Theses and Dissertations at Montana State University (MSU)
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://scholarworks.montana.edu/handle/1/733
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Item Superintendent efficacy and addressing community needs(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2024) Kirchner, Derek Lee; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Tena VerslandThe purpose of this intrinsic case study was to explore how a self-efficacious superintendent mitigates the challenges of addressing community needs. In previous literature on community dissatisfaction, superintendents who have neglected the needs of community members have lost their jobs. Despite being trained for and required to demonstrate knowledge on ways to identify and address the needs of the school district community, many superintendents fall short and end up being removed from their positions by the school board and community. Self-Efficacy theory postulates that individuals with a high degree of efficacy for their jobs seek out and are more receptive to innovations within their workplaces. This research study utilized a document review of school board meeting minutes, public voting data, and superintendent correspondence to determine instances of community needs. This information was utilized to conduct semiformal interviews with a superintendent to explore strategies he used to address needs in the community. The results of the document revealed that dissatisfaction occurred around four events: the Cougar's Cave playground structure, the Economic Development District, the High School project, and COVID-19. The analysis of the interviews indicated that the superintendent employed three strategies to mitigate community dissatisfaction: Developed a Culture of Learning within the District, Involved the Community, and Built Relationships. The strategies in this research echo what has already been written regarding successful superintendent leadership. Conclusions drawn from this project include the idea that both the superintendent and the school board should research each other prior to offering and accepting employment in a district to ensure superintendent skillsets match district needs. A second conclusion is the superintendent should develop a strong relationship with the school board but should remain open to feedback and concerns from the community. A final conclusion drawn from the research is that the superintendent should selectively choose mentors and be receptive to their advice.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 An evaluation of the superintendency training program at Montana State University(Montana State University - Bozeman, 1976) Stanton, James Lawrence; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Robert Allen Van WoertItem The county superintendent of schools in Montana(Montana State University - Bozeman, 1978) Pence, Jeffrey NoelItem Judgment analysis (JAN) and simulation to capture policy decisions of school superintendents(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 1986) Lasher, Gaylord CharlesItem Montana public school superintendents : a demographic study and a forecast for the future(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 1987) Erdie, John JayItem Superintendent turnover in Montana : case studies of small, rural schools(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 1999) Carson, Annette MarieItem The perceptions of persons from six education categories regarding the office of county superintendent of schools in Montana(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 1999) Brown, Mary AnnItem Superintendent hiring policies of Montana school board members(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 1987) Mattocks, Theodore ChristopherItem A study comparing the personal profiles of school superintendents and chief executive officers of business in the Upper Midwest(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 1978) Negus, Milton Keith