Theses/Dissertations - Educational Leadership
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Browsing Theses/Dissertations - Educational Leadership by Author "Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Administration."
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Item Causes and differences in retention of white, African American, and Hispanic students who progressed toward graduation after first year in college.(2010-10-08T16:22:03Z) Matthews, Kenneth, 1958-; Talbert, Tony L.; Educational Administration.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Administration.African American and Hispanic students' retention rates in college have revealed that minority students are much more likely than white students to drop out of college. Additionally, minority students' graduation rates remain at a lower percentage rate than white students. The reason African American and Hispanic students are not equally represented on college campuses and experiencing similar retention rates as white students concerns many colleges and universities. Given these problems, this study focused on finding reasons why some African American and Hispanic students remain in college beyond their freshmen year. Examining the reasons why college students continue beyond their freshmen year will provide answers as to how universities can improve the retention rate of all ethnicities. The researcher used Dr. Pascarella and Dr. Terenzini's model as the primary theoretical framework lens for analyzing and interpreting data. Additionally, qualitative methods were used to measure such controlled variables as gender, ethnicity, and various colleges. The findings revealed differences in social and academic integration scale factors by gender, ethnicity, and various institutions of higher education that influenced college students to continue beyond their freshmen year. Furthermore, results revealed African American and Hispanic students require peer group interaction, institutional/goal commitment, and academic and intellectual development to increase their retention rate beyond their freshmen year of college. Universities stand to increase their knowledge base of how to increase the retention rate for minorities from this research. Institutions that focus attention on these findings can create a higher graduation rate. Improving minority student's retention until degree completion benefits all stakeholders.Item Conceptualizing the undocumented college student's legal status.(2014-06-11) Mũnoz, Alejandra, 1986-; Alleman, Nathan F., 1975-; Educational Administration.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Administration.Undocumented students in pursuit of a college education face a unique intersection of conflicting identities: one that potentially gives them a higher societal status by joining the social category of “college student,” and one that is associated with a social stigma that comes from the label of “undocumented.” Higher education institutions provide a place for undocumented students to navigate their legal status identity, make sense of it, shape it, and define it. In addition, the impact college has on a student’s social status can profoundly affect their life through opportunities for movement within society. This research study explored the following question: What is the role of college in how an undocumented student defines status ownership?Item Demographic characteristics and workload perceptions of higher education faculty in Texas who prepare K-12 principals.(2010-06-23T12:20:16Z) Haliburton, Francene.; Williamson, James Lonnie, 1934-; Educational Administration.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Administration.Research shows that the role of the K–12 principal is a significant factor in school improvement. Principal preparation programs have been criticized for inadequately preparing their graduates for the challenges they must face in K–12 schools. Since higher education faculty members directly impact the success of their programs (Bartlett, 2003), principal educators are responsible for reforming principal preparation programs. This study described higher education faculty members in Texas who prepare K–12 principals and their workloads. It also examined the faculty members' perceptions and values related to workloads and other issues. The research findings included: 1. The majority of the principal educators who participated in the study were white males, between the ages of 36 and 60 years old. Thirty-seven percent of them have never been a K–12 principal; 2. The study participants spent more time on teaching and preparing to teach than time on research activities and service activities. Differences in workloads existed when faculty participants' gender, highest degree earned, and tenure status were considered; 3. Differences in faculty participants' workloads existed when the Carnegie Foundation classification of each participant's institution was considered and when their program’s national accreditation status was considered; 4. Differences in principal preparation program characteristics did not exist when faculty members' demographic characteristics were considered; 5. Differences in two principal preparation program characteristics existed when each institution's Carnegie Foundation classification was considered; 6. The majority of the participants were satisfied with their jobs; and 7. The majority of the participants believed their program graduates perform well on the ExCET/TExES.Item Department chairs' perceptions of music transfer student success.(2007-02-14T21:51:31Z) Wilson, Christina H.; Cloud, Robert C.; Educational Administration.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Administration.The purpose of this study was to describe and understand the perceptions department chairs had of various attributes that contributed to two-year music transfer student success, in upper-level instruction at a four-year institution. This was a phenomenological study that explored department chairs' views of music student success. The results of this study were a description of themes related to this phenomenon. Participant views, although affected by the experiences department chairs had with students as well as their relationships to the music discipline, were important to the description of the phenomenon of transfer music student success. At this stage in the research, successful music students were generally defines as those students who completed course work successfully and who graduated in an appropriate amount of time for their degree. Each institution’s or each department's policies defined the appropriate amount of time for degree completion and the standards for successful course work completion. Even though the researcher was interested in participants' definitions for successful music transfer students, she chose to establish these definition parameters for participants to build definitions upon.Item Development of a scale to measure Academic Capital in high-risk college students.(2013-09-16) Winkler, Christa E.; Sriram, Rishi.; Educational Administration.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Administration.The purpose of this study was to create a psychometric instrument that quantitatively measures academic capital in college students. St. John, Hu, and Fisher (2011) define academic capital as a set of social processes that aid students in acquiring the knowledge and support necessary to access and navigate higher education. Content validity, construct validity, and reliability of the Academic Capital Scale developed in this study were established. Furthermore, in addition to validating the six components of academic capital identified by St. John et al. (2011), two additional components of academic capital were identified through principal components analysis. Providing higher education scholars and practitioners with a quantitative measure of academic capital will allow institutions to critically examine and restructure their current support programs for high-risk college students.Item The development of an instrument to determine the relevance and validity of the Educational Leadership Constituent Council (ELCC) Standards for Advanced Programs in Educational Leadership.(2008-10-15T14:12:28Z) Lackey, Amy Dion.; Smith, Albert B. (Al), 1942-; Educational Administration.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Administration.The Educational Leadership Constituent Council (ELCC), in 2002, created Standards for Advanced Preparation Programs in Educational Leadership. The purposes of this study, using Texas superintendents, were to: (1) design an instrument using the ELCC standards, (2) determine the validity and reliability of the instrument, (3) investigate constructs derived from factor analysis of participant responses, (4) revise the instrument if necessary, and (5) assess the relevancy of the standards. Eight research questions were used. The first six research questions were organized around the following statement: Were constructs derived from the factor analysis that could be interpreted as the ELCC Standards 1-6, i.e., Vision, Instruction, Management, Community/Collaboration, Ethics, and Larger Context? Research questions seven and eight included: Were there other constructs than those identified by the ELCC as Vision, Instruction, Management, Collaboration/Community, Ethics, or Larger Context? Did any significant differences exist between Texas superintendents’ perceptions by degree type with respect to the relevance of the ELCC Standards? In the fall of 2007, superintendents in Texas were invited to participate in the study by completing the 68 item questionnaire developed from six of the seven ELCC Standards. From a total population of 1031 district superintendents, 204 (20%) responded. Reliability Cronbach Alpha Coefficients, at the .75 level or above, established reliable questions for all constructs except Ethics. However, the two highest rated items in this study were related to the superintendents’ ethical behavior. The data were further analyzed using factor analysis to answer the first seven research questions and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to answer research question eight. Vision, Instruction, Management, and Community/Collaboration correlated highly with four factors. Factor five and six were named (labeled) “Learning and Research” and “Planning for Practice,” using keywords from statements that were associated with these factors. Only one significant difference was found when comparing construct and factor mean responses by superintendents with different levels of education. Several recommendations for practice and research were presented. One recommendation for practice was that preparation program faculty could use the new or revised survey instrument to conduct program evaluations. A recommendation for research was that future researchers could use the survey questionnaire to investigate the relevancy of the ELCC Standards in other states.Item Differences in parental involvement typologies among Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y parents : a study of select bay area region of Houston elementary schools.(2011-01-05T19:46:11Z) Veloz, Elizabeth Andrea.; Williamson, James Lonnie, 1934-; Educational Administration.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Administration.The purpose of this study was to determine whether differences existed among generations (Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y) regarding the levels of parental involvement within each of these generations. Also examined were additional factors such as the parents' socioeconomic status, educational level, marital status, and ethnicity. The Parent and School Survey (PASS), based on Epstein's Theoretical Framework, was distributed to parents of elementary students in eight schools in the Bay Area region of Houston, Texas. Follow–up focus group interviews were conducted to draw inferences about each respective generation and their ideas concerning parental involvement with particular interest dedicated to how parents define parental involvement. An ANOVA was used to measure the intensity of the effect of the independent variable (parent's generation) on the dependent variable (parental involvement score). Then, additional analyses were done by adding in variables one at a time to determine what effect income (Socioeconomic Status), marital status, or parents' education may have had on the simple relationship. Finally, the Tukey's HSD test was used to determine which groups of generations differ from one another. The findings in this study support the literature. This study concluded that there are differences among generations of Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y regarding the levels of parental involvement and in some cases income (SES), marital status, ethnicity, and parents' education had an impact on level and type of parental involvement.Item Differences in self-efficacy and global-mindedness between short-term and semester-long study abroad participants of selected Christian universities.(2006-05-28T02:03:15Z) Kehl, Kevin L.; Cloud, Robert C.; Educational Administration.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Administration.It has been suggested that the human experience is an increasingly globalized one in which people have multiple cross-cultural exchanges or interactions. Given the growing the global interdependence and awareness of common problems facing humanity, many educational leaders have advocated for the internationalization of higher education. Student participation in a study abroad program is a common strategy employed to meet this objective. Educational leaders and decision makers are faced with the difficult task of balancing competing programs as stewards of institutional and human capital in an environment of limited resources. This common, yet special challenge, calls us to find an objective means of evaluating the effectiveness of study abroad programs. The calls, for internationalizing university curricula come from within the academy as well as from the increased student demand for international experiences, are being answered in the affirmative as seen in the recent growth of student participation in study abroad programs. Traditionally, study abroad has been thought of as an experience that requires significant interaction with a host culture often consisting of a semester of year in length. Yet one of the areas of greatest growth has been increased participation in short programs, usually consisting of 8 weeks or less. While different program types, length, and objectives vary from institution to institution, in general, it is agreed that internationalizing higher education should help students prepare for living in the 21st century. Two foundational constructs often cited as necessary components of this preparations include global-mindedness and self-efficacy. The purpose of this study was to determine the differences in outcomes of study abroad length and participation on general self-efficacy, and attitudes reflecting global-mindedness of students at three private Christian universities. This study sought to examine the differences between students who had participated for a semester with students who had participated in a short-term program consisting of 8 weeks or less as well as students who intended to attend study abroad prior to their actual participation. Findings and recommendations reflect the context of the current climate of increasing pressures on university budgets and calls to more acurately measure curricular and co-curricular outcomes.Item Does gender matter? Transfer students' perceptions of their transition experiences.(2014-06-11) Yuhas, Elise M.; Alleman, Nathan F., 1975-; Educational Administration.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Administration.This study focuses on the role of gender in the meaning-making processes of transfer students and their selection and use of institutional and non-institutional resources during their transitions to a new university. Contrary to previous research that shows transfer students want to participate in similar types of transition resources that are provided to first-year students, these participants discussed that they wanted their previous collegiate experiences to be recognized and validated by their transfer institution. Findings indicate that expectations and experiences of the individual play a more significant role in the selection of resources than gender. Implications for future research point to studying the inclusion of transfer students in Greek Life activities.Item Elementary principals' attitudes towards the inclusion of students with disabilities in the general education setting.(2006-12-11T18:00:32Z) Ramirez, Roxanna C.; Beckner, Weldon.; Educational Administration.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Administration.Since the beginning of special education, educators have explored the topic of how best to serve students with disabilities. Only recently have schools begun to integrate students with disabilities in mainstream classrooms. Principals are now faced with deciding which students with disabilities will benefit from inclusion and how the inclusion process should be implemented. Because of the role principals play in implementing inclusion programs into their schools it is important to study how principals' perceptions of inclusion guide their decisions. This question was the foundation for the purpose of this study, which was to determine the attitudes and perceptions of Texas elementary school principals relative to including students with disabilities in general education classrooms. This study investigated how demographic information and experience affected principals' attitudes about inclusion. In addition, it also examined the principals' perception regarding the appropriateness of the placement of students based on the type of disability. The research was conducted using a Web-based survey that was developed by Praisner (2000), the Principals and Inclusion Survey (PIS). The PIS contains four sections including demographics, training, experience, attitudes toward inclusion and most appropriate placement for students with disabilities. The principals were randomly selected from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) records. The sample survey included a total of 360 principals, of which 110 completed the survey. Once the information was collected, it was analyzed using univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). The results of the study indicated that demographic factors, training, and experience did not have a statistically significant affect on principals' attitudes toward inclusion. The study did find that principals' special education teaching experience had a statistically significant affect on principals' attitudes toward inclusion. The study also found that 108 of the principals that successfully responded to the section examining principals' overall attitudes toward inclusion showed a more favorable attitude toward the inclusion of students with disabilities in general education classrooms. The results from this study indicate the importance of developing educational administration programs that will prepare elementary school principals with stronger, more positive attitudes toward including students with disabilities in general education settings.Item Evaluating the effects of counseling services on student retention.(2011-05-12T15:20:40Z) Bond, Kerri P.; Sriram, Rishi.; Educational Administration.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Administration.Although some research exists regarding the connection between counseling and retention, few studies have been conducted in the past decade that examine the current student population. This study is an effort to bridge a gap in the literature by examining the effects of counseling on retention and academic achievement of students in a large, private, research university. ANCOVAs were used to examine if there was a significant difference between the retention status and cumulative grade point average of counseled students and non-counseled students. In addition, a logistic regression was utilized to examine if retention can be predicted by knowing the number of counseling sessions a student attended. Although some statistical differences were revealed, it was found that counseled students retain just as well as non-counseled students and have similar grade point averages when examining practical significance through effect sizes. Prediction of retention was not possible by knowing the number of sessions a student attended. Limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed.Item Examining women superintendents' perceptions of the importance of types of mentoring functions.(2011-05-12T15:53:35Z) Weatherly, Suzanne Gerczak.; Williamson, James Lonnie, 1934-; Educational Administration.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Administration.In American public school systems, women hold the majority of teaching positions, while men hold the majority of administrative positions. Reasons for low numbers of women superintendents have been researched for years. One major reason more women do not occupy the position of superintendent is a lack of mentors and networking. This study investigated current Texas women superintendents' perceptions of the importance of 11 types of mentoring functions. Additionally, it determined which mentoring functions the superintendents received from their mentors as they ascended to their first position as a superintendent. This study also investigated the relationship between which mentoring functions women received and their entry time into the superintendency. Demographic information was also collected about current women superintendents in Texas. This quantitative research study included online surveys, sent via a link in emails in November 2010, to all 140 current women superintendents of public school districts. The survey asked women superintendents to reflect on their years prior to their first superintendency. The instrument asked questions to rate the importance of mentoring functions, as well as to rate the degree to which they were experienced, using a 5-point Likert scale. The instrument contained demographic questions. Eighty-eight out of 140 women responded. Women superintendents in Texas rated several mentoring functions as very important to their ascension to the superintendency. There was a significant correlation between the degree experienced and level of importance of each mentoring function. Additionally, there were several mentoring functions that were significantly correlated with entry time into a first superintendency position. Women aspiring to be superintendents could benefit from the findings in this study. When integrated with increased mentor training, the results of this study could increase the number of women superintendents. Women should carefully select their mentors, and seek out role models that exemplify the traits this study suggests are helpful to those ascending to the superintendency position.Item Exploring industry perceptions of the development and sustainability of academia-industry advanced technological education partnerships.(2012-11-29) Kile, Joanna L. (Joanna Le); Cloud, Robert C.; Educational Administration.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Administration.The increasing demands on community colleges to broaden access and provide for the community’s economic welfare, while maintaining its traditional educational role, have served as a powerful impetus for institutional change. Concurrently, institutions have been forced to explore non-traditional avenues to counteract resource scarcity. Community colleges have turned to partnerships as an avenue to ameliorate the challenges faced in the current economic and educational climate. While the onus has been placed on educational institutions to structure these partnerships to ensure success, the empirical literature regarding such collaborations is primarily from the academic perspective. The industry perspective is lacking. Such research is critical for researchers and practitioners in understanding which factors facilitate or impede alliance development with industry companies. Using Austin’s Cross-sector Collaboration Continuum Model as the theoretical framework (Austin, 2000b), this case study explores the major factors contributing to the successful development and sustainability of an industry-academia-government workforce education partnership from the industry perspective. The case study, the Northeast Biomanufacturing Center and Collaborative, is funded by the National Science Foundation and focuses on biomanufacturing education and training. For this study, more than 145 documents were examined and 12 industry representatives from the partnership were interviewed. The findings support the utility of the model in determining the progression of an advanced technological education partnership between industry, education, and government agencies. An analysis of documentation and interview transcripts revealed that the partnership has progressed from the philanthropic to the transactional stage in its seven-plus years of existence. Results also indicate that the eight drivers and enablers defined in Austin’s model align with those cited by industry representatives. Furthermore, the study identified 11 factors considered essential for sustaining an effective partnership—strategic and business planning, financial sustainability, a proven track record, currency and relevancy, continuous improvement, adaptability and flexibility, innovation, maintaining close ties with industry, consistent engagement with partners, continuity among staff members, and a physical presence in the right locale. The revised model and the accompanying evolutionary progression tool will be helpful for any industry-academia partnership in the evaluation of their progression.Item Faculty interpretations of faith-integration in classroom practices.(2014-06-11) Ellis, Erin M.; Alleman, Nathan F., 1975-; Educational Administration.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Administration.The purpose of this study is to better understand faculty members' interpretation of faith-integration as a practice of teaching in the classroom. The relationship between faith and learning has continuously prompted scholars to study the phenomenon of its unity in the classroom. However, the research surrounding faculty teaching practices or techniques of faith-integration, is insufficiently existent. The findings of this study provide a model that illustrates the application of integrating faith and learning as a way of life for participants, and the expressions of practice as outcomes of that way of life. The findings do not prescribe a specific formula for integrating faith and learning, however, the model demonstrates how various components of a faculty member's life speak into the expression of faith-integration as a practice of teaching. The model may help faculty members learn to appreciate their own expression of faith-integration as a classroom practice.Item The impact of providing two years of pre-kindergarten on academic performance and cost benefits in the San Antonio Independent School District.(2011-05-12T15:45:20Z) Ozuna, Tambrey Johnson.; Willliamson, James Lonnie, 1934-; Educational Administration.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Administration.The purpose of this study was to examine the academic performance of students who attended two years of pre-kindergarten in San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD), and to determine if there was a cost benefit for the district in providing an additional year of pre-kindergarten. Previous research studies have shown that participation in a high-quality pre-kindergarten can have both positive academic and social outcomes (Barnett, 2005; Gormley, Phillips, & Gayer, 2008; Ramey, Ramey, & Stokes, 2009; Reynolds & Temple, 1998; Saluja, Early, & Clifford, 2001; Schweinhart, 2004; Wong, Cook, Barnett, & Jung, 2008). However, these studies focused only on 4-year-olds who attended pre-kindergarten for one year. This study addressed the participation of 3-year-olds in the SAISD pre-kindergarten program. The academic performance of students who attended pre-kindergarten for two years was analyzed along with those who attended one year of pre-kindergarten and those who did not participate in pre-kindergarten at all. Students in all three study groups were those that had been continuously enrolled in SAISD from their point of entry into school through third grade. Academic performance was analyzed based on participants' results on the Texas Primary Reading Inventory and the third grade Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) in reading and mathematics. In addition, the expenditures and cost benefits associated with providing the pre-kindergarten program were analyzed, as well as the costs associated with retention, special education, and remediation.Item The individual competence and institutional culture of student affairs professionals in relation to collaborations with academic affairs.(2012-08-08) Cho, Ah Ra.; Sriram, Rishi.; Educational Administration.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Administration.Academic affairs and student affairs collaborations are increasingly important on college campuses. However, much of the research on these partnerships is not based on student affairs professionals. The purpose of this research study is to analyze the perception of skills and institutional culture on these collaborations on college campuses. Through a psychometric survey instrument, participants were asked their perception of the skills needed in collaborations and were analyzed based on subspecialty of student affairs. Second, participants were asked about institutional culture toward collaborating. Findings found no differences between skills needed based on area where a student affairs professional works. However, a significant finding emerged when assessing cultural aspects on collaborations on campuses. Specifically, how many years a person works in higher education had a positive influence on perceptions of culture, while years in current position had a negative influence.Item The influence of ethnic student organizations on students' sense of belonging.(2014-06-11) Rood, Kari S.; Sriram, Rishi.; Educational Administration.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Administration.Sense of belonging as a measure for a student's connection with his/her institution allows student affairs administrators to better serve their students. Increased sense of belonging is a higher indication of retention and allows students to further succeed. Racial and ethnic minority students make up a population of students who require different services and attention than their majority peers. This is evidenced by the presence of multicultural centers and ethnic student organizations on college campuses that specifically seek to acknowledge and celebrate the cultural differences among students and how to develop students through these measures. This study takes the opportunity to see how racial and ethnic minority students' sense of belonging differs depending upon their involvement in student organizations and more specifically the type of organization with which they participate.Item Perceptions, management practices, instructional programs and resources frequently used by urban school principals to meet the requirements of school accountability.(2006-07-30T20:08:13Z) Jackson, Walter G.; Beckner, Weldon.; Educational Administration.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Administration.The purpose of this study was to investigate and identify principals' perceptions of management practices, instructional programs, and resources most important to meeting the requirements of public school accountability. The research focused primarily on secondary principals of Title I schools in the Greater Houston area of the state of Texas. This research was deliberate in providing descriptive information concerning principals' perceptions on how to successfully meet the requirements of school accountability. Sixty-seven secondary principals in Title I schools in the Greater Houston area served as subjects. The study involved both quantitative and qualitative research methods including a combination of interviews and a survey to collect data from principals regarding their perceptions. The study was exploratory in nature with the intent to add to the body of knowledge concerning instructional strategies, management practices, and resources principals utilized and needed to be successful in meeting the high demands of public school accountability. The study revealed principals' use of pull-out programs and before/after school tutorials were effective ways of improving the achievement of students who needed additional instructional support and assistance. In addition to the tutorials, principals' active monitoring and visibility were effective strategies used to manage the instructional programs and ensure continuous student improvement. The study also revealed that principals value and support the practices of hiring, maintaining, and developming highly qualified teachers to ensure continuous student improvement. Results were discussed in terms of their implications for educational practice and future research. It is the hope that the information about principals' perceptions of instructional programs and management practices, gathered from this study, will benefit educators working with students in Title I schools and that these findings will be added to the growing literature of effective strategies to improve our public schools.Item A qualitative study of the development of a health sciences center at a two-year community college.(2008-06-09T12:03:31Z) Cornelius, William M.; Smith, Albert B. (Al), 1942-; Educational Administration.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Administration.One purpose of this research was to investigate the dynamics of collaboration in the formation of a health sciences center at a two-year college. Another purpose was to propose guidelines that other community colleges could use in establishing similar healthcare training facilities, ones that place a heavy emphasis on human simulation. The overarching research in this investigation was, “What factors played an important part in the collaborative effort to create an innovative healthcare educational complex at a community college?” This 2006 study relied on a case study methodology to examine the collaborative process. There were six research questions related to: 1) establishing collaborations, 2) sustaining collaborations, 3) evolving processes, 4) critical events, 5) threats to success, and 6) the importance of human simulation. Interviews were carried out with 25 individuals who came from the college, local hospitals, the city, donors, manufacturing, and design staff. Data were collected from the participants using the qualitative responsive interviewing technique of Rubin and Rubin (2005). A total of 236 concepts were identified in the analysis of the interview transcripts. These concepts were then reduced to the most important 28 concepts related to the Health Sciences Center’s (HSC) success. From the 28 derived concepts, 5 major factors were identified and presented as recommendations for the development of HSCs. These factors were: 1) strong leadership, 2) collaborative efforts, 3) adequate fundraising sources and strategies, 4) good communication, and 5) need for simulation technology. An eleven step process was further developed, presented, and discussed in an attempt to help two-year colleges in the establishment of such centers. This process included consideration of the following areas: 1) scope, 2) collaboration, 3) leadership, 4) trust, 5) community 6) communication, 8) funding, 9) design, and 10) construction/use. It is hoped that the findings of this study might be useful for other community colleges contemplating the challenging task of building their own health sciences training facility.Item The relationship between school design variables and student achievement in a large urban Texas school district.(2006-05-28T01:32:19Z) Hughes, Stephanie Marie.; Williamson, James Lonnie, 1934-; Educational Administration.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Administration.The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship existed between school facility design variables and student achievement as determined by the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills. The Design Assessment Scale for Elementary Schools designed by Kenneth Tanner (1999a) was used to evaluate 21 schools in a large urban district. The design variables included movement patterns, large group meeting places, architectural design, daylighting and views, psychological impact of color schemes, bulding on a students' scale, location of the school, instructional neighborhoods, outside learning areas, instructional laboratories, and environmental. The 2003-2004 Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills 5th grade scores on reading, math, and science were used to determine student achievement. T-tests were used to determine the relationship between design variables and student achievement within TEA designated rating categories (Exemplary, Recognized, and Academically Acceptable). An ANOVA was used to determine if a relationship existed between Texas Education Agency school categories and building design variables. The major finding of this study supports the literature. This study concluded all building design variables had a statistically significant relationship with student achievement within each school category. However, there was not a statistically significant relationship between building design variables and school ratings.