When looking at large, urban school districts across America, one may observe many common issues that act as limitations for students. However, when taking a closer look at the data, each district and school has unique barriers that impact students and families. This study focuses on Buffalo City School District (BCSD), the second largest school…

This dissertation in practice (DiP) was conducted to address the absence of a district-coordinated effort aligning Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and real-world project-based learning (PBL) with intentional community partnerships in Anaya Independent School District (ISD). The study aimed to develop a community outreach framework that can be…

Since at least the 1960s, federal and state policymakers have debated how best to hold public schools accountable for producing graduates who are prepared to fully participate in our democratic society. Since that time, reform efforts have led to Texas' current test-based A-F accountability system. This qualitative case study explored how one…

Many school districts, particularly in inner-city communities, face numerous barriers to students' academic success. Unfortunately, the school paradigm is not constructed to address the glaring social/emotional conditions affecting millions of children (Anderson-Butcher et al., 2017). As a result, educators and social reformers have urged school…

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore community engagement experiences as perceived by board members, the superintendent, and community members in a high-performing school district in North Texas. Interviews with ten participants (five current school board members, one past school board member, one district superintendent, and…

Rural school success is crucial for the Nebraska education system. Without rural schools, many students and families would be without access to high quality educational opportunities. Despite the importance of rural education, the number of rural schools in Nebraska continues to decline, and "one thing is clear from academic research on rural…

The purpose of the current study was to explore how superintendents in small, rural districts in Texas utilized the various resources of professional networks to navigate leadership during the crisis caused by COVID-19. When faced with a crisis, superintendents lead the district's response and provide guidance and reassurance for the school…

This study of a multi-district superintendency in rural Minnesota reveals how schools act as spaces where community boundaries expand as a result of partnership and collaboration. The project, informed by grounded theory, seeks to fill a key gap in understanding the experiences of school staff and community members in multi-district resource…

The examination of perceptions of district-related community stakeholders regarding governance in an underserved, suburban school district provides a snapshot of key concerns of the age. This research utilized a comprehensive, multi-pronged qualitative approach involving interviews and focus groups to uncover facets of this district's governance…

In 2014, California voters passed the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act, which was designed to shift the focus from housing and holding criminals towards prevention and support programs for K-12 schools. The California State Legislature established the Learning Communities for School Success Program (LCSSP) grant for the purpose of allocating…

The purpose of this research was to determine what a school district in Texas does to have consistent bond approval passages. The qualitative research consisted of three interviews that included six questions to district senior staff participants who closely work on school bonds. Research showed that the district relies on guided and established…

The public often makes judgements about schools and what happens within them, despite rarely setting foot inside of one. Prior research finds that the public relies on word-of-mouth, news media, and online resources that rate and rank schools in order to make decisions. Notably though, much of the existing literature predates the widespread usage…

In this study, I explored professional learning community sustainability at the school, district, and state levels. Researchers have found that professional learning communities are a means of effective professional learning for teachers and a vital factor in increased student achievement. However, there is very little multi-case research…

Despite the number of students and the growing diversity of the students served by rural districts, a lack of research exists on rural district systems to support the continuous improvement of schools. The lack of understanding around systems for rural district improvement stands to exacerbate long-standing inequities for rural communities. Using…

Cross-sector education collaborations, sometimes termed "collective impact" or "cradle-to-career" initiatives, have emerged in recent years across the U.S. as local interventions attempting to align services among educational institutions, local government, businesses, other community-based organizations, and philanthropies to…