May-Stein, David
(2020)
An Exploration of Superintendent Perceptions and District Initiatives
Related to Minority Student Success in Southwest Pennsylvania.
Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.
(Unpublished)
Abstract
This dissertation was designed to explore superintendents’ perceptions of changing learner profile and district initiatives related to minority student success in southwest Pennsylvania. It includes a comprehensive review of literature related to the nature and causes of the racial achievement gap, federal and state reforms, the impact of district and school leadership to eliminate it and superintendents’ perceptions about it. A focus was identified from the literature that informed the design of the study examining demographic changes in minority student enrollment over the past decade in K – 12 public schools in the Pittsburgh area workforce development region. Survey and interview data were collected from K-12, public school superintendents that explored superintendent perceptions regarding changing minority student demographics, initiatives and/or practices being implemented to increase minority students’ outcomes as well as, successes, challenges and lessons learned to assure minority success.
Superintendents are faced with many challenges, from managing the political landscape, adjusting to new school reform mandates, juggling dwindling resources and influencing principals’ and teachers’ beliefs and expectations for instruction benefitting all students. Over the past 10 years, minority student representation has changed within and between school districts in southwest Pennsylvania. The racial achievement gap is no longer isolated to city school districts. Suburban, town and rural superintendents are now working to meet federal mandates to eliminate the racial achievement gap between minority and majority students.
Results from this study indicate that overall student enrollment declined over the past decade, while minority student enrollment and students qualifying for free or reduced lunch increased in southwest Pennsylvania. Majority and minority students experienced decreases in overall proficiency in math and reading Pennsylvania State System Assessment scores where Minority students experienced bigger decreases in math and reading compared to majority students.
Overall, superintendents feel when principals and teachers believe all students can achieve at high levels, collaborative goal setting occurs with central office and school teams and regular progress monitoring of goals is implemented and, teachers are embraced as a critical element in student success and empowered to plan and lead professional development, minority students are more likely to succeed.
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Details
| Item Type: |
University of Pittsburgh ETD
|
| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
|
| ETD Committee: |
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| Date: |
17 May 2020 |
| Date Type: |
Publication |
| Defense Date: |
21 November 2019 |
| Approval Date: |
17 May 2020 |
| Submission Date: |
23 January 2020 |
| Access Restriction: |
No restriction; Release the ETD for access worldwide immediately. |
| Number of Pages: |
170 |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
School of Education > Administrative and Policy Studies |
| Degree: |
EdD - Doctor of Education |
| Thesis Type: |
Doctoral Dissertation |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
Superintendent Perceptions Minority Student Success District Initiatives Practices Demographic Southwest Pennsylvania |
| Date Deposited: |
17 May 2020 17:27 |
| Last Modified: |
17 May 2020 17:27 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/38154 |
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