Since the early 1990's funding K-12 public education in Oklahoma has faced trials and tribulations. The purpose of this study was to understand, through the lens of Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), factors that elected educators have experienced that have influenced their ability and their motivation to affect increased funding for education…

The qualitative case study exposed the permanence of racism beginning in the antebellum public schools of Nashville and continued in the current actions in the Tennessee legislature with the expulsion of two Black male legislators. Critical race theory is used as the main descriptor for the actions of White politicians and legislators in Tennessee…

During both the United States 2016 Presidential Election and the 2018 Mid-term Congressional Election, voter registration and voter participation rates showed significant improvements over previous trends in voters ages 18-29. This study aimed to understand the various environmental factors, campus features, and educational interventions used by…

In this dissertation, I analyze the development and dissemination of state-level policies to prohibit colleges from considering criminal history for purposes of admissions otherwise known as ban the box in higher education. This research engages with practical and instructive questions of how individuals or coalitions can learn from other policy…

While little research has been conducted on Asian undocumented students in higher education, it was the powerful story of an Asian undocumented high school student, Tereza Lee, that inspired Senator Richard Durbin to co-author immigration legislation known as the 2001 DREAM Act. Tereza's story represents an important counter-story to what many…

The purpose of this dissertation was to provide teachers, principals, district administrators, and local, state, and national legislators with an understanding of what the perception is of Hispanic American Immigrant parents regarding their access to parental engagement and agency through the American public school system, specifically elementary…

This study applied quantitative research methods by employing a descriptive research design to collect data from Members of the House of the 111th Tennessee General Assembly regarding their use and perceived importance of information sources to detect the existence of potential controversy or areas of disagreement within the member's environment…

State budgeting and resource allocation has been a complex process due to the demands of lobbyists for such strongly disputable priorities such as K-12 education, Medicaid, corrections, transportation, and health and human services. Funds, appropriated to institutions of higher education, are typically more delicate to the condition of the economy…

This dissertation is comprised of three studies that investigate the implications and determinants of public funding for universities. The first chapter lays down the foundation for the other two studies. I discuss how state-level policies, as determined by legislators, represent a pivotal component of firms' non-market strategies that have direct…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore the attitudes, subjective norms, and behavioral intentions of Maryland state legislators regarding a tuition-free community college education in the State of Maryland. All members of the Maryland House of Delegates and the Maryland State Senate were surveyed. The theoretical lens, which guides…

With state legislatures across the nation decreasing funding in higher education, many higher education administrators are seeking new and creative ways to increase funding and decrease waste in colleges and universities. Since the Great Recession, very little research has been conducted toward the Alabama Legislature and its important link to…

This quantitative study examined the perceptions of members of Oklahoma public higher education governing boards and legislators concerning higher education governance. The purpose of this study was to gain a greater understanding among the participants as to the role governing boards should play in the system. The population for the study…

This study is a structural analysis of Texas law and policy processes relating to college and career readiness with emphasis on Hispanics and implications for educators. The study is presented in two separate, but related articles. The first article (chapter two) reports on the structural limitations of crafting Texas statutes that created college…

In Illinois, Senate Bill 100 was known in the statutes as Public Act 99-0456, took effect September, 15, 2016. Illinois State Senator Kimberly Lightford and Illinois State Representative William Davis both sponsored Senate Bill 100. Senator Lightford said, "We're moving toward a disciplinary system that prioritizes educating students by…

This dissertation is an exploratory case study of senior women who work at an unnamed State Legislature at all levels from clerical to elected legislator. The senior women explained why they remain in the workforce and how education impacts that decision. The older women in this study explain remaining in the workforce for one of two reasons:…