4 Dallas Baptist University is proud to present the eighth issue of the Journal of K-12 Educational Research. The articles in this issue are presented by a selection of recent graduates of the Doctorate in Educational Leadership K-12, a practitioner’s degree that highlights skills needed to lead districts and schools in North Texas and beyond. Each article is a summary of the data gathered for their individual dissertations, and each provides answers to questions of local interest. Our students search for immediate, site-based solutions that could be applied to a variety of contexts. This edition contains several timely articles about issues on the minds of many educational leaders—school security, how to recruit, support, and retain teachers, and how to serve students with dyslexia and other neurodiverse needs. Dr. Tuyet Huynh conducted a mixed methods study that analyzed various teacher preparation programs and their impact on new teacher self-efficacy, as these factors impact teacher retention. Dr. J’Aime Balogh conducted a mixed methods study regarding teacher preparation and self-efficacy in meeting students’ needs in the general education classroom when they have dyslexia and related disorders. Dr. Dana Judd conducted a case study of a Christian school that was founded specifically to meet the academic, social, emotional, and spiritual needs of neurodiverse students, and Dr. Mandi Murphy explored teachers’ perceptions regarding how prepared they are to respond in an active shooter situation on their campus. Additionally, this edition includes an article by Dr. Matt Rainey about school culture and the specific strategies campus principals utilize to create a positive campus culture. Dr. Cyndy Chang studied workplace spirituality, teacher efficacy, and job placement. More specifically, Dr. Chang wanted to know if Christian educators’ faith helps them fight burnout and persevere longer or differently than their peers. Dr. Chelsea MacKinnon explored the lived experiences of African American teenagers who attend affluent high schools, and Dr. Knikole Taylor studied teachers’ voices and needs related to professional development. DBU’s Ed.D. K-12 program is based on the Biblical servant leader model of putting the needs of others first. Students explore problems that have immediate concern in their districts and are encouraged to share their findings with those districts. The articles included in this issue and the final dissertations upon which they were based have the potential to empower educational leaders and classroom educators and to make a positive difference for students in North Texas and beyond. Julie Buckler Leslie, Ed.D. Director of Research in Educational Leadership K-12 Dallas Baptist University juliel@dbu.edu (214) 333-5466 Julie Buckler Leslie, Ed.D. A WORD FROM THE EDITOR Journal of K-12 Educational Research 2024, VOL. 8, ISSUE 1 dbu.edu/doctoral/edd
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