02/08/2024
By Zakkiyya Witherspoon

The School of Education invites you to attend a doctoral dissertation defense by Michelle Balch on “Improving Leadership Development: Designing Experiences to Promote Instructional Self-Efficacy in Aspiring Leaders of Color."

Candidate: Michelle Balch
Degree: Doctoral- Leadership in Schooling
Defense Date: Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024
Time: 10 a.m.
Location: Remote via Zoom 
Thesis/Dissertation Title: Improving Leadership Development: Designing Experiences to Promote Instructional Self-Efficacy in Aspiring Leaders of Color

Dissertation Committee

  • Dissertation Chair: James Nehring, Ed.D., Professor, School of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Dissertation Committee Member: Phitsamay Sychitkokhong Uy, Ed.D., Associate Professor, School of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Dissertation Committee Member: Christina Whittlesey, Ph.D., Adjunct Faculty, School of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Abstract
If we as a nation want to create a more equitable educational system, then we must increase the number of racially diverse school leaders. Emerging research consistently shows that when we support and develop leaders of color, it yields increased student achievement outcomes. Yet little progress has been made over the past decade to increase the number of leaders of color. As our student body becomes increasingly diverse, districts are making marginal growth in ensuring our educators and leaders' racial composition represents the students they serve. Districts that are committed to diversifying their workforce are creating innovative internally developed programs to increase recruitment and retention rates for leaders of color. This research is centered on a large urban district's leadership program designed to increase the number of diverse school leaders by leveraging the educator workforce. While this and similar programs address recruitment efforts, most programs do not focus on retention. This mixed-methods research study describes an intervention designed to provide coaching and support for aspiring leaders to increase retention rates of administrators of color. This case study analyzed the effects of four participants engaged in coaching and mentoring to improve instructional efficacy development through observations and feedback given to educators. Applying grounded theory, the qualitative data collected through field notes and interviews triangulated with quantitative data collected through video-based observation scoring and pre-and post-survey findings suggest that administrators may be more likely to remain in the district and the field by being provided with additional coaching and support focusing on instructional self-efficacy development.