Planning for Change While Changing the Plan: A Case Study of Staff Perceptions of an Elementary ELL Program Redesign

<p>This study shows how I, the leader, conceptualized and implemented a program redesign over the course of two years (2009-11). At the time of this study I was faced with multiple factors which led to the inspiration for change: (a) the relatively rapid increase in the number of students needing ELL services, (b) a growing teacher concern for ELLs performing in the core academic areas, and (c) greater emphasis on improving level of English proficiency and overall academic performance for placement purposes in the ELL program and in the regular education class, and (d) the change of exit criteria in January 2010 by the state for ELL students. The purpose of this research study was to assess how administrators and teachers in an elementary school perceived the first two years of a new ELL program at Wiley from conceptualization to implementation. In order to answer the exact questions of inquiry identified in the following chapters, I gathered a team of five staff members who would review and assist with this complex change process. I chose to use a case study methodology approach that focused on the change process experienced by the district while conceptualizing and implementing a program redesign for ELLs. I gathered data through the use of surveys, interviews, and artifacts to draw my conclusions. Overall, staff appreciated the awareness and identification of the issue of the changing ELL population and setting a plan to address the concerns. However, because this study was based on a two year process, the findings indicated a need for more time to address the entire process. More time would be used to create a culture of collaboration for staff and schedule additional time to fully implement a three- to five-year redesign plan.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Ed.D. Doctor of Education

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation - Public Access

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Educational Leadership

Year dc:date.available

2014

Author dc:creator

• Panopoulos, Joanne

Contributors dc:contributor

• Linnea Rademaker
• Vicki Gunther
• Alison Gordon

• elementary schools
• ELL program design
• complex change
• case study
• systems change
• Education
• Educational Leadership

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/78

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.nl.edu:diss-1084