KUKU

KU ScholarWorks

  • myKU
  • Email
  • Enroll & Pay
  • KU Directory
    • Login
    View Item 
    •   KU ScholarWorks
    • Dissertations and Theses
    • Dissertations
    • View Item
    •   KU ScholarWorks
    • Dissertations and Theses
    • Dissertations
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Increasing Poverty: How Do Leaders in One Suburban District Respond?

    Thumbnail
    View/Open
    Spencer_ku_0099D_13360_DATA_1.pdf (1.185Mb)
    Issue Date
    2014-05-31
    Author
    Spencer, Jennifer Dawn
    Publisher
    University of Kansas
    Format
    117 pages
    Type
    Dissertation
    Degree Level
    Ed.D.
    Discipline
    Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
    Rights
    Copyright held by the author.
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Abstract
    This dissertation addresses the question of how suburban school district leaders in one large Midwestern school district respond to increasing student poverty. The purpose of this study was to determine how suburban school district leaders respond to increasing student poverty in their decision making and actions. Data for this study came from one large suburban school district in Kansas. For decades, the district was known traditionally for wealthy areas and families as well as extremely high student achievement. Over a 15 year period, student poverty grew significantly. Free and reduced student populations grew from single digit percentages to nearly 40% of the district enrollment. A doubling of students' need occurred every four years with poverty forecasted to continually grow. As a result, this district was a prime source of study. Current literature investigating suburban school district leaders' responses to the growing student poverty is sparse. Therefore, literature reviewed for this study included urban district leaders' responses to student poverty. Studies revealed urban school districts to possess similar demographic changes to suburban settings at the onset of growing poverty. Thus, urban studies contributed to the investigations of this suburban study. Out-of-school factors which poverty brings into school settings are also similar in urban and suburban settings. Housing and resources needed to manage poverty's out-of-school factors were common to both settings. In this suburban district studied, these factors evolved as part of leaders' responses. Housing changed in the suburban district and students were less prepared for learning due to factors in their homes. Varied recognition of increasing student poverty contributed to purposeful versus lack luster responses. Leaders' efforts to respond to increasing student poverty were occasionally founded in research; yet, others were implemented with no researched-based decision-making. Literature describing organizational theory and leaders' decision-making was also utilized in this study. As poverty was recognized as a phenomenon needing district leaders' planning, greater effectiveness in decision-making was gained through use of multiple frameworks. Prior, suburban leaders hadn't been pushed to reframe their thinking due to homogenous populations. One-size fits all may have been effective before student diversity became present. Multiframed thinking evolved over time as leaders moved past singular framed decisions closely related to their own roles. Using in-depth qualitative data from interviews along with quantitative data, this study sheds light on decision-making and actions of suburban district leaders as they responded to increasing student poverty. Key findings indicated initial decisions were made with little recognition to increasing poverty. Initially, decision making was made through a political framework. Therefore, initial decisions were made out of compliance versus decision-making with intent to respond to student poverty. As recognition of student poverty grew, true intentions to respond to increasing student poverty surfaced. Key areas were uncovered as foci in district leaders' responses: reinvestments in neighborhoods, improving programming, early intervention, and teacher professional development. Additionally, lessons learned for the future were uncovered in suburban district leaders' responses to increasing student poverty.
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/1808/27524
    Collections
    • Education Dissertations and Theses [1068]
    • Dissertations [4473]

    Items in KU ScholarWorks are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.


    We want to hear from you! Please share your stories about how Open Access to this item benefits YOU.


    Contact KU ScholarWorks
    785-864-8983
    KU Libraries
    1425 Jayhawk Blvd
    Lawrence, KS 66045
    785-864-8983

    KU Libraries
    1425 Jayhawk Blvd
    Lawrence, KS 66045
    Image Credits
     

     

    Browse

    All of KU ScholarWorksCommunities & CollectionsThis Collection

    My Account

    LoginRegister

    Statistics

    View Usage Statistics

    Contact KU ScholarWorks
    785-864-8983
    KU Libraries
    1425 Jayhawk Blvd
    Lawrence, KS 66045
    785-864-8983

    KU Libraries
    1425 Jayhawk Blvd
    Lawrence, KS 66045
    Image Credits
     

     

    The University of Kansas
      Contact KU ScholarWorks
    Lawrence, KS | Maps
     
    • Academics
    • Admission
    • Alumni
    • Athletics
    • Campuses
    • Giving
    • Jobs

    The University of Kansas prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, status as a veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, gender identity, gender expression and genetic information in the University’s programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Director of the Office of Institutional Opportunity and Access, IOA@ku.edu, 1246 W. Campus Road, Room 153A, Lawrence, KS, 66045, (785)864-6414, 711 TTY.

     Contact KU
    Lawrence, KS | Maps