Qualitative Case Study on the Perspective of Pennsylvania Superintendents on Distance Education in K-12 Public School Districts

Author(s)

Stephanie PennucciFollow

Date

5-2016

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Chair

Gary Kuhne

Keywords

Charter Schools, Cyber Charter Schools, Distance Education, Online Learning, School Administration, School Funding

Disciplines

Education | Educational Administration and Supervision | Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration | Online and Distance Education | Other Educational Administration and Supervision

Recommended Citation

Pennucci, Stephanie, "Qualitative Case Study on the Perspective of Pennsylvania Superintendents on Distance Education in K-12 Public School Districts" (2016). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 1204.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/1204

Abstract

Distance education is rapidly changing the way K-12 students learn. School districts use it for course recovery, to supplement the curriculum with additional courses, and to offer alternative educational opportunities. Pennsylvania’s 500 public school superintendents face a unique challenge in an economic recession, severe cuts in state funding, and competition from cyber charter schools. The purpose of this qualitative intrinsic case study is to understand the impact of distance education on the experiences of Pennsylvania public school superintendents as they deal with the influence of distance education in their programs, particularly the implementation of cyber charter schools. As the educational leaders who are guiding public education and lobbying lawmakers, fifteen school superintendents were interviewed to determine their perspectives on the role and future of distance education in Pennsylvania. The data was coded and themes identified to develop an understanding of the changing role of public education.