University-based certificate programs for students with intellectual disabilities have grown in number since the passing of the Higher Education Opportunities Act (HEOA) in 2008. The Comprehensive Transition Program (CTP) designation and Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (TPSID) grant were created…

In 2012, the Council of Inspectors General for Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) published the Blue Book that identified a framework for the Inspections and Evaluations (I&E) sub-community to the greater federal oversight community. These standards, or competencies, are the criteria for this applied research, which is designed to assist the…

The purpose of this study was to ascertain which personal characteristics and professional skills differentiate female superintendents from school board presidents during the hiring process of a new superintendent. Input from practicing Louisiana public school superintendents and school board presidents was obtained in this quantitative study.…

Superintendents, human resources personnel, and principals are under immense pressure to ensure that their students perform well on standardized tests due to school accountability and school grades. This pressure is magnified for principals who are leaders of high poverty, high minority, Title I schools. These principals are constantly trying to…

The transition of a college or university president is inevitable. Presidential tenure is becoming shorter and turnover becoming more commonplace at private and public higher educational institutions. Thriving higher education institutions rely on effective leadership to navigate critical areas such as enrollment, financial health, and…

The scholarly application of representative bureaucracy (RB) theories to research on public school systems has explored the connections between the race of teachers and administrators to policy outputs and student outcomes, suggesting own-race effects between teachers and students positively impact student outcomes accepted as susceptible to…

This convergent parallel mixed-methods study examined the factors affecting teacher recruitment and retention, and explored teachers' and administrators' perceptions about the obstacles and opportunities they encounter during the hiring process. The researcher used a purposeful convenience sampling method in recruiting participants; a total of 49…

Quality bilingual teachers are needed to close achievement gaps for students who are English Learners (ELs). The problem addressed in this study focused on finding strategies through teachers' experiences for effectively recruiting and retaining elementary bilingual teachers. The purpose of this qualitative study with a phenomenological research…

Black women's pathway into the professoriate is an area of academic research that has been largely understudied. Contemporary research investigating the lack of representation of Black women in the professoriate reveal that the underrepresentation of Black women in faculty positions is the result of complex and intersecting factors, including…

Throughout history, women have played an important role in the field of education. Women have served mostly in the realm of teaching but have steadily fought to become school leaders. The number of women principals has increased over time; however, the number of women who serve has high school principals has only grown marginally. This…

Proponents of social justice and equity in higher education declare a need to embed diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices into curricula, student support services, hiring practices and professional development, as well as system-wide mechanisms for students, faculty, and staff of color to better care for and retain an increasingly…

This dissertation examines gatekeeping in educational administration hiring decisions. I conducted a resume audit study with educational administrators from Kansas to understand gender biases in hiring decisions for administrative roles. This study found evidence of gatekeeping that favored men from subjective evaluation of candidate hireability…

There are a growing number of zoo science degree programs in the US, designed to prepare entry level employees for a zoo or aquarium career that includes animal care, conservation, and public education. These bachelor's degree and associate degree programs include a focus on many areas of science as well as a variety of practical knowledge.…

One of the most important endeavors a school board will complete is the hiring of a district superintendent. This study focused on Northwest Arkansas school board members' perceptions of criteria used for hiring practices and review how or if they align with the professional leadership standards. The research concentrated on the 16 Northwest…

This study applies the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) framework for eScience professionals to data service positions in academic libraries. Understanding the KSAs needed to provide data services is of crucial concern. The current study looks at KSAs of data professionals working in the United States academic libraries. An exploratory…