Date
6-2020
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (EdD)
Chair
Randy Tierce
Keywords
Charter Schools, Charter School Boards, Charter School Governance, High-performing Charter Schools, School Boards, School Board Governance
Disciplines
Education | Educational Leadership
Recommended Citation
Bennett, Kristine Lynn, "A Multisite Case Study of High-Performing Charter School Boards in Florida" (2020). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 2544.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/2544
Abstract
The purpose of this multisite case study was to describe the practices and behaviors of high-performing charter school boards. Through description of the practices and behaviors of high-performing charter school boards, the impact of charter school board governance on charter school closures in Florida can be better understood. The theory guiding this study was Coleman’s social capital theory, suggesting that the social capital of members of an organization working towards a common goal through bridging and bonding results in productivity and a positive impact on the organization; in this case study, the organization was the charter school governing board. The central research question for this study addressed the practices and behaviors of high-performing charter school governing board members. Additional subquestions addressed how bonding practices impact charter school governance; how bridging practices impact charter school governance; and how governance training of board members impact charter school governance. A multisite case study design was used to collect data including documents, interviews, and observations. The targeted participants of the study were 16 members from three different high-performing charter school boards in Florida. The case study data were analyzed using Stake’s approach to organization of data, data analysis and representation. Findings indicated common practices and behaviors were present among high-performing charter school boards in the areas of their characteristics and board and member role and responsibility. Further research on high-performing charter schools beyond central Florida and on boards of closed charter schools will help solve the problem of charter school closures in Florida.
