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- All Subjects: Educational leadership
- Creators: Appleton, Nicholas
- Member of: Theses and Dissertations
Description
In 2005, the Navajo Sovereignty in Education Act was signed into law by the Navajo Nation. Like the No Child Left Behind Act, this Navajo Nation legislation was as much a policy statement as it was a law. It marked the first time that the Navajo Nation linked sovereignty with education by expressing its intent to control all education within its exterior boundaries. The objective of the law was to create a department of education that would resemble the states of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah in which the Navajo Nation resides. Through their department of education, the Navajo Nation would operate the educational functions for its populace. This study looked at the implications and impact that perspectives of this law would have on public schools within Arizona from the perspective of five superintendents in Arizona public schools within the Navajo Nation were gained through open-ended interviews. It examined the legal, fiscal, and curricular issues through the prism of sovereignty. Through the process of interviews utilizing a set of guided questions in a semi-structured format, five superintendents in Arizona public schools within the Navajo Nation shared their perspectives. Analysis of the five interviews revealed curriculum, funding, jurisdictional, and fear or mistrust as problems the Navajo Nation will need to overcome if it is to begin full control of all aspects of education within its boundaries. There is a strong need for the Department of Dine' Education to educate public schools with regards to the Navajo Nation Sovereignty in Education Act of 2005. Administrators need more training in tribal governments. Like the constitution, the Navajo Sovereignty in Education Act will be interpreted differently by different people. But, without action, it will be ignored. Within the Act's pages are the hopes of the Navajo Nation and the dreams for our young Navajo students.
ContributorsRoessel, Karina A (Author) / Appleton, Nicholas (Thesis advisor) / Spencer, Dee Ann (Thesis advisor) / Wauneka, Jacquelyne (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2011
Description
ABSTRACT
Past research has determined the glass ceiling is still unbroken and that few women hold top positions as administrators as opposed to men. Men continue to dominate women in occupations of superintendent and secondary principals of schools. Cultural beliefs and traditions set limitations for Navajo female administrators regarding the taboo of “women can’t lead” mentality. The research questions in this study addressed perceived obstacles and barriers facing Navajo female school administrators, the extent Navajo female administrators believe Navajo beliefs limit their career advancement, and if Navajo female administrators believe they encounter more obstacles than their male counterparts.
Data were collected from 30 Navajo female administrators in public and bureau-operated schools in New Mexico. The survey consisted of 21 questions in a Likert-scale format with restricted responses, accessed on a Survey Monkey website. Results of the survey indicated that the respondents generally believed their career choice and opportunities were supported. However, approximately a quarter of the respondents believed support and opportunities were limited. And the overall data suggest there is room for improvement in all areas. In spite of the negative views, the respondents believe other women should be encouraged to go into school administration.
Past research has determined the glass ceiling is still unbroken and that few women hold top positions as administrators as opposed to men. Men continue to dominate women in occupations of superintendent and secondary principals of schools. Cultural beliefs and traditions set limitations for Navajo female administrators regarding the taboo of “women can’t lead” mentality. The research questions in this study addressed perceived obstacles and barriers facing Navajo female school administrators, the extent Navajo female administrators believe Navajo beliefs limit their career advancement, and if Navajo female administrators believe they encounter more obstacles than their male counterparts.
Data were collected from 30 Navajo female administrators in public and bureau-operated schools in New Mexico. The survey consisted of 21 questions in a Likert-scale format with restricted responses, accessed on a Survey Monkey website. Results of the survey indicated that the respondents generally believed their career choice and opportunities were supported. However, approximately a quarter of the respondents believed support and opportunities were limited. And the overall data suggest there is room for improvement in all areas. In spite of the negative views, the respondents believe other women should be encouraged to go into school administration.
ContributorsBecenti, Juanita (Author) / Appleton, Nicholas (Thesis advisor) / Spencer, Dee (Committee member) / Becenti-Begay, Mamie (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2016
Description
ABSTRACT
School discipline practices have traditionally been reactive and punitive in nature. Students violating a school district’s code of conduct were often met with exclusionary discipline policies such as out-of-school suspensions, long-term suspensions, and expulsions. Districts attempted to resolve these practices by creating alternative education schools to house students with high numbers of office discipline referrals, rather than have them withdrawn from school. This practice has created in some instances, a school-to-prison pipeline. In this study, for 2015-2016, there were 22 students previously enrolled in the district’s alternative education school, Spirit Academy ranging in third through eighth grades. The students were then transferred back to their home schools with supports via student behavior specialists, student behavior interventionists, and a research-based data tracking tool, Check In/Check Out, to determine the level of the model’s effectiveness. The six students out of the 22 were selected for this case study analysis because of the fidelity of the data collection at their school sites. Another factor was to include a broad cross-section of students rather than focus solely on a selected grade-level. The study showed three students who successfully passed Check In/Check Out due to higher scores in all three of their skills, while two students showed the exact opposite. Office discipline referrals (ODRs) also indicated mixed results as three students increased their number of ODRs and three showed decreases. Report cards were also mixed as only two of the students showed higher percentages in reading. For math, one student showed an increase. Finally, the school climate survey data was mixed as to meeting the district benchmark at two of the schools studied; one of the schools had lower-than-desired scores. The implications of this study showed that punitive measures were not necessarily the best for students. If suspensions, long-term suspensions, expulsions, or alternative education schools worked, then we would see less students being referred to these extreme measures of discipline. In fact, more students are being referred for punishment.
School discipline practices have traditionally been reactive and punitive in nature. Students violating a school district’s code of conduct were often met with exclusionary discipline policies such as out-of-school suspensions, long-term suspensions, and expulsions. Districts attempted to resolve these practices by creating alternative education schools to house students with high numbers of office discipline referrals, rather than have them withdrawn from school. This practice has created in some instances, a school-to-prison pipeline. In this study, for 2015-2016, there were 22 students previously enrolled in the district’s alternative education school, Spirit Academy ranging in third through eighth grades. The students were then transferred back to their home schools with supports via student behavior specialists, student behavior interventionists, and a research-based data tracking tool, Check In/Check Out, to determine the level of the model’s effectiveness. The six students out of the 22 were selected for this case study analysis because of the fidelity of the data collection at their school sites. Another factor was to include a broad cross-section of students rather than focus solely on a selected grade-level. The study showed three students who successfully passed Check In/Check Out due to higher scores in all three of their skills, while two students showed the exact opposite. Office discipline referrals (ODRs) also indicated mixed results as three students increased their number of ODRs and three showed decreases. Report cards were also mixed as only two of the students showed higher percentages in reading. For math, one student showed an increase. Finally, the school climate survey data was mixed as to meeting the district benchmark at two of the schools studied; one of the schools had lower-than-desired scores. The implications of this study showed that punitive measures were not necessarily the best for students. If suspensions, long-term suspensions, expulsions, or alternative education schools worked, then we would see less students being referred to these extreme measures of discipline. In fact, more students are being referred for punishment.
ContributorsEscobar Santa Cruz, Margaret (Author) / Spencer, Dee A. (Thesis advisor) / Appleton, Nicholas (Committee member) / Aguilar Lawlor, LeeAnn (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
Although racial minorities are heavily represented in student bodies throughout the United States, school administrators who work with minority children have been overwhelmingly White. Previous research by race scholars has demonstrated that systems of racial dominance in the larger society are often replicated in schools. However, the role of White school administrators in perpetuating or disrupting racism has not been documented. This study examined the racial attitudes and resulting professional practices of White school administrators who worked in a unique environment. These administrators lived and practiced their profession in towns that lay just outside the borders of the Navajo Nation, a large Indian reservation in the Four Corners region of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. Termed border towns, these communities were populated by a large majority of Native Americans, with a heavy representation of Hispanics. This placed White school administrators in the uncommon position of living and working in a place where they were a numeric minority, while simultaneously representing the majority culture in the United States. Twelve White border town administrators in four different communities agreed to participate in the interview study, conducted over a two-month period in 2010 and 2011. Using a semi-structured interview format, the researcher gathered data on participants' racial attitudes and analyzed responses to find common themes. Common responses among the interviewees indicated that there were clear racial hierarchies within border town schools and that these hierarchies were sometimes atypical of those found in mainstream American society. These racial hierarchies were characterized by a dichotomy of Native American students based on residence in town or on the reservation, as well as deferential treatment of White administrators by Native American constituents. The intersectionality of race and socioeconomic class was a key finding of the study, with implications for school administrators' professional actions. Racial attitudes also impacted White border town administrators' actions and sometimes reinforced institutionally racist practices. Finally, results of the study supported several established models of race relations and White identity formation.
ContributorsOrr, Kimberly (Author) / Spencer, Dee Ann (Thesis advisor) / Appleton, Nicholas (Committee member) / Hotchkiss, Margaret (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2011
Description
The phenomenon that prompted this study was the increasing number of teens with cell phones and the issues, both legal and nonlegal, that permeate to schools. The trend among teens called teen sexting is receiving national and local attention. Sexting typically involves teens using texts to send cellular messages that may include naked photographs or shared videos containing sexual content. This study reviewed 4 main issues (a) the policies for student use of cell phones on campus to regulate teen sexting issues, (b) whether teen sexting awareness and prevention curriculum is being implemented, (c) the extent to which teen sexting is perceived as a problem by school leaders on campus, and (d) the degree to which there is a need for curriculum about teen sexting awareness and prevention. School district policies for student cell phone regulation were accessed online and their content analyzed. The search for curriculum was done through telephone calls to school district curriculum and instruction department leaders. Questionnaires were administered to principals, assistant principals, school counselors, and school security leaders. Their responses provided data for the study of leadership perceptions on the sexting issue. The purpose of this study was to present the research findings and provide recommendations for cell phone policy and suggest the development of effective curriculum about cell phone safety. The findings of this research showed that school district policy considers teen sexting as a student offence of a sexual nature using electronic devices for bullying, intimidation, threats, harassment, and defamation. Currently, there is limited curriculum for teen sexting awareness programs in Arizona schools. Few incidents of teen sexting get reported to school leaders; however, when they do, the consequences for teen sexters are both legal and nonlegal. The results of this study provide insight for schools leaders and school policy makers regarding issues and response options for student cell phone use, specifically teen sexting issues, and suggest the direction school administrators should take in creating effective teen sexting awareness curriculum for students.
ContributorsMaguire, Cindy Lee Strickland (Author) / Appleton, Nicholas (Thesis advisor) / Davey, Lynn (Committee member) / Duplissis, Mark (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2010