04/02/2021
By Robin Hall

The College of Education invites you to attend a doctoral dissertation defense by Laurie Hartwick on “District English Learner Directors: Making Sense of Micropolitics and Education Mandates.”

Date: Wednesday, April 14, 2021
Time: 10 a.m. EST
Location: This will be a virtual defense via Zoom. Those interested in attending should email
Michaela_Colombo@uml.edu at least 24 hours prior to the defense to request access to the meeting.

Dissertation Chair: Michaela Wyman-Colombo, Ed.D., Professor Emeritus, College of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Dissertation Committee:

  • Phitsamay Uy, Ph.D., Associate Professor, College of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Johanna Tigert, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, College of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Abstract:

The demographic of English learners (ELs) in public school systems across the United States increases annually. Unfortunately, ELs continue to lag behind their fully English proficient peers with regard to educational achievement. Educational mandates and reform policies at the federal and state have been implemented with the goal of closing the achievement gap of ELs. A critical stakeholder at the district and school level is the EL director, who facilitates the implementation and sustaining of these mandates. This qualitative interview study of seven EL directors explores the roles, perceptions, and experiences of EL directors as district leaders in Massachusetts through the lens of micropolitical and leadership frameworks and with an eye to the trickle-down effect of policy and mandates (macro forces) on practice. Understanding EL director roles and perceptions of mandates as macro forces and their impact at the microlevel provides insight into how top-down mandates take hold within the layers of district implementation with the intent to narrow the achievement gap and improve educational outcomes for ELs.

Keywords: macropolitics, micropolitics, English learners, mandates, policy, EL directors, leadership framework