Dissertation
A qualitative study of principal discipline decision making
Washington State University
Doctor of Education (EdD), Washington State University
2023
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7273/000006379
Abstract
Disproportionality in school discipline (i.e., disparities in exclusionary discipline for certain subgroups) represents one of the most significant problems in education today (Losen et al, 2015; Welsh & Little, 2018). This qualitative study investigated how school principals described their concerns, pressures, and tensions when making student discipline decisions and explored how principals described a good discipline decision. The findings in this study provide insight concerning how to support school leaders in their efforts to close the discipline equity gap. Study results highlight the principals’ concerns including ensuring safety, adhering to laws, policies, and procedures, maintaining positive and healthy relationships, and upholding internal consistency as decisions get made. Principals’ pressures consisted of keeping everyone safe, performing in a public arena under scrutiny, and incorporating the added complexities of the principalship. The tensions principals faced included tensions related to navigating organizational contexts, balancing core values and beliefs, and following laws, policies, and procedures. Importantly, results shed light on how principals describe what makes a discipline decision good. Principals in this study suggested that good discipline decisions produce results, keep relationships intact, get resolved at the lowest level, and address root causes. Generally, principals in this study attempted to resolve the issues they faced by employing a discipline decision-making cycle consisting of three phases including learning, planning, and enacting.
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Details
- Title
- A qualitative study of principal discipline decision making
- Creators
- Amy S. McLaughlin
- Contributors
- Sharon D. Kruse (Advisor)Jeffrey Walls (Committee Member)Richard McBride (Committee Member)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Department of Educational Leadership, Sport Studies, and Educational/Counseling Psychology
- Theses and Dissertations
- Doctor of Education (EdD), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University
- Number of pages
- 204
- Identifiers
- 99901087515401842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Dissertation