This qualitative case study examines the perceptions of rural school leaders regarding their decision-making and utility of school improvement plans in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Semi-structured interviews were used to document the perceptions of four school principals and two district administrators in Celebration School District (a…

Traditionally, models of instructional leadership espouse data-informed decision making in response to student assessment outcomes as one of the core school leader behaviors. In recent years, rising expectations from accountability policies and related assessment practices have myriad implications for school districts, specifically in the areas of…

School reform and turnaround efforts have been in the public eye since the signing of the Elementary and Secondary Act (ESEA) into law by President Lyndon Baines Johnson in 1965. Research has been focused on the School Improvement Grant, as well as the essential components that improve performance of schools. This qualitative case examines one…

Teacher leadership has been widely studied by researchers aiming to understand teachers' roles in school improvement and professional learning. Researchers have determined that teacher leaders can work to increase professional learning and support school improvement. The first purpose of this study was to investigate the types of roles teacher…

The 2001 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), No Child Left Behind, brought the use of student assessment data to the fore. This mandate-based and sanction-laden legislation ushered in a new era of accountability rooted in the collection, analysis, and use of student assessment data for educational improvements. As…

Teachers' perceptions of their school leaders influence student achievement in their schools. The extent of this influence is examined in this study. This quantitative study examined teachers' perceptions of the leadership style of their principals as transformational, transactional or passive-avoidant in improving and non-improving schools in…

This dissertation examines the parental involvement policies and programs of the Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS), the country's fourth largest school district. Through a holistic case research methodology, it explores the multiple perspectives and practices of district- and school-level employees who are charged with involving families…