Charter schools have witnessed significant growth in the United States, accompanied by increased diversity among student populations. However, Southern Nevada charter schools diverge from national trends, enrolling a less racially and socioeconomically diverse student population. This study examined factors that shape charter school leaders'…

Graduating high school is an important key predictor of this nation's ability to remain globally competitive and a person's long-term financial and social success. At the macrolevel, graduation rates impact a nation's post-secondary education participation, which has been found to be a key indicator of its ability to compete in a global economy.…

To determine if demography impacted the success of graduate students in the online learning environment, this non-experimental study used age, gender, ethnicity, enrollment status, financial dependency, employment status, program (master's or doctoral), and marital status as the independent variables to determine their impact on four dependent…

This dissertation is comprised of three essays, all of which focus on various impacts of economic recession. The first two essays utilize county-level data to examine differences between rural and urban response to economic downturn, while the final essay makes use of individual-level data to examine the impact of recession on enrollment in higher…

The open access mission is central to the community college role and mission in higher education. Although initially implemented by four-year colleges and universities, adoption of formal enrollment management initiatives in community colleges is on the increase. Admission, matriculation, retention, and persistence are affected by enrollment…

This study analyzed the plausibility of merging school districts in New York State. The study considered how consolidation impacts finance, instruction, demographics, and enrollment for 56 public schools in Nassau County of the Long Island region of New York State. It also draws comparisons for county-, township-, and regionally-based school…

In 2000, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) adopted Closing the Gaps by 2015: The Texas Higher Education Plan. This new master plan set goals for Texas higher education in participation, success, research, and excellence. The plan acknowledged a shortfall related to projected demographic shifts in both the number of degrees and…

Extensive research has been conducted on students pursuing degrees off-campus; however, limited studies have been directed to explain the growing practice of students enrolling in courses and degrees at off-campus degree centers. The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the organizational issues related to governance and management of…

This study examined the influence that previously researched and affirmed persistence and early withdrawal factors such as student demographics, enrollment status factors, student characteristics, and student educational goals had on Iowa community college retention rates for the 2005, 2007, and 2009 academic years. It is the researcher's…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to compare the educational effectiveness of online versus in-class computer literacy courses, and examine the impact, if any, of student demographics (delimited to gender, age, work status, father and mother education, and enrollment status). Institutions are seeking ways to produce technologically…

This study uses a mixed methods research design to explore the relationship between institutional financial aid practice and graduation rates at a subset of private, non-profit four-year colleges and universities and explores how institutions prioritize allocations to financial aid within the framework of institutional mission, culture, and…

Research self-efficacy refers to a person's confidence in their ability to perform research activities (Bailey, 1999; Bard et al., 2000; Deemer, 2010; Holden et al., 1999; Kahn, 2001; Mulliken et al., 2007; Phillips et al., 2004; Unrau & Beck, 2004, Unrau & Grinnel, 2005). Little has been written on this topic in relation to Counselor…

This study aimed to identify which engineering school characteristics relate to higher advanced degree production rates for women and underrepresented minorities (URMs). Data from the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), "U.S. News and World Report" ("USNWR") rankings of engineering graduate programs, Integrated…

This study examined the extent to which participation in a formal network has on a principal's personal perception of burnout as measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory for Educators (MBI-E). The MBI-E consists of 22 questions with responses indicated on a 7 point Likert scale ranging from 0-6. It measures three constructs of emotional…

The superintendent is the most visible figure in a school district and subject to the greatest stress and public scrutiny (Fullan, 1998; Jazzar & Kimball, 2004). The nature of the position is highly complex and requires a skilled leader to be able to navigate intricacies of public education (Byrd, Drews, & Johnson, 2006). Thus, the most…