over the last decade due to accountability requirements at the federal, state, and local level (Bernhardt, 2013; Datnow & Hubbard, 2016; Garland, 2014; Mandinach & Gummer, 2016; McKay, 2018; Wayman, 2005). While research supported the inclusion of data in…

This paper examines the critical decision-making that occurred within community college IT leadership within the commonwealth of Pennsylvania during the first year of the COVID pandemic. The research utilized semi-structured interviews with IT leadership within 10 of the 13 qualifying community colleges. The study, through qualitative thematical…