Schools and districts in Pennsylvania continue to experience a gap between the demographic diversity of their students and staffs. Culturally responsive practices are an important approach bridging the gap between PA's teachers and increasingly diverse students and communities. This qualitative study was guided by three research questions: What…

The COVID-19 pandemic that took the world by storm in 2020 had a large-scale effect not only on the world, but also on the field of education. Most educational systems were not equipped to address the needs of the students, families, faculty, staff, and community as they related to education. This study explores the administrative response to the…

Eighteen percent of principals leave their posts annually, according to the most recent federal data. Departing principals cite inadequate preparation and professional development as a key reason for leaving. Yet principal preparation programs have been slow to keep up with the changing demands of the profession. This policy update shares how…

When schools across the United States suspended in-person instruction in an attempt to mitigate the spread of what would become the COVID-19 pandemic, many school districts implemented continuity of education plans that relied on the use of technology. This sudden shift in the method of delivering education has the potential to have lasting…

The accessibility and use of the internet and technological devices for students in all grade levels have increased exponentially. Schools vary in their organizational approach to digital citizenship education. The overall organizational structure depends heavily on the available human resources within each organization. This study aims to…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to assess the relationship between volunteer leadership competencies and stewardship action-taking experiences among Master Gardener (MG) and Master Watershed (MW) volunteers during the COVID-19 pandemic. We collected data from 1196 Penn State Extension MG and MW respondents. The mean summative score for…

This dissertation details a qualitative case study regarding building-based leadership in schools with established 1:1 technology programs of 3 or more years in length. The researcher reviewed relevant literature. For the study, the researcher administered a screening survey to teachers in Southwestern Pennsylvania to identify 1:1 programs meeting…

Finding dedicated administrators who affect change in a positive K-12 school culture is a necessity for growth in our current society (Spicer, 2016). The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between a school principal's grit and the culture of their building within K-12 public schools. Given the challenges that school principals…

This phenomenological study explored behaviors identified as stress indicators and thinking errors among preservice Education majors at a college in southcentral, Pennsylvania. Data review ascertained the number and type of incidents by which the students engaged in said behaviors, and conversely, in opportunities to combat stressors by utilizing…

A leadership academy is a formal professional learning opportunity for current school leaders, focused on augmenting knowledge and skills, increasing specialization, and refreshing leadership practices. States interested in supporting leadership academies through federal or other funding sources can look to current models of leadership academies…

Capital investment on community college campuses had grown increasingly tricky to calculate correctly even before the coronavirus pandemic, as enrollment fluctuated, more students took online courses and employer needs continuously changed. To date, COVID-19 hasn't radically altered anyone's planning. But with that added factor thrown into the…

This article is one of the few empirical studies exploring the "dark side" of ethical leadership. Using Oplatka's Irresponsible Leadership as an unethical leadership framework, the qualitative study explores how teachers conceptualize and experience unethical administrative leadership at their respective schools in the United States.…

This study explored the ways in which the race-gendered identities and lived experiences of Black male K-12 public and independent school leaders inform their leadership in support of students, community, and village. The study draws from critical theories and perspectives, including a framework of Black Masculine Caring (BMC), critical race…

Nearly a quarter of all undergraduate students in the U.S. are parents. All parents, especially younger parents and those returning to school after years in the workforce, face a system that was not designed to accommodate their needs as caretakers. The needs of student parents have become even more acute during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has…

In this article, the authors describe how five institutions have employed the dynamic relationship between university-wide leadership efforts (the macro level); interactions and initiatives within the school, college, or department (the meso level); and efforts by individual instructors and activists (the micro level) to create change at their…