This research study aimed to understand how successful Texas educators who grew up in poverty understood and improved the educational experience of economically disadvantaged students. This study utilized a structural ecological theory and three theories of social relationships (Social Identity, Standpoint, and Cultural Capital). This phenomenological and qualitative study used a cross-sectional, descriptive, online case study design rooted in narrative nonfiction. Virtual interviews with six successful Texas educators that grew up in poverty were conducted. A narrative method of analysis was utilized to generate codes then organize them into themes, and to construct and compare the narrative findings. The results of the study demonstrated that poverty has many adverse effects resulting in both out-of-school and in-school challenges for children. These challenges crossed 11 dimensions. This study reported coping mechanisms that were exhibited by the students and their stakeholders. Controlling themes across each participant’s narrative were isolated and discussed.
","abstract_html":"<p>This research study aimed to understand how successful Texas educators who grew up in poverty understood and improved the educational experience of economically disadvantaged students. This study utilized a structural ecological theory and three theories of social relationships (Social Identity, Standpoint, and Cultural Capital). This phenomenological and qualitative study used a cross-sectional, descriptive, online case study design rooted in narrative nonfiction. Virtual interviews with six successful Texas educators that grew up in poverty were conducted. A narrative method of analysis was utilized to generate codes then organize them into themes, and to construct and compare the narrative findings. The results of the study demonstrated that poverty has many adverse effects resulting in both out-of-school and in-school challenges for children. These challenges crossed 11 dimensions. This study reported coping mechanisms that were exhibited by the students and their stakeholders. Controlling themes across each participant’s narrative were isolated and discussed.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Morris, Rebecca N."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Education","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Secondary Education and Educational Leadership","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Ali Hachem, Ph.D.","Freddie L. Avant, Ph.D.","Patrick M. Jenlink, Ed.D."],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2021,"date_issued":"2021-05-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2021-05-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:30:30Z","subjects":["Challenges in Culture","Challenges in School","Stakeholders","Economically Disadvantaged Children","Ecological Theory of Poverty","Texas Educators","Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education","Counseling","Curriculum and Instruction","Curriculum and Social Inquiry","Disability and Equity in Education","Early Childhood Education","Education","Educational Administration and Supervision","Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research","Educational Leadership","Educational Methods","Educational Psychology","Education Economics","Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration","Elementary Education","Elementary Education and Teaching","Health and Physical Education","Language and Literacy Education","Other Education","Other Teacher Education and Professional Development","Pre-Elementary, Early Childhood, Kindergarten Teacher Education","Secondary Education and Teaching","Social and Behavioral Sciences","Social Justice","Special Education and Teaching","Student Counseling and Personnel Services","Teacher Education and Professional Development"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/etds/360","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Ali Hachem, Ph.D.","Freddie L. 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This study utilized a structural ecological theory and three theories of social relationships (Social Identity, Standpoint, and Cultural Capital). This phenomenological and qualitative study used a cross-sectional, descriptive, online case study design rooted in narrative nonfiction. Virtual interviews with six successful Texas educators that grew up in poverty were conducted. A narrative method of analysis was utilized to generate codes then organize them into themes, and to construct and compare the narrative findings. The results of the study demonstrated that poverty has many adverse effects resulting in both out-of-school and in-school challenges for children. These challenges crossed 11 dimensions. This study reported coping mechanisms that were exhibited by the students and their stakeholders. Controlling themes across each participant’s narrative were isolated and discussed.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["K-12 Economically Disadvantaged Students, Poverty, and Education: Ecological Narratives of Successful Raised-In-Poverty, Texas Educators"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Ali Hachem, Ph.D.","Freddie L. Avant, Ph.D.","Patrick M. Jenlink, Ed.D."],"dc:creator":["Morris, Rebecca N."],"dc:date.available":["2021-04-28T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This research study aimed to understand how successful Texas educators who grew up in poverty understood and improved the educational experience of economically disadvantaged students. This study utilized a structural ecological theory and three theories of social relationships (Social Identity, Standpoint, and Cultural Capital). This phenomenological and qualitative study used a cross-sectional, descriptive, online case study design rooted in narrative nonfiction. Virtual interviews with six successful Texas educators that grew up in poverty were conducted. A narrative method of analysis was utilized to generate codes then organize them into themes, and to construct and compare the narrative findings. The results of the study demonstrated that poverty has many adverse effects resulting in both out-of-school and in-school challenges for children. These challenges crossed 11 dimensions. This study reported coping mechanisms that were exhibited by the students and their stakeholders. Controlling themes across each participant’s narrative were isolated and discussed.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/etds/360"],"dc:subject":["Challenges in Culture","Challenges in School","Stakeholders","Economically Disadvantaged Children","Ecological Theory of Poverty","Texas Educators","Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education","Counseling","Curriculum and Instruction","Curriculum and Social Inquiry","Disability and Equity in Education","Early Childhood Education","Education","Educational Administration and Supervision","Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research","Educational Leadership","Educational Methods","Educational Psychology","Education Economics","Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration","Elementary Education","Elementary Education and Teaching","Health and Physical Education","Language and Literacy Education","Other Education","Other Teacher Education and Professional Development","Pre-Elementary, Early Childhood, Kindergarten Teacher Education","Secondary Education and Teaching","Social and Behavioral Sciences","Social Justice","Special Education and Teaching","Student Counseling and Personnel Services","Teacher Education and Professional Development"],"dc:title":["K-12 Economically Disadvantaged Students, Poverty, and Education: Ecological Narratives of Successful Raised-In-Poverty, Texas Educators"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Secondary Education and Educational Leadership"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Education"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:30:30Z"}