Date of Award

8-2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Education Systems Improvement Science

Committee Chair/Advisor

Dr. Daniella Hall Sutherland

Committee Member

Dr. Brandi Hinnant-Crawford

Committee Member

Dr. Sherry Hoyle

Committee Member

Dr. Jacquelynn Malloy

Abstract

Despite the number of students and the growing diversity of the students served by rural districts, a lack of research exists on rural district systems to support the continuous improvement of schools. The lack of understanding around systems for rural district improvement stands to exacerbate long-standing inequities for rural communities. Using a three-article format and a qualitative case study approach, this dissertation contributes to what is understood about rural district systems for continuous improvement of schools. The first article examines how a rural district organized for the continuous improvement of its schools. The second article uses an improvement science approach to study the role of internal boundary infrastructure, generalized from Research Practice Partnerships, in the continuous improvement of the rural district’s schools. The third article uses an improvement science approach to examine how the rural district leveraged internal boundary infrastructure to create place-based knowledge. The findings from this three-part study make a significant contribution to the research on rural district improvement. Findings from the first study suggest that the rural district engaged in key actions that allowed them to organize for continuous improvement of schools. First, they selected a model that situated the district’s role in the continuous improvement of its schools. Second, the district enacted mutually reinforcing boundary infrastructure and spiraled improvement cycles. Findings from the second study suggest that internal boundary infrastructure fostered key conditions for rural district improvement including power sharing, coherence, and elevating relationships. Findings from the third study suggest that the rural district leveraged internal boundary infrastructure to create an integrated approach to continuous improvement that clarified actions for each level of the district and facilitated the creation of place-based knowledge. These findings significantly advance the understanding of rural district infrastructure for continuous school improvement and have implications for local, state, and federal policy.

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