Congratulations to Nelyda Perez, who on Monday, October 13, 2025, successfully defended her dissertation proposal.
The title of Nelyda’s dissertation is: "PRINCIPALS’ PERCEPTIONS OF CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE SCHOOL LEADERSHIP IN SUBURBAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS."
Overview of Problem: Suburban school districts across the United States are experiencing significant demographic shifts, leading to increasingly diverse student populations that reflect broader societal changes. Despite these shifts, many suburban elementary school principals report feeling underprepared to address systemic inequities, cultural disconnects, and the social-emotional needs of students from historically marginalized communities.
Research Purpose: Focusing on suburban elementary schools, this qualitative study seeks to gain insight into how elementary principals define and implement culturally responsive leadership practices to address the social and academic needs of an increasingly diverse student population.
Research Design: Thematic analysis will be used to identify patterns and insights related to leadership practices, organizational change, and community engagement.
Sample: Data will be gathered from 15 elementary school principals purposefully selected to provide perspectives from suburban contexts experiencing demographic change.
Data Collection: Semi-structured interviews with elementary principals will be conducted, supplemented by the collection of district-level data to allow for triangulation of findings.
Dissertation Committee Chair:
Dr. Martin Fitzgerald
Dissertation Committee Members:
Dr. Shelley Wepner
Dr. Elford Rawls-Dill
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