Peabody College Leadership, Policy, and Organizations

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The Department of Leadership, Policy, and Organizations (LPO) is among an elite few academic departments in the nation offering opportunities to study with internationally renowned faculty in K-12 and higher education administration, education policy, and organizational leadership.

If you are a practitioner looking to deepen your knowledge and strengthen your credentials, LPO's professional M.Ed., Ed.D., and M.P.P. programs will prepare you for leadership in any number of organizations—from K-12 schools, colleges, or universities to policy-making organizations, corporations, or non-governmental organizations.

If you desire an academic scholarly career in a college or university, the department's graduate Ph.D. programs offer widespread opportunities for study, research, presentation, and publication with faculty mentors who are recognized as among the best in their disciplines in K-12 and Higher Education, both nationally & internationally.

LPO, along with the Department of Human and Organizational Development, also serves as home to the undergraduate major (B.S.) in Human and Organizational Development, the largest undergraduate major at Vanderbilt.

We invite you to explore our degree offerings, get to know our faculty, and learn more about our exciting, multidisciplinary, and world-oriented community.

Department Location:	Leadership, Policy, and Organizations Vanderbilt University PMB #414 230 Appleton Place Nashville, TN 37203-5721 (615) 322-8000
Mailing Address:	Leadership, Policy, and Organizations Vanderbilt University PMB #414 230 Appleton Place Nashville, TN 37203-5721
Phone:	615-322-8000
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Email:	Karen.Cunningham@vanderbilt.edu
Website:	Leadership, Policy & Organization

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Now showing 1 - 20 of 142

A Study of Differential Pre-K Readiness Across Racial/Socioeconomic Lines in Evanston/Skokie School District 65
(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2017-05-01) Kenly, Avery; Klein, Amanda; Nicholson, Charles
Ackerman and Barnett (2005) suggest that "future academic success is dependent on being ready to learn and participate in a successful kindergarten experience" (p. 1). More importantly, a quality preschool experience has the potential to reduce gaps in achievement and the reproduction of socioeconomic inequalities that persist among disadvantaged families (Crosnoe, Purtell, Davis-Kean, Ansari, & Benner, 2016). Research has also indicated that students from low socioeconomic backgrounds are at a disadvantage, as they begin school with fewer academic skills and greater gaps in cognitive and academic competencies than their more advantaged peers (Stipek & Ryan, 1997). According to Magnuson, Meyers, Ruhm, and Waldfogel (2004), "differences in children's childhood experiences play a formative role in shaping school readiness and largely explain the skill gaps at school entry" (2004, p. 117).
Admissions Selectivity for Missouri's Public Universities
(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2021-05) Boyd, Autumn; Dunston, Emelia
This report discusses a recent study commissioned by the Office of Postsecondary Policy, located within the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development, to evaluate the relevance and efficacy of the department’s admissions selectivity policy. A mixed methods research design was employed to assess the policy’s functionality, determine which pre-college characteristics are the strongest indicators of student success, and evaluate how the administration of state-sponsored aid factors into the equation. A review of the data determined that earlier deviations from the policy were caused by differential interpretations of the selectivity guidelines, but more recent changes were made in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In practice, the primary performance metrics being used to gauge a student’s academic potential are high school grades and SAT/ACT scores. Based on the Fall 2014 cohort’s performance data, high school GPA as a single indicator was found to offer a greater predictive value than ACT Composite Scores, with respect to graduation rates. Additionally, the receipt of first-year state aid and the amount of aid received demonstrated some predictive value, suggesting that state aid plays a role in students' ability to persist and graduate.
Adult College Student Choice: Individual and Institutional Factors that Influence Students
(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2017-05) Crounse, Shane; Hinkle, Lygie; Shatzer, Christin
The Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association (TICUA) asked us to explore why adult students, individuals age 25 and over, in Tennessee choose to enroll in private nonprofit institutions like their member campuses. It is their hope that better understanding adult college student choice will support TICUA’s role in the Tennessee Drive-to-55 initiative. To understand the issue context, we explored existing data sets from TICUA and the Tennessee higher education commission (THEC). To frame our research and study questions we met with staff of TICUA, THEC, and several campus administrators. After developing our study questions, we reviewed literature on college choice and adult students. Finally, we administered a survey of current adult students enrolled at several TICUA institutions and conducted interviews with adult students and campus administrators who work with adult students. Our analysis of these data sets led us to posit a set of best practices specific to Tennessee private, nonprofit colleges and universities. TICUA institutions can draw on this set of best practices in ways that suit their geographic contexts, program offerings, and campus culture. Tennessee is a laboratory for higher education innovation. A strong state lottery scholarship program has supported the growth of several initiatives that align with the latest thinking of the U.S. Department of Education and national think tank organizations like Lumina Foundation (USDE, 2012; Lumina, 2016). The Tennessee Reconnect program has mirrored Lumina’s call for states to serve adult students through first credentials, articulated pathways, and advising. The 2017 expansion of the Tennessee Promise scholarships, through the Tennessee Reconnect Act, gives adults free community college and puts the state ahead of any other in supporting adult college students (Fain, 2014). Tennessee’s higher education programs also largely address U.S. Department of Education recommendations for supporting adult learners with programs targeting access, quality, and completion (USDE, 2012). While TICUA’s membership of four-year institutions are largely excluded from press coverage surrounding the Tennessee Promise scholarships, these 34 campuses award the bachelor’s degree that is more highly coveted by employers and more versatile in the job market (CEW 2010, 2013). TICUA institutions certainly serve a smaller number of adult learners than other segments of the Tennessee higher education community, but they are expected to serve increasing numbers of adult students and offer experiences and programs unavailable at public or for-profit institutions (THEC, 2015). Additionally, nearly a third of bachelor's degrees awarded by TICUA institutions go to adult students (THEC, 2016). Our review of the existing data and literature suggest that students aged 25 and older pursue higher education in different ways than traditional aged students. These differences are best served by changes to marketing, recruiting, onboarding, classroom engagement, and path to degree. Adult students are more focused on specific employment outcomes, expect efficient administrative services, welcome classroom rigor, and require a clear and timely path to graduation and credentialing. While the four-year bachelor's degree is more sought-after by employers and more flexible in the national job market, adult students prefer to know that the knowledge and skills they personally learn will be worth the time and energy they expend to acquire them.
An Analysis of Teacher Attrition in Tennessee Charter Schools
(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2017-05) Campbell, Matthew D.; Gesualdi, Nicholas J.; Moquin, Rachel W.
The Tennessee Charter School Center (TCSC) formed in 2013 through the merger of the Tennessee Charter School Incubator and the Tennessee Charter Schools Association. The TCSC combines the functions and resources of the previous two groups by promoting education and awareness of charter schools, advancing policy and advocacy, supporting innovation and incubation of charter schools, and supporting leaders at charter schools across the state. Perhaps the largest human capital concern for these schools is the yearly movement of teachers out of the classroom. Unquestionably, some turnover is healthy for schools, but retaining higher numbers of effective teachers is a priority for all charter schools across the state. Understanding the causes and patterns of these departures will allow the TCSC to support their schools more effectively and offer the opportunity to tailor future hiring and retention practices to the unique needs of each school. In an effort to understand the current labor portrait, we explored the following project questions: 1. How do teachers at Tennessee Charter Schools rate their satisfaction regarding four common causes of teacher attrition (instructional support, compensation, school conditions, burnout)? 2. How do teacher characteristics (gender, race, age, teaching experience, educational attainment) influence teachers’ attrition plans at Tennessee Charter Schools? 3. How do variations in charter school characteristics (network CMO vs. local CMO vs. standalone school, established vs. startup, elementary vs. secondary) influence teachers’ attrition plans at Tennessee Charter Schools? 4. Within our framework, what factors predict teacher attrition at Tennessee Charter Schools? To answer these questions, we combined quantitative and qualitative data from a survey instrument that was completed by 131 charter school teachers in Memphis and Nashville across a variety of building contexts. For the first project question, we operationalized each attrition factor using existing scales and surveyed teacher opinion. For the second project question, we gathered relevant teacher characteristics from the demographic portion of our survey. For the third project question, we gathered relevant school characteristics from the introductory portion of our survey. To answer the fourth project question, we ran multiple regressions with various predictor and outcome variables. For each question we analyzed quantitative data using appropriate statistical methods to gauge significance and coded qualitative responses for themes and illustrative quotes.
Analysis of the Strategic Initiatives for the Block at Tusculum College
(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2010-05) Clark, Teresa Bagamery
Answering the Call: Lessons Learned from Montgomery County Middle School Magnet Consortium
(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2008-02-22T19:30:41Z) Hollenberg, Eugene; Henrick, Erin; Hamilton, Melissa
In the fall of 2005, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) opened three magnet middle schools in a portion of the school district with a high minority population and percentage of students receiving free and reduced meals. The district grouped the schools, Argyle Magnet School for Information Technology, A. Mario Loiederman Magnet School for the Creative and Performing Arts, and Parkland Magnet School for Aerospace Technology, into the Middle School Magnet Consortium (MSMC). MCPS used their current strategic plan, "Our Call to Action: Pursuit of Excellence", completed in 2004, to develop the blueprint for implementation at the schools. A Peabody College team was asked to look at the planning and 1st year of implementation of the consortium. In order to observe, document, and report on the progress of the consortium schools, the team asked the following guiding questions: 1. How does the MCPS MSMC fit within the strategic plan, Our Call to Action: Pursuit of Excellence? 2. In what ways does the MSMC demonstrate research-based best practices of middle school reform? 3. What lessons have been learned in the first year of implementation? In order to better understand the planning and implementation of the consortium, several different information sources were used. Research from "Turning Points 2000" and "Breaking Ranks in the Middle" was used to determine best practices. These practices then were applied to the common elements of the consortium schools in answering the guiding questions. The study determined that early trend data for achievement, demographic shifts, and school climate is positive in meeting the goals of the MSAP grant and the district strategic plan. Common themes discovered through the case study include: - High levels of teacher and administrator professionalism - Quality leadership - An emerging model for professional development - Strong academic content - Concerns about physical plant and appropriate equipment The study makes several recommendations. Recommendations directed at the MSMC include: - Planning for magnet school student transition to high school - Developing plans for the end of the magnet grant - Further study for evaluation o MSA data review o NWEA MAP expected growth comparisons o Qualitative review benchmarked by this report Recommendations for all MCPS middle schools include: - Developing principal cohorts among all schools - Embedded professional development focused on learning and instruction - Ensuring resource availability prior to change implementation - Exploring heterogeneous grouping in all classes After a year of implementation, it appears that MSMC schools have been successful in attracting students to unique programs reflecting best practice and achieving the goals of the MSAP grant and the MCPS strategic plan. With continued care and monitoring from administrators and teachers, the probability of long-term success is high.
Barriers to the Implementation of Digital Instructional Resources: A Mixed Methods Implementation Evaluation of Lexia Core 5 and Dreambox Math in Stafford County Public Schools
(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2023-05-12) Evans, Sarah L.; Smart, Lisle B.; Williams Leathers, Tonya
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Stafford County Schools (SCPS) recognized a need to address learning loss through two evidence-based digital instructional resources that could be used at school and at home. SCPS chose Lexia Core5 Reading to support students with foundational reading skills and comprehension and DreamBox Math to support math instruction. All elementary schools in SCPS had licenses for each student for both programs. The implementation was assessed through a mixed-methods approach. This evaluation found that most K-5 teachers implemented Lexia Core5 Reading, although their training and professional development experiences meant the implementation was inconsistent across the division. The implementation of DreamBox Math was sporadic and inconsistent; this is related to the gaps in training, professional development, and school supports. There is much opportunity to enhance the implementation of digital instructional resources through implementation guidance, professional development aligned to the principles of adult learning, and school supports focused on support and accountability.
Beyond the Corp: Exploring the Efficacy of Teach for America-Greater Chicago/Northwest Indiana School-Based Alumni Suite Programming
(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2022) Edwards, Raymond Jr.; Harrison-Stephens, Lerai
Within the past several years, Teach For America Greater Chicago-Northwest Indiana (TFA-GC) has adopted a strengthened desire to extend the development of alumni members who have completed their initial two-year commitment. This expanded mission has prompted Teach For America Greater Chicago/Northwest Indiana to cultivate a pipeline of programs that will support alumni members and non-alumni members to engage in professional development programs that prepare and support them in their leadership aspirations. Even in the most marginalized schools, strong principals make a positive difference in the academic outcomes of their students (Consortium on Chicago School Research, 2008). Therefore, part of TFA-GC’s strategy is to boost the career trajectory of individual members by offering them targeted programs at key moments in their career that will prepare them for success as educational leaders. This study appraises the efficacy of their school-based leadership suite programs through investigating the program participants’ perceptions of the programs’ efficacy. We examined the elements of TFA-GC’s theory of change including building leadership programs, the impacts of coaching and mentoring, and the social benefits experienced by alumni who participate. We used a mixed-methods project design that combined quantitative and qualitative approaches to data collection and analysis. Based upon our findings, we offer recommendations to TFA-GC on ways they can improve their school-based leadership suite programs.
Breaking the Cycle: A Study of the Elgin Children's Foundation Effort to Promote Early Literacy in Appalachia
(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2016-05) Cormack, Michael, Jr.; Vest, Jennifer M; Wong, Nancy
Brevard College: Advancement Services in the Wake of an Institutional Transition
(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2014) Perez, Erin C.; Thomas, Anna K.; Walker, Quinton P.; Braxton, John
Bridging Baltimore, Barranquilla, and Beyond: Sustainable Growth in Faculty-Led Study Abroad Programming at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County
(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2019) Dickson, Nancy; Mullen, Sarah; Speaks, Tiffany
As the demographic characteristics of college students in the United States have shifted and expanded, so have the patterns of student mobility across international borders. Study abroad opportunities have also become increasingly diverse -- both structurally and demographically. Over the last decade, the length and time frame of education abroad experiences have shifted dramatically to better reflect the needs, expectations, and realities of today’s college students. Today, nearly 65% students completing an education abroad experience do so in fewer than eight weeks, while the number of students studying abroad for a semester or full academic year has declined (Institute of International Education, 2018).
Bridging the Gap: Junior Achievement’s Role in Shaping Tennessee’s Workforce
(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2025) Amanda Brown and Darren Ramalho
This mixed-methods study evaluates the impact of Junior Achievement (JA) programming in Tennessee on students’ financial literacy, durable employment skills, and career readiness. Based on the analysis of quantitative and qualitative data, the research underscores JA’s effectiveness in preparing students across diverse geographic contexts for economic and career success. The study acknowledges the need for further disaggregated data, longitudinal tracking, and curricular embeddedness in schools. Findings also support JA’s alignment with statewide workforce development goals and recommend integrating state programming into core educational strategies across regions in the state to cultivate equitable, experiential learning that ultimately benefits the school-to-work pipeline.
Buffalo Promise Neighborhood Parents and School Choice: Who Stays, Who Leaves, and Why?
(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2014-03) De Guia, Vanessa A.; Johnson, Nathan T.
Building Better Boards for National Association of Independent Schools
(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2023-05-12) Nahm, Ahmed; Rogers, Lauren
This study aims to identify how trustees in NAIS member schools are developed through onboarding practices, how they view their responsibilities to the schools they serve, and whether existing onboarding structures, activities, and priorities support them in their role. Our work builds on previous research that highlights board-level governance concerns in independent schools and explicates the need to define onboarding processes for trustees. The research questions (1) explore the structures, activities, and priorities in onboarding and supporting trustees, (2) examine the relationship between onboarding satisfaction, board satisfaction, and perceptions of trustee responsibilities, and (3) discern the differences in views on trustee responsibilities between heads of school and trustees. The study employs a mixed-method research approach, including interviews with heads and board chairs from 10 schools and responses from 823 survey participants, also heads and trustees at NAIS member schools. Results of this study support NAIS, trustees, and heads of schools in evaluating and improving board governance practices. The study recommends bite-sized training opportunities for board members based on institutional goals and priorities, avenues for board chairs to engage and connect through NAIS and its programming, and emphasizes the importance of establishing a communication infrastructure in support of governance efforts in independent schools.
"Building the Plane While It's Flying": An Implementation Study of the Jefferson County Public Schools Safety Plan
(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2023-05) Biondi, Susan Taylor; Wilson, Molly
This study was completed on behalf of Jefferson County Public Schools as an implementation evaluation of their new Safety Administrator role. Safety Administrators are a novel concept, born of the desire to approach school safety from both a physical security and an emotional security lens. We utilized a mixed methods data collection strategy, consisting of focus group interviews and surveys of Safety Administrators, a survey completed by Safety Administrators’ supervisors, and document analysis. Results indicate that Safety Administrators’ time use aligns with the district’s expectations, and that the role has strong social validity with school principals. Safety Administrators themselves indicate a firm commitment to their role and to its mission. Although their organizational socialization experience involved a somewhat ambiguous beginning, Safety Administrators overwhelmingly express an intention to return to the job next year. The Safety Administrator role is an extremely promising initiative, bridging the gap between trauma-informed practices and necessary security protocols.
California State University, East Bay: A Strengths-based Examination of First-Year Student Retention at the Most Ethnically Diverse University in the Country
(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2018-05) Greenwell, Joseph; Guerin, Allison; Parada-Villatoro, Amanda
California State University, East Bay (CSUEB) is one of twenty-three universities in the California State University (CSU) system and is a highly diverse, four-year, public university located in the San Francisco Bay Area. CSUEB, along with all CSU campuses, is currently planning how to best achieve the benchmarks outlined under the state's Graduation Initiative 2025. To improve student success within the CSU system, CSUEB seeks to increase its four-year graduation rate from 14% to 35% and its six-year freshmen graduation rate from 48% to 62% by 2025. A critical step in achieving these goals is to increase the first-time, first-year student retention rate. In this study, we adopt a mixed methods approach to identify the characteristics of CSUEB students that predict first-year departure and understand the experiences of students who posses these same risk factors and persisted to a second year of college. Taking a strengths-based perspective, we specifically seek to understand what practices, supports, and experiences, both in and out of the classroom, aided in high-risk students' persistence decisions.
Charter School Founders Program: Supports for School Leaders
(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2023-05-12) Moore, Robert L. III; Woods, Shauntelle L.
Presently, students of color in a southeastern state do not have access to high-quality schools. The Charter School Founders program seeks to create schools that provide opportunities to students and families to mitigate systemic educational inequities. This mixed-methods study investigates the supports charter school leaders and founders found useful in launching and running their schools. This study is the first of its kind in the literature world of charter school founding. Our research examines charter school stakeholders' perspectives on the Charter School Founders Program’s supports. This compiled report seeks to answer the following questions: (1) To what extent is the program providing the support school leaders need to launch and run their schools? And what supports do they think are the most useful? (2) What additional supports do fellows and school leaders need currently not provided? (3) To what extent do supports compare from a school founder program to similar programs nationally? The conceptual framework, consisting of the three main buckets of culture and people, instruction, and organization, served as a foundation for our research (Grissom et al., 2022). Based on the findings of our study, we recommend that the Charter School Founders Program expands academic support for academic programming and accountability, provides practical recruitment and hiring strategies, build a charter facilities incubator, prioritize sustainability in financial planning, and increase the responsiveness of leadership development.
Charting Progress toward Outcomes: Analyzing the Role of Professional Development in Early Implementation of Tennessee's Mathematics Standard
(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2018-05) Blahuta, Renee; Probst, Carolyn; Roumpos, Kenneth
Tennessee has set ambitious student achievement goals for itself that include increasing students' levels of achievement and decreasing achievement gaps. A strategic plan, Tennessee Succeeds, codified these goals in October 2015 and identified rigorous state academic standards as a powerful lever for improving teaching practice and student outcomes. In April 2016, a four-year-long collaborative revision process culminated in the adoption of the K-12 Tennessee Academic Standards for Math and English Language Arts, which were expected to be in use in classrooms at the start of school year 2017- 18. Since early 2016, the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) has been engaged in an implementation process relative to these revised academic standards at the direction of the Tennessee State Board of Education (TSBE). This process has included state-led professional development to support districts and schools in implementing the revised standards in their classrooms.
Clarifying the Complexity of MNPS Student Departure: Who Leaves, When, & Why?
(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2013-05) Johnson, Eric G.; Nattrass, Tara E.; Phillips, Jack W.
Clarity, Capacity, Community, and Continuous Improvement: An evaluationof summer programming
(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2021-05) Kimberly, Kevin; McIlroy, Sarah; Parker, Nathan
School districts throughout the United States invest in summer programming meant to effectively leverage students’ typical out-of-school time for continued growth. In this study, we conduct an evaluation of middle school summer remediation programming within a large school district in the Southeastern United States. Designed to aid the district’s leaders in assessing current operations and planning for improvement-oriented next steps, the study employs a mixed-methods approach. We first qualitatively examine the purposes, practices, and products of summer programming across the district’s eight middle schools, and subsequently conduct a preliminary impact evaluation using existing internal student assessment data in reading and math. District leaders expected variation in approaches and implementation across schools, but such variation did not emerge as the primary point of interest; instead, this evaluation illuminates an overarching and persistent lack of clarity of program purpose, some opportunities to better align with research best practices, and gaps between the program’s academically-oriented intentions and more evident social-emotional outcomes.

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