In response to the federal Race to the Top grant initiative that aimed to increase teacher accountability, the state of Tennessee created the Tennessee Student Growth Portfolio Model (TSGPM) to evaluate its non-tested teachers. This optional alternate evaluation model for non-tested teachers was developed and piloted by fine arts educators in the…

This dissertation examines the impact of the Teacher Effectiveness and Accountability for the Children of New Jersey (TEACHNJ) Act on teacher tenure revocation in New Jersey. Employing a qualitative content analysis approach, the study analyzes 270 arbitration decisions from 2012 to 2023 to identify the specific legislative provisions that most…

Teacher decision-making has been widely studied; however, teacher decision-making specifically with students who have been identified as aggressive has not. This qualitative case study investigated teacher decision-making with three traditional public-school K-12 teachers through case study methodology. Data were gathered through a semi-structured…

Foucauldian genealogy provides a space to think differently. Through an analysis of policy documents from the field of education and practitioner-oriented publications in the field of art education from 1983 to 2019, this genealogical dissertation traced the emergence of teacher effectiveness as a normalized discourse in educational policy and…

The term engagement appears in teacher effectiveness models as well as state and federal legislation, including the most recent reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Schools Act of 1965 (ESEA), known as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), enacted in 2015. Legislators and administrators have charged teachers with engaging all students…

Researchers have just scratched the surface in terms of the applicability of social cognitive theory to the work of the school principal specifically in an era of high stakes accountability mandates. The purpose of this qualitative study was to better understand school principals' self-efficacy regarding their leadership capabilities as they are…

The turn toward public accountability for educator preparation programs (EPPs) has been met with both optimism that public scrutiny will improve the quality of teacher education and concern over a perceived disconnect between public accountability tools and effective teacher preparation. This study examines the impact of the accountability metrics…

The turn toward public accountability for educator preparation programs (EPPs) has been met with both optimism that public scrutiny will improve the quality of teacher education and concern over a perceived disconnect between public accountability tools and effective teacher preparation. This study examines the impact of the accountability metrics…

The turn toward public accountability for educator preparation programs (EPPs) has been met with both optimism that public scrutiny will improve the quality of teacher education and concern over a perceived disconnect between public accountability tools and effective teacher preparation. This study examines the impact of the accountability metrics…

The demand for public accountability in U.S. higher education has risen since the beginning of the 20th century. To meet these expectations, colleges and universities undergo institutional accreditation reviews to ensure they meet accountability and quality assurance requirements. This increased focus on institutional accreditation has prompted a…

The academic opportunity gap has been in place since the integration of Black and White students. The United States Landscape of Education continues to create ways to close this gap and improve education for students who are not a part of the dominant culture; and although much research has been placed in the field, the gap is still there. Please…

What motivates people? Daniel Pink explored this concept his book Drive (2009) and found purpose, autonomy, mastery, and connectedness are key ingredients to motivating people and increasing personal satisfaction. The purpose of this capstone is to introduce a coaching model for administrators to use that complements the existing teacher…

In a time when public schools continue to be scrutinized, school leadership never mattered more in order to exercise school reform. This qualitative study examined how five principals working in an urban school district perceived their evaluation and how it contributed to their practice. I applied a descriptive case study approach. Evaluations can…

In many countries, teacher evaluation has been viewed as a policy lever to improve the quality of teaching and student achievement. Recent research suggests that teacher evaluation can also be implemented as a mechanism for professional growth with careful consideration of the organizational context. However, few studies have examined the way in…

The purpose of this action research study was to examine how teachers embedded in cultures of accountability, performance, and rewards, attempted to maintain integrity and professionalism in their instructional choices, with administrators as supportive partners. In addition, I aimed to explore how teachers and administrators balance power…