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Date of Award
2014
Document Type
Dissertation - Pacific Access Restricted
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
Department
Educational Administration and Leadership
First Advisor
Lynn Beck
First Committee Member
Rachel Myer
Second Committee Member
Deanne Rivera
Third Committee Member
Antonio Serna
Fourth Committee Member
Tenisha Tevis
Abstract
This dissertation explores factors that play a role in students' decisions to attend one Northern California Early College High School (NCECHS). It also examines how students perceive their experiences of their decision after they have enrolled. The history of the public education has long been marked by an achievement gap between White and Asian students and students from other ethnic groups. In spite of efforts to address this issue, the gap continues to widen. Early College High Schools (ECHS's) are examples of reform models that are developed to support student achievement among undeserved groups. Without an understanding of the factors that influence student decisions to attend ECHS's and an understanding of the ways students perceive their experiences in such schools; administrators and teachers in these schools are left to more or less "guess" at the most effective ways to structure curriculum and instruction. A qualitative analysis was used to explore student perception and experiences. A survey asked students to share the primary factors that influenced their decision to attend NCECHS, instead of a traditional public school. Findings from this research suggest that the participant's perceived costs and benefits were based on both personal preferences and rational choices. Some aspects of the program that were especially pleasing to students included having the opportunity to earn a high school diploma, earn college credit and earn an associate's degree at the same time. Many students expressed dissatisfaction and anxiety with attending this ECHS. Frustration with the college enrollment process, prerequisites, heavy workloads, time management, fear of academic failure, relationships with instructors and disassociation from friends were also among the findings of this study.
Pages
111
ISBN
9781321660067
Recommended Citation
McNeil-McDaniel, Arrickia. (2014). Exploring students' decisions to attend an early college high school. University of the Pacific, Dissertation - Pacific Access Restricted. https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/67
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