Campus Location
Dallas Campus (Online)
Date of Award
11-2021
Document Type
Dissertation
Department
Organizational Leadership
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Committee Chair or Primary Advisor
Irma Harper
Second Committee Member or Secondary Advisor
Karen Maxwell
Third Committee Member or Committee Reader
Mark Weatherly
Abstract
Preparing students for life after high school is a challenge faced by all K-12 educators. In small, rural school districts, school leaders encounter unique barriers and limitations due to the limited capacity of school counselors, geographic isolation, lack of resources, and other factors. The purpose of this qualitative, multiple case study was to explore the district-wide strategies utilized by rural school districts in West Central Texas to increase the career, college and military readiness (CCMR) of all students. Five cases were identified that met the criteria, which included being a rural district defined by TEA, a school administrator responsible for CCMR, and within the geographical boundaries of Region 14 Education Service Center. Participants completed a preliminary questionnaire, an initial interview, and a follow-up interview. Data collection and analysis revealed both barriers and advantages that rural students and school districts face in preparing for life after high school. Participants spoke extensively on the impact of factors such as student outcomes, individualization, rural related factors, and leadership supports as they relate to CCMR. The findings of the study provided details of many CCMR strategies utilized by rural school districts, and how rural school leaders determined the effectiveness of these strategies. The findings also revealed that rural school administrators in West Central Texas prioritized supporting the individual student and providing as many opportunities as possible to reduce barriers to success.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Reeves, Amelia J., "Rural School District Strategies to Increase College, Career, and Military Readiness" (2021). Digital Commons @ ACU, Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 419.
https://digitalcommons.acu.edu/etd/419