Principals Teachers And Parents Perceptions Of The Organizational Cultures In Elementary Schools

Author : Tessa M. Alleyne
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 172 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (125 download)

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Download or read book How Principals Manage Organizational Culture Regarding Disparities in Educational Resources Faced by Diverse Students in Elementary Schools written by Tessa M. Alleyne and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 172 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Poverty has a devastating effect on children's lives including its contribution to widening the achievement gap. According to one report, poverty is a growing issue in the United States, taking on a culture of its own, given that 41% of children in the United States under the age of 18 years are from low-income families, and 19% (one in five children) are poor (Koball & Jiang, 2018). Diverse students from low-income families live in segregated neighborhoods and attend schools where they face disparities in resources. There were many school reforms enacted at the city, state, and federal levels to address the negative impact that students in poverty face. However, 65 years after Brown, diverse students from low-income families are still marginalized by the very school system that is charged with providing them with a reasonable education to take their rightful places in our changing society. This dissertation study addresses the systemic disparities of educational resources in elementary schools. It sought to explore principals' cultural beliefs regarding providing adequate resources for diverse students, and strategies that could be implemented to bridge the opportunity gap for these students. The findings in this research reflect that the crisis in the school system is inequality. This study revealed that elementary school principals believe that diverse students must be provided with adequate resources, and these resources would allow them to have more successful school experiences. However, participants felt that there were too many barriers, including school funding, that make this a challenging endeavor. School leaders should have a proactive set of strategies to deploy adequate resources for diverse students because many of the participants in this study were being reactive to the problems the children faced. Another finding indicated that school leaders focus more on a "learning culture" rather than an "equity culture." There was no special consideration given to diverse students regarding the deployment of resources, including culturally relevant materials. School leaders acknowledged that parents would like to see their children succeed, but many parents did not think their presence at school would lead to their children doing better. Across all districts, there was a concern about parental support to bridge the home/school connections. An unexpected finding surfaced during this study that related to attendance and suspension rates. All school leaders boasted about a high attendance rate and a very low incidence of suspensions among students. As a result of the findings, recommendations include the allocation of more funds to intentionally provide more educational resources, including culturally relevant curriculum materials for diverse students, additional integration of diverse students in segregated schools, and the allocation of funds for increased early childhood programs in poor neighborhoods.