Term of Award

Fall 2025

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

Document Type and Release Option

Dissertation (open access)

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Department

College of Education

Committee Chair

Juliann Sergi McBrayer

Committee Member 1

Pamela Wells

Committee Member 2

Kathleen Crawford

Abstract

This qualitative research examines urban Title I elementary school principals’ perceptions of their family engagement readiness based on university leadership preparation and/or district-level professional development. Based on Epstein's Theory of Overlapping Spheres of Influence, this research examines how educational leaders overcome socioeconomic inequities, trust problems, and communication failures to develop equitable relationships with families. Themes that revealed preparation deficiencies and prospective high-impact family engagement methods emerged from semi-structured interviews and ongoing comparison analysis. Principals value family engagement and recognize its impact on student achievement and school climate, but most feel unprepared to implement systematic, sustainable student engagement strategies. Leadership training conflicts with family-school connections in high-needs settings, according to the research. School leadership training should integrate family engagement frameworks like Epstein's six forms of participation. In impoverished neighborhoods, the research recommends collaborative, culturally sensitive ways to promote home-school relationships. Addressing these training gaps and structural hurdles may help districts and institutions prepare school leaders for inclusive, high-impact family engagement. This study expands the knowledge on leadership training and family participation in urban primary schools, affecting policy, practice, and future research.

Research Data and Supplementary Material

Yes

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