Theses and Dissertations at Montana State University (MSU)
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://scholarworks.montana.edu/handle/1/733
Browse
5 results
Search Results
Item The space between: the plight of rurally isolated, impoverished Montana school districts(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2019) Patterson, Joshua Glenn; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: David HendersonDespite growing awareness of the teacher staffing crisis in rurally isolated, impoverished Montana school districts, little has been done to effectively address the issue. As opposed to a general lack of supply, current state and national research attribute the problem to challenges in teacher recruitment and retention. While many of these studies have identified factors associated with teacher staffing challenges, none have fully conveyed the essence of the struggle through the experiences of school leaders who endure the crisis. Therefore as revealed through the experience of eligible superintendents, the purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate teacher staffing challenges in rurally isolated, impoverished Montana school districts and the role of state school funding policy in the recruitment and retention of high quality teachers. Anchored by punctuated equilibrium social theory, the study's conceptual model provides a basis for multiple instrumental case studies. Investigative research began with two focus groups of eligible superintendents and was followed by multiple interviews with the superintendents of four representative case study school districts. Audio recordings of interviews were transcribed and reviewed using typological data analysis methods to identify semantic relationships, themes, and significant statements. Study trustworthiness was established through bracketing the researcher's personal experiences with teacher staffing challenges, thick description, peer review, member checking, and triangulation with school district related information and other state research. Findings indicate that current Montana school funding policy may exacerbate the staffing challenges experienced in these remote and poor districts as well as their organizational functioning.Item The relationship between community size of Montana public elementary and high school districts and selected fiscal and economic characteristics(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 1991) Nielson, Eldora BurnsItem A study to determine the feasibility of developing a training program for educational systems/cost analysts(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 1973) Winkler, Clifford EarlItem A study of the place of offerings in economics at the high school level(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 1959) Kaufman, Ellis LloydItem Using multiple regression analysis to associate education levels and financial compensation with livestock producers' tolerance for grizzly bears in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2005) Vollertsen, John Alvin; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Betsy PalmerThe study area is the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem located in north central and northwest Montana. The problem addressed in the study is that wildlife managers need to know if tolerance for grizzly bears can be predicted based upon education levels (formal education and self-initiated education) and financial compensation to livestock producers living in or near the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem. A survey questionnaire was mailed to a sample of 700 livestock producers with a response rate of 55.4%. Relationships were computed using multiple regression, bivariate analysis, t-tests, and chi-square. Results indicate there is statistical significance when correlating formal education and financial compensation with tolerance. However, there was no correlation between self-initiated education and tolerance. Three of the four null hypotheses were rejected, concluding that formal education and financial compensation (for losses of livestock only and losses of livestock plus other costs) are predictors of tolerance for grizzly bears.