Date of Award
Summer 8-19-2018
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctorate of Education, Ed.D.
College
College of Education
Department
Education
First Advisor
Mark E. Jimenez, Ed.D.
Second Advisor
Doris Dickerson, Ed.D.
Third Advisor
Tony Goss, Ph.D.
Abstract
This qualitative case study explored the perceptions of educators regarding the impact nonprofit sanctioned programs and services have on schools rated as failing, or academically unacceptable by the Louisiana Department of Education during the 2014-2015, 2015-2016, and 2016-2017 school years. The schools represented in this study are in an urban Louisiana community, serving grades K-8. Each of the schools represented in this study partnered with at least four nonprofit agencies that provide services in after school enrichment, community learning centers, fight diversion programs for students, mini grant programs for teachers, and sex respect/teenage pregnancy prevention for middle school campuses. This study is rooted in a conceptual framework that encompasses nonprofit organizations, education reform, and transformational leadership. The research questions that guided this study consisted of determining how educators perceived the impact the aforementioned programs and services have on annual school performance, culture, and climate. Twelve educators participated in individual interviews, two focus group discussions that were separated for elementary and middle school teachers, and surveys. The findings from this study indicated that based on their responses, educator participants were able to adequately identify the impact nonprofits have on the performance, culture, and climate of academically unacceptable schools in an urban Louisiana community.