The Correlation of Office Disciplinary Referral Issuance and Cultural Competence: an Exploratory, Sequential, Mixed Method Study
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St. John Fisher College Fisher Digital Publications Education Doctoral Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. School of Education 5-2017 The Correlation of Office Disciplinary Referral Issuance and Cultural Competence: An Exploratory, Sequential, Mixed Method Study Djinga King-St.Louis [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/education_etd Part of the Education Commons How has open access to Fisher Digital Publications benefited ou?y Recommended Citation King-St.Louis, Djinga, "The Correlation of Office Disciplinary Referral Issuance and Cultural Competence: An Exploratory, Sequential, Mixed Method Study" (2017). Education Doctoral. Paper 361. Please note that the Recommended Citation provides general citation information and may not be appropriate for your discipline. To receive help in creating a citation based on your discipline, please visit http://libguides.sjfc.edu/citations. This document is posted at https://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/education_etd/361 and is brought to you for free and open access by Fisher Digital Publications at St. John Fisher College. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Correlation of Office Disciplinary Referral Issuance and Cultural Competence: An Exploratory, Sequential, Mixed Method Study Abstract This purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship existed between the number of office disciplinary referrals (ODRs) urban middle school teachers write and a teacher’s level of cultural competence. The hypothesis was that teachers who report a lower number of ODRs will have a higher level of cultural competence. An exploratory, sequential, mixed-methods study was conducted to qualitatively analyze responses from a sample of urban middle school teachers to quantitatively score them. The Instructor Cultural Competency Questionnaire was used to capture participant responses to six scenarios based on cultural issues. The Bennett Model of Cultural Competence was used to score the responses. Qualitative analysis led to six themes, across 37 participants. Quantitative analysis was followed by using a Pearson correlation coefficient and scatter ploto t compare the cultural competency score and the number of ODRs participants reported. The result of these tests was that there was no significant elationshipr between the number of ODRs participants reported and their cultural competency score, disproving the hypothesis. Some of the recommendations include initiating a longitudinal qualitative study on the actual reasons urban middle school students are referred. This study could also include the examination of the perceptions of teachers when it comes to appropriate behavior management, especially in diverse classrooms. Other recommendations include the implementation of school wide information system to collect ODR data and analyze it to prescribe the most appropriate behavioral interventions Document Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Education (EdD) Department Executive Leadership First Supervisor Jeannine Dingus-Eason Second Supervisor Jeannette Silvers Ralph Subject Categories Education This dissertation is available at Fisher Digital Publications: https://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/education_etd/361 The Correlation of Office Disciplinary Referral Issuance and Cultural Competence: An Exploratory, Sequential, Mixed Method Study By Djinga King-St. Louis Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Ed.D. in Executive Leadership Supervised by Dr. Jeannine Dingus-Eason Committee Member Dr. Jeannette Silvers Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. School of Education St. John Fisher College May 2017 Copyright by Djinga King-St. Louis 2017 Dedication “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 Despite the arduous, time-consuming, and frustrating work, this study was a labor of love, equal to love that I have for those who have supported me throughout this journey. While there are a host of friends, family, and colleagues to whom I, in sprit, dedicate this work, I first dedicate this dissertation to my maternal and paternal grandmothers, Rosetta Sanders-Frazier and Ophelia King, respectively. These women are the matriarchs of my family and whom I pray to emulate when I grow up. These women each gave life to my parents, Nellie (King) Whitaker and Christopher King, to whom this work is also dedicated. Both, in their own way, have motivated, pushed, inspired, and supported me in this journey, and in EVERY part of my life in which the outcome was a success. Even in my darkest days, I could always depend on my parents to be the beacon of light to impart wisdom, make me laugh, and remind me that in every situation “I got this!” With all my heart, I dedicate this work to the two loves of my life, Malcom and Quincy, Jr. These two sons of mine were patient, understanding, and encouraging through this process. They know that this work is proof that there is no stopping someone who is determined, and it is proof of the continued legacy of dedication that was started, even before my grandmothers. Finally, to the members of the Might Fine Cohort Nine, specifically Team Gear Up; my heart will never forget the struggle together and supporting each other. I could not conclude this dedication without acknowledgment of that. iii Biographical Sketch Djinga King-St. Louis, is a 20-year veteran, serving in public education in her local district, of which she is a product. She is currently a middle school Assistant Principal at John Walton Spencer School No. 16. Since childhood, she knew that she wanted to be an educator. After attending SUNY Buffalo State College from 1992 to 1996, she graduated with a Bachelor of Sciences degree in English Secondary Education in 1996. In 2005 she attended St. John Fisher College and graduated with a Master of Sciences degree in Educational Administration in 2007. After receiving her degree, she was immediately offered a position as a high school assistant principal in her district, which, she enjoyed until 2011, when she was promoted to Director of African & African American Studies in the same district. In 2016, Ms. King-St. Louis accepted a positon as a middle school Assistant Principal. However, she aspires to serve as a building principal in the future. Ms. King-St. Louis is the mother of two sons, Malcolm King and Quincy St. Louis, Jr., both of whom she is very proud, and for whom all her work and dedication to education is for. Ms. King-St. Louis came to St. John Fisher College in the fall of 2015 and began her doctoral studies in the Ed.D. Program in Executive Leadership. Ms. King-St. Louis pursued her research in the correlation of office disciplinary referral issuance and cultural competence under the direction of Dr. Jeannine Dingus-Eason and Dr. Jeannette Silvers. and received the Ed.D. Degree in spring 2017. iv Abstract This purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship existed between the number of office disciplinary referrals (ODRs) urban middle school teachers write and a teacher’s level of cultural competence. The hypothesis was that teachers who report a lower number of ODRs will have a higher level of cultural competence. An exploratory, sequential, mixed-methods study was conducted to qualitatively analyze responses from a sample of urban middle school teachers to quantitatively score them. The Instructor Cultural Competency Questionnaire was used to capture participant responses to six scenarios based on cultural issues. The Bennett Model of Cultural Competence was used to score the responses. Qualitative analysis led to six themes, across 37 participants. Quantitative analysis was followed by using a Pearson correlation coefficient and scatter plot to compare the cultural competency score and the number of ODRs participants reported. The result of these tests was that there was no significant relationship between the number of ODRs participants reported and their cultural competency score, disproving the hypothesis. Some of the recommendations include initiating a longitudinal qualitative study on the actual reasons urban middle school students are referred. This study could also include the examination of the perceptions of teachers when it comes to appropriate behavior management, especially in diverse classrooms. Other recommendations include the implementation of school wide information system to collect ODR data and analyze it to prescribe the most appropriate behavioral interventions. v Table of Contents Dedication .......................................................................................................................... iii Biographical Sketch ........................................................................................................... iv Abstract ............................................................................................................................... v Table of Contents ............................................................................................................... vi List of Tables ..................................................................................................................... ix List of Figures ..................................................................................................................... x Chapter 1: Introduction ....................................................................................................... 1 Problem Statement .......................................................................................................... 4 Disproportionate