Dr. William Allan Kritsonis, PhD Dissertation Chair -Dissertation Defense Power Pt. Robert Branch

7/28/2019 Dr. William Allan Kritsonis, PhD Dissertation Chair -Dissertation Defense Power Pt. Robert Branch

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/dr-william-allan-kritsonis-phd-dissertation-chair-dissertation-defense-power 1/42

Hispanic Teacher

Recruitment and RetentionInitiatives in Texas Schools

A Dissertation DefenseBy

Robert M. Branch



Dr. William A. Kritsonis(Dissertation Chair)

Dr. David Herrington(Member)

Dr. Douglas Hermond

(Member)Dr. Camille Gibson(Member)

Committee Members



Outline

I. The Problem

II. Purpose of the Study

III. Research Questions

IV. Method

V. Major Findings

VI. Review of Literature

VII. Recommendations



The Problem

The shortage of Hispanic educators plays a role inthe educational experiences of Hispanic students.

2006-2007 TEA data indicate that 21% of teachers in Texas are Hispanic, but 46% of thestudents during the same year are Hispanic.

Previous findings indicate that increasing thenumber of Hispanic educators positively affectsthe educational attainment of Hispanic students

(Darder, Torres, & Gutierrez, 1997).



Purpose of the Study

To establish whether the number of Hispanic teachers influence Hispanicstudent achievement and then

identify methods to assist with therecruitment and retention of Hispanicteachers in Texas schools.



Conceptual Framework

Approaches of Administrators & DistrictPersonnel to Recruit &

Retain Hispanic Teachers

Internal Motivations

Of Hispanic Teachers

Hispanic Teacher

Recruitment & Retention

Initiatives in Texas Schools

The Impact of AcademicAchievement for Hispanic

Students



Quantitative Research Questions1) Is there a corresponding increase in the percent

of Hispanic teachers with the increase of Hispanic Students in Texas from school years2000 through 2007?

2) Is there a relationship between the percent of Hispanic teachers and the percent of Hispanicstudents passing the TAKS Exit levelexamination in the core area of Mathematics?

3) Is there a relationship between the percent of

Hispanic teachers and the percent of Hispanicstudents passing the TAKS Exit levelexamination in the core area of English/Language Arts?



Qualitative Research Questions

1) What factors influenced Hispanic teachersto go into and remain in the teachingprofession in the state of Texas?

2) What is the value of increasing thenumber of Hispanic teachers in Texasschool districts?

3) What are the approaches used by theschool districts to recruit and retainHispanic teachers?

4) Which of these approaches appear to besuccessful in recruiting and retaining

Hispanic teachers?



Research DesignResearch Method – Mixed methods

using a complementary design. Thisincludes descriptive and correlational

analysis of existing data as well asdata obtained from open-endedinterview questions and surveys.

Quantitative – Data was obtainedfrom the Texas Education Agency(TEA) Academic Excellence IndicatorSystem (AEIS) reports.



Research Design (continued)

Qualitative – The qualitative datawas collected with a questionnairethat was given to Hispanic teachers

and School/District Administrators.Data was also collected byinterviewing the Hispanic teachers

and School/District Administrators.



Pilot Study

Convenience Sampling

20 Hispanic Teachers

Test-RetestReliability

Trustworthiness (Fair-Clear-Free of

Bias)Changes based on inputs

Participants Excluded



Subjects of the Study

Sampling Method

Purposive sampling was used inorder to discover, understand, andgain insight from the school districtsand Hispanic teachers.



Quantitative

Sixty-four high schools in SoutheastTexas were used in the study. Thesedistricts were selected based on

having met a criteria of employing atleast 5% Hispanic teachers andserving at least 25% Hispanic

students.This data was retrieved from the TEA

database.



Qualitative

40 Hispanic teachers employed in Texasschools with a teacher population of atleast 5% Hispanic teachers and at least25% Hispanic students as reported by TEAwill be surveyed.

Of these 40 teachers surveyed, 23 wereinterviewed.

14 School and District Administrators wereasked open-ended questions andinterviewed.



Analysis of Data (Quantitative)

ResearchQuestions

QuestionAddressed byDescriptiveStatistics

AnalysisMethod

Is there acorresponding

increase inthe percent of

Hispanicteachers withthe increase of

HispanicStudents inTexas from

school years2000 through

2007?

What is theaverage

increase and theaverage

decrease of Hispanic

Teachers andHispanic

Students?

Description of average

increases anddecreases of

HispanicTeachers and

HispanicStudents



Major Findings: Quantitative Question 1

The average annual percentage for Hispanicteachers ranged from 6.5% in SY 2001 – 2002 to8.2% in SY 2003 – 2004; the average annualincrease over the years under study was 0.15

percentage points.

The average percentage for Hispanic studentsranged from 27.8% in SY 2000 – 2001 to 35.2%in SY 2006 – 2007; the average annual increase

over the same years during the study was 1.78percentage points.




Table 1 Average Percentages of Hispanic Teachers and Hispanic Students in Selected Schools in Texas

School Year % Hispanic Inc/Dec % Hispanic Inc/Dec

Teachers Students

2002-2001 6.67 _ 27.79 _

2001-2002 6.46 -0.21 29.04 1.25

2002-2003 7.56 1.10 34.46 5.42

2003-2004 8.24 0.68 32.06 -2.40

2004-2005 8.57 0.33 32.22 0.16

2005-2006 8.99 0.42 33.81 1.592006-2007 9.54 0.55 35.16 1.35

Avg. Inc/Dec 0.48 1.23




ResearchQuestions

NullHypothesis

IndependentVariables

DependentVariables Statistics

Is there arelationshipbetween thepercent of Hispanic

teachers andthe percent of

Hispanicstudents

passing theTAKS Exit levelexamination in

the corearea of

Mathematics?

There is nostatisticallysignificantcorrelation

between thepercent of Hispanic

teachers inTexas high

schools and thepercent of Hispanicstudents

passing theTAKS Exit Level

Mathematicsexamination.

Correlationusing

Pearson r

Percentage of HispanicTeachersin TexasSchools

Achievementlevels

for Hispanicstudentstaking

the TAKSExit level

Mathematicsexamination




All Pearson r values were negative; theresults of r = – 0.372 for SY 2004 – 2005and r = - 0.418 for SY 2005 – 2006 were

significant. The null hypothesis wasrejected for the results of these specificschool years.



Major Findings: Quantitative Question 2Table 2 Relationship of the Percent Hispanic Teachers and Percent of Hispanic Students Passing the TAKS Mathematics Exit Level Examination inSixty Four High Schools

______________________________________________________________School Year % Hispanic % Hispanic Pearson r

Teachers Students(N=64) Passing TAKS

______________________________________________________________

2004-2005 7.02 79.81 - 0.372 *2005-2006 7.46 75.25 - 0.418 *2006-2007 7.56 75.61 - 0.229 **

* Significant at 0.05 level, two-tailed **Not Significant ______________________________________________________________




ResearchQuestions

NullHypothesis

IndependentVariables

DependentVariables Statistics

Is there arelationship


teachers and thepercent of Hispanic

students passingthe TAKS Exit

levelexamination inthe core area of

English/Language Arts?

There is nostatistically

significantcorrelation


teachers inTexas high

schools and thepercent of Hispanicstudents

passing theTAKS Exit Level

English/

Language Arts

examination.

Correlationusing

Pearson r

Percentage of HispanicTeachersin TexasSchools

Achievementlevels

for Hispanicstudentstaking

the TAKSExit levelEnglish/

Language

Artsexamination




For SY 2004 – 2005, the relationship of r = -0.328, between the 7.02% average Hispanicteachers and the 84.56% average Hispanicstudents who passed the Exit Level examination

in ELA was significant. Similarly, the result of SY2005 – 2006, where obtained r = - 0.520, wasalso significant. The increase in the percentagesof Hispanic teachers did not significantly affect

the percentages of Hispanic students who passedthe ELA Exit Level TAKS examinations in SY 20042005 and SY 2006 – 2007. For the results of SY’s

2004 – 2006, the null hypothesis was rejected.



Major Findings: Quantitative Question 3Table 4 Relationship of the Average Percent of Hispanic Teachers and Percent of Hispanic Students Passing the TAKS ELA Exit Level Examination

______________________________________________________________School Year % Hispanic % Hispanic Pearson r

Teachers Students(N=64) Passing TAKS

______________________________________________________________2004-2005 7.02 84.56 - 0.328*2005-2006 7.46 85.19 - 0.520*2006-2007 7.56 86.50 - 0.098 **

* Significant at 0.05 level, two-tailed **Not Significant ______________________________________________________________



Analysis of Data (Qualitative)

Surveys/Questionnaire& Interviews

Data waspresented in

tabular to showcategories & frequencies.The weighed

mean wascomputed forrecruitment &

retentionfactors.

Responses forquestions were

categorizedinto emergentthemes. Thesewere presented

in tabular formshowing the

categories withcorresponding

frequencies andpercentages.

Inputs from theadministrators wereidentified,summarized andexplained.



Major Findings: Qualitative Question 1

What factors influenced Hispanicteachers to go into and remain in theteaching profession in the state of

Texas?




Primary reasons given were: enjoyment inbeing a teacher and fulfilling (both17.4%); influenced by professor, enhancelives of young people, follow footsteps of aloved one, opportunity to help others andmake a difference – all mentioned by 13%of the respondents. Other reasons include:same schedule as children, an option after

being laid off from another job, joblocation and security and able to coach,the love of his life.




What is the value of increasing thenumber of Hispanic teachers in Texasschool districts?




Of the fourteen respondents, 57%considered the Hispanic teachers as rolemodels whom the Hispanic students canemulate and 36% expect to have strongalignment between the Hispanic teachersand Hispanic students. Theseadministrators also envision a campuswhere there is better relationship between

students and teachers; also, teachers areable to relate realities in life to what theyteach in and out of the classroom.




What are the approaches used by theschool districts to recruit and retainHispanic teachers?




School administrators assigned mentors to newHispanic teachers to guide them and monitortheir performance. Advice from mentors isoffered to mentees especially when difficulties

arise. Fifty-seven percent (57%) or eightadministrators utilized this strategy to retain newHispanic teachers. Other strategies advocated by64% of the respondents include financialconsiderations like competitive salary/benefits

and stipends or incentive programs. Supportsystems and dialog may also help Hispanicteachers to remain in the campuses where theyare currently employed.




Which of these approaches appear tobe successful in recruiting andretaining Hispanic teachers?




Forty-three percent or six of the fourteenadministrators considered monetary incentivesand benefits as successful factors to entice andretain Hispanic teachers in the teaching

profession. Taking care of them through thementoring program and making them feelimportant and of value are also considered aseffective strategies to invite and keep Hispanicteachers in the campuses. Administrators provide

the fitting environment to help assure thecontinued presence of Hispanic teachersespecially in schools surrounded by high numberof Hispanic families.



Major Findings: Literature Review

Much of the available research showed thatHispanic students had decided to enter theteaching profession for primarily altruisticreasons. Cabello, Eckimer, and Baghieri (1995)

interviewed teacher candidates during their firstyears in teacher education programs. Themajority of the candidates remembered negativeexperiences while in school and reflected on the

need for more teachers who genuinely cared andwere willing to listen to students.




Diverse groups of students requireattention from a diverse group of teacherswho can have alignment and rapport withthem, since they come from the same

culture and speak the same language. Howard (2003) suggests students will

benefit from having well-trained teacherswho come from similar racial/ethnic andlinguistic backgrounds. These teacherscan contribute to the students’ sense of

belonging and academic achievement.




The desire to be a role model was identified byHispanic educators in a study done by Darder(1995). Hispanic teachers realize theirsignificance in the lives of those they taught and

that it was important to help minority studentsexpress themselves and to appreciate theircultural heritage

The interaction with minority teachers will resultin an increased familiarity with other cultures. In

a more globally-dependent world, students inclassrooms need to learn about world diversity,which includes racial diversity (Wehrman, 2002).



Recommendations

Create an interactive orientation programwhere new Hispanic teachers meet theirveteran counterparts for a meaningful

exchange of questions and answersabout the challenges of teaching. Thefirst year can be fighting for survival, butthe years after can be filled with joy and

hope.



Recommendations

Support the new Hispanic teachers with amentoring program where the mentorand mentee often meet to discuss

problems and opportunities, so that theteacher finds his or her way through themaze of the teaching world and becomea change agent for the benefit of

students under his or her care.



Recommendations

New Hispanic teachers will not only needthe support and guidance of theirmentors. School administrators should

also give them support andunderstanding so that these neophyteswill feel they belong in a school culturethat allows growth and advancement.



Recommendations

The path to teaching is not all rosy; newHispanic teachers may face certainrealities or difficulties that they could not

handle. They need the support of administrators and people at home.Families have influenced somebody in thefamily to go into teaching; now is the

time for them to show support.



Recommendations for Further Study

A study could be conducted regardingother minority teachers (AfricanAmericans, Asians, and others) regarding

factors on how they were recruited andretained in school districts.

A study could be conducted by increasingthe number of samples to include even

more districts in various parts of Texas.



Recommendations for Further Study

A study could be conducted by increasing thenumber of core areas in TAKS Exit LevelExaminations which Hispanic students have topass: Science, Mathematics, English/Language

Arts, and Social Studies. Also increase thenumber of years as scope of the study.

A study could be conducted with Hispanicteachers who teach Math/ELA and drawing a

comparison regarding the achievement of Hispanic students who are taking those subjectsbeing taught directly by Hispanic teachers.



Hispanic Teacher

Recruitment and RetentionInitiatives in Texas Schools

A Dissertation Defense

By

Robert M. Branch

Date post:	03-Apr-2018
Category:	Documents
Upload:	anonymous-sewu7e6
View:	213 times
Download:	0 times

Dr. William Allan Kritsonis, PhD Dissertation Chair -Dissertation Defense Power Pt. Robert Branch

Documents