The purpose of this study was to examine the ascension patterns and experiences of past and present female board of trustee chairpersons at independent institutions in a southeastern state. Although females continue to account for more of the college student population and obtain more degrees than males, females are severely underrepresented in…

This study examines the impact of school leadership on the experience of the novice educator. If the teacher shortage epidemic is ultimately rooted in attrition, it is important to understand the factors that contribute to this mass exodus (Ingersoll, 2001). While much has been written about this flight from the teacher perspective, it has not…

Providing effective administrative leadership that has a positive impact on student achievement often is problematic for school principals. Research suggests that collaboration and shared decision making are functions of effective leadership, and according to the premises of effective school instructional leadership, leadership should change with…

The demands of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) increase each year, requiring all students to be proficient in all subjects by 2014. Due to NCLB legislation, schools sense additional pressure to meet national and state standards. This legislation not only expanded the role of the federal government, but it also increased the pressure on schools to…

This study utilized data gleaned from on-line surveys of primary level teachers and elementary school principals to understand what principals need to know and be able to do to support teachers in their instruction of reading for English Language Learners (ELLs). A review of five areas of literature provided a theoretical foundation for this…

While community colleges have historically received their funding from federal and state sources, the availability of these funds have been declining significantly over the last ten years, driving them to seek alternative funding. Critical to this is the creation of "advancement initiatives," and therein development offices, which are…

Teachers' expertise in literacy education has a direct impact on children's success in elementary school, yet school principals can also serve a major role by supporting the teachers' abilities to develop literacy expertise by facilitating the implementation of practices grounded in literacy theory and supporting teachers as they acquire and apply…

Literature verifies that Native American students are not graduating at a comparable rate as students from other ethnic groups. Furthermore, studies that focus solely on the persistence and completion rates for Native American students are fewer than for students who identify with other racial/ethnic groups. This research explored the inner…

This qualitative research study explored the perceptions of educators in five small rural high schools regarding meeting the literacy needs of ninth-grade struggling readers in rural settings. Data were obtained from state school report cards, confidential interviews, and anonymous online surveys. Thirteen interview participants provided 91…

The revised Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA, 2004) has offered a change of practice regarding the identification of students with a learning disability. Under IDEA (2004) educators are encouraged to use Response to Intervention (RTI) as a method to determine eligibility for special education services. In an RTI…

Research has indicated that developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) should be applied to manage behavioral problems in school age children. However, little evidence exists on the extent to which elementary school principals apply these practices appropriately in student discipline. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how…

This two-phase exploratory study examined department chairs' perspectives of online learning in a California community college district and examined if differences existed in This two-phase exploratory study examined department chairs' perspectives of online learning in a California community college district and examined if differences existed in…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine professional leadership experiences of college deans of education with formal and informal mentoring in the course of their career progression at 4-year nonprofit private colleges and universities in California. Methodology: Using a mixed-methods approach that emphasized the qualitative data…

The mandates of the federal law "No Child Left Behind," enacted in 2002, have placed tremendous pressure on school principals in this current era of unprecedented accountability. Because of the increasing number of targeted schools, the rigid standards of federal legislation, and the punitive consequences imposed by accountability…

Urban middle schools have demonstrated low academic performance for many consecutive years. These schools "feed" students directly into urban high schools with high numbers academically under-performing. This contributes to the high drop-out rates within many city school systems throughout the state of California. Within five major urban…