Through a Critical Action Research (Hesse-Biber, 2017) study utilizing the sequential mixed method to examine the experiences of Black women leaders in corporate spaces in the U.S. by situating their experiences in national and local Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) data and delving into the nuanced experiences of four Black women previously…

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) accountability era mandated that teachers accommodate students with varying backgrounds and skill levels. As additional mandates are being placed on educators a growing number of these professionals are assuming teacher-leader roles in order to keep up with the constantly changing demands of their increased…

The role of school principals in shaping school culture is well recognized, yet barriers often prevent them from effectively influencing this critical aspect of educational leadership. This project investigates the perceptions of elementary principals regarding the barriers and behaviors that influence school culture. Using qualitative research…

Educational policy in the United States in the past decade has focused on eliminating the achievement gap by establishing legislation orienting educators toward research-based evidence and increased accountability at all levels of the system (Daly, Liou et al., 2014). Educational leaders play an important role in initiating and maintaining change,…

This study examined next generation business officers' (NGBOs) perceptions of their readiness for assuming the chief business officer role (CBO). Originally created in 1920, the CBO role has changed over the decades in response to changes in the higher education landscape. Once thought of as the person in the back office keeping the books, the CBO…

Teacher retention in the rural setting is a topic of concern. Teachers are choosing to leave the profession for a variety of reasons. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify factors teachers in a rural school district in Mississippi perceived as promoting teacher retention. Additionally, this study examined teachers' perceptions…

The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the leadership experiences of department chairs in for-profit, higher education institutions to identify effective leadership competencies for the role. The study utilized Gigliotti and Ruben's (2019) Two-dimensional Competency Approach for Effective Leadership and Ruben's Leadership Competency…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to discover crucial elements that serve as the foundation for developing effective, sustainable school-university partnerships within teacher preparation programs. This study employed an instrumental case study guided by the distributed leadership theory to understand the operational leadership process of…

While food insecurity among college students has existed for decades, only in recent years has the focus on the impact of food insecurity on student success emerged. However, most of the research has been quantitative, conducted at public two-year and four-year colleges and focused on predictors, prevalence, and impact of food insecurity among…

Once leaders of one-room schoolhouses, principals' roles have expanded to instructional commanders over complex public-school structures (Hallinger, 1992). As the roles and responsibilities of the school principal evolve and grow, more support for school leaders is necessary. Coaching has been defined as a "supportive model for systems…

Trust is never more important than during a crisis. For years, researchers have been studying trust in organizations and schools, focusing on the principal and teacher relationship and its impact on school climate. The literature has been less focused, however, on the superintendent and principal relationship--and the role trust plays within that…

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of middle managers in non-academic units within higher education institutions in Illinois, and how their roles impact decision making and strategic planning at the institution. Middle management is defined as a position in organizational hierarchies 'between the…

School districts face the problem of superintendents who have several demanding, fragmented, and competing roles and who lack the knowledge of learning theory and the skills for collaborative instructional leadership needed to guide instructional improvement. The purpose of this single case study was to address the instructional leadership role of…

Utilizing a phenomenological approach, this dissertation explores how principals perceive and use their roles in developing and maintaining inclusive special education programs. Specifically, this study has examined principals' beliefs and ideals in decision-making to support inclusion in classrooms. Its goal is to provide insight into principals'…

There continues to be a problem with schools being able to effectively address the increase in student mental health issues and school shootings. America's educational system is under attack because some students decided to enter schools armed and prepared to inflict harm by killing students and staff members instead of learning. A need for this…