Date

7-2021

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Education in Curriculum & Instruction (EdD)

Chair

Sandra Battige

Keywords

Decision Making, Leadership, Behavior, School-Wide Programs

Disciplines

Education | Educational Leadership

Abstract

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the factors that influence elementary administrators' decisions whether to implement school-wide behavior improvement programs. Westaby's (2005) behavioral reasoning theory guided this study to answer the central research question: What factors influence elementary administrators' decisions whether to implement school-wide behavior improvement programs? Sub questions for the study include (1) what school-based, context-specific reasons influence elementary administrators' decisions whether to implement school-wide behavior improvement programs? and (2) what global motives influence elementary administrators' decisions whether to implement school-wide behavior improvement programs? Criterion sampling was used to select elementary school administrators from a large school district in the southeastern region of the United States. Data was collected through demographic questionnaires, a virtual writing prompt, individual interviews, and focus groups. Moustakas' transcendental phenomenological reduction process (1994) was used for data analysis. The analysis includes epoché, horizonalization, textural descriptions, structural descriptions, and the integration of textural and structural descriptions to construct meanings and essences of the phenomenon. Data analysis resulted in themes providing suggestions for future research. The results of this study indicated the factors that influence elementary administrators’ decisions whether to implement SWBIP are: school discipline data, school culture, teacher efficacy in managing behavior, time and money, student behavior should be taught, staff and student relationships, consistency, and teacher buy-in.

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