Browsing by Subject "Texas charter schools"
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Item Charter school superintendents’ perceptions of operating a charter school system in Texas : a phenomenological investigation(2017-05) Purcell, Mollie Jo; Olivárez, Rubén; sharpe, Edwin; Pustka, Belinda P; Cantu, NormaThis qualitative study involved interviewing four superintendents of public charter schools in Region 10 due to Texas legislation, namely, SB 2 (financial and academic accountability for charters) and HB 5 (pathways for high school graduation for all public schools). This qualitative study answered the following questions: (a) What implications does the implementation of state law have on superintendents’ perceptions about leading Texas’ charter schools? (b) What functions of charter schools were most affected state law and policy according to superintendents of charter schools open at the time SB 2 and HB 5 went into effect? (c) What adjustments to the 10 functions of the school districts may be necessary for applying this model of school functioning to public charter schools in Texas? Each one-on-one interview was conducted in person and lasted 60 minutes to several hours. The interviews were recorded and transcribed through Rev.com and coded using NVivo. The findings revealed that charter school superintendents were affected with a high sense of urgency by the demands of SB 2. The four superintendents saw HB 5 as mostly something that affected Curriculum and Instruction but not as a factor that could lead to charter school closure. The functions most influenced by SB 2 and HB 5 were Administrative, Finance, and Business Operations; Curriculum and Instruction; and Governance and Operations. The duty to manage finances responsibly was reiterated by all four superintendents throughout the data. These four superintendents spoke of finance as specifically being the most crucial subfunction for ensuring the viability of their charter schools. The data showed HB 5 impacted not only charter school configurations but also access to special funds, such as career technology money. As for the need to make any alterations to the 10 functions, Superintendent 1 said no changes were needed most effectively: “The functions are the functions are the functions.” Advocacy and education about charter schools is needed, and additional research for understanding how charter schools function as public schools in Texas is needed.Item Latina superintendents in Texas : developing leaders in a climate of change(2017-05) Holguin, Melissa Anne; Olivárez, Rubén; Bukoski, Beth Em; Saenz, Victor; Jabbar, HuriyaThere are several studies on the school superintendent and the job has evolved since its early inception in the 1800s. However, the role of the district leader is now quite expansive and complex. With the exception of the era of the 1920s, white males have filled this highly stratified position. Yet, as our population has become increasingly majority minority with no change in the make-up of the position. This is especially true for Latinas aspiring to the position. While there is no shortage of Latinas in the pipeline, there is a concrete ceiling that has yet to be regularly penetrated for this group of women. The lack of mentorships combined with the hefty responsibilities of the job make it even more challenging to break into the role. Today’s technological advances, academic complicated accountability measures, societal discord, and the political forces at work in school districts make the school leader even more difficult. This makes preparation for the role even more pertinent, yet, policy changes are making the path to this position more accessible for non-traditional leaders. The proliferation of charter schools makes this ascension even more feasible for candidates with little to no public schooling experience. While this may seem promising for a nontraditional candidate such as Latinas, this opening into the role has the potential to make the ascent even more challenging. Not only has the legislative agenda expanded the number of charter schools that can open in the state, the educational governing body of Texas has begun to relax the standard for principals and superintendents to exclude prior requirement that included teaching and principalship experience. The literature describes the generalized challenges of the superintendency and emerging studies on gender and ethnicity. The research is also rich with studies regarding the importance of mentorship as a component of success for aspiring school district leaders. However, the literature lacks qualitative research studies focusing on those few Latinas who have managed to have ascended to the superintendency, particularly amidst the background of policy changes in Texas. Even more elusive in the literature, is leadership associated with the burgeoning charter school industry.