Author's abstract: Educators faced with a decline in student achievement and increases in dropout rates are seeking ways to provide the best possible educational environment for students (Oxley, 2005). High school transformation, also known as the small schools movement, is a reform that is gaining currency in the world of education (Meier, 2006). Alien (2001) observed that high school transformation is the process of altering the makeup of a large comprehensive high school, also known as a traditional high school, into small high schools or small learning communities at the same location. The teacher is the most important component of educational reform (Fullan, 1993; Glickman, 1990; Tracey, 1993), yet little research has focused on the experience of educators during the transformation to smaller learning environments. The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences of teachers who have completed the transformation process from a large comprehensive high school to a small learning environment. Data were collected through open-ended, phenomenological-oriented interviews with 10 teachers in schools that had been transformed into smaller learning environments within an Atlanta Metro school district. The qualitative data from this study yielded the concepts of employment concerns, district support, teacher involvement in planning, and instructional changes. Ultimately, this study will further discussions regarding all teachers involved in schools during transformation and will serve as a springboard for policy and practice changes leading to a reduction in resistance to change for future reforms and a refined process for high school transformation.
","abstract_html":"<p> Author's abstract: Educators faced with a decline in student achievement and increases in dropout rates are seeking ways to provide the best possible educational environment for students (Oxley, 2005). High school transformation, also known as the small schools movement, is a reform that is gaining currency in the world of education (Meier, 2006). Alien (2001) observed that high school transformation is the process of altering the makeup of a large comprehensive high school, also known as a traditional high school, into small high schools or small learning communities at the same location. The teacher is the most important component of educational reform (Fullan, 1993; Glickman, 1990; Tracey, 1993), yet little research has focused on the experience of educators during the transformation to smaller learning environments. The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences of teachers who have completed the transformation process from a large comprehensive high school to a small learning environment. Data were collected through open-ended, phenomenological-oriented interviews with 10 teachers in schools that had been transformed into smaller learning environments within an Atlanta Metro school district. The qualitative data from this study yielded the concepts of employment concerns, district support, teacher involvement in planning, and instructional changes. Ultimately, this study will further discussions regarding all teachers involved in schools during transformation and will serve as a springboard for policy and practice changes leading to a reduction in resistance to change for future reforms and a refined process for high school transformation.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Lawrence, Reginald"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Education in Curriculum Studies (Ed.D.)","degree_level":"Dissertation (open access)","degree_discipline":"Department of Curriculum, Foundations, and Reading","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Lucinda Chance","James Green","Georj Lewis"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2009,"date_issued":"2009-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2009-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:27:52Z","subjects":["ETD","educational change","school reform","small schools","downsizing of schools","Curriculum and Instruction","Curriculum and Social Inquiry","Education"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/1038","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Lucinda Chance","James Green","Georj Lewis"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Lawrence, Reginald"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2014-02-25T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Department of Curriculum, Foundations, and Reading"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation (open access)"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Education in Curriculum Studies (Ed.D.)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["ETD","educational change","school reform","small schools","downsizing of schools","Curriculum and Instruction","Curriculum and Social Inquiry","Education"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/1038"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Author's abstract: Educators faced with a decline in student achievement and increases in dropout rates are seeking ways to provide the best possible educational environment for students (Oxley, 2005). High school transformation, also known as the small schools movement, is a reform that is gaining currency in the world of education (Meier, 2006). Alien (2001) observed that high school transformation is the process of altering the makeup of a large comprehensive high school, also known as a traditional high school, into small high schools or small learning communities at the same location. The teacher is the most important component of educational reform (Fullan, 1993; Glickman, 1990; Tracey, 1993), yet little research has focused on the experience of educators during the transformation to smaller learning environments. The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences of teachers who have completed the transformation process from a large comprehensive high school to a small learning environment. Data were collected through open-ended, phenomenological-oriented interviews with 10 teachers in schools that had been transformed into smaller learning environments within an Atlanta Metro school district. The qualitative data from this study yielded the concepts of employment concerns, district support, teacher involvement in planning, and instructional changes. Ultimately, this study will further discussions regarding all teachers involved in schools during transformation and will serve as a springboard for policy and practice changes leading to a reduction in resistance to change for future reforms and a refined process for high school transformation.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["High School Transformation: The Lived Experience of Teachers Moving to Small Learning Environments"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Lucinda Chance","James Green","Georj Lewis"],"dc:creator":["Lawrence, Reginald"],"dc:date.available":["2014-02-25T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Author's abstract: Educators faced with a decline in student achievement and increases in dropout rates are seeking ways to provide the best possible educational environment for students (Oxley, 2005). High school transformation, also known as the small schools movement, is a reform that is gaining currency in the world of education (Meier, 2006). Alien (2001) observed that high school transformation is the process of altering the makeup of a large comprehensive high school, also known as a traditional high school, into small high schools or small learning communities at the same location. The teacher is the most important component of educational reform (Fullan, 1993; Glickman, 1990; Tracey, 1993), yet little research has focused on the experience of educators during the transformation to smaller learning environments. The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences of teachers who have completed the transformation process from a large comprehensive high school to a small learning environment. Data were collected through open-ended, phenomenological-oriented interviews with 10 teachers in schools that had been transformed into smaller learning environments within an Atlanta Metro school district. The qualitative data from this study yielded the concepts of employment concerns, district support, teacher involvement in planning, and instructional changes. Ultimately, this study will further discussions regarding all teachers involved in schools during transformation and will serve as a springboard for policy and practice changes leading to a reduction in resistance to change for future reforms and a refined process for high school transformation.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/1038"],"dc:subject":["ETD","educational change","school reform","small schools","downsizing of schools","Curriculum and Instruction","Curriculum and Social Inquiry","Education"],"dc:title":["High School Transformation: The Lived Experience of Teachers Moving to Small Learning Environments"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Department of Curriculum, Foundations, and Reading"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation (open access)"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Education in Curriculum Studies (Ed.D.)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:27:52Z"}