A Study of Marshallese Student Attendance in a Northwest Arkansas Secondary School
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Arkansas Tech University Online Research Commons @ ATU Theses and Dissertations from 2019 Student Research and Publications Spring 5-7-2019 A Study of Marshallese Student Attendance in a Northwest Arkansas Secondary School Paula Lynn Floyd-Faught Arkansas Tech University Follow this and additional works at: https://orc.library.atu.edu/etds_2019 Part of the Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education Commons Recommended Citation Floyd-Faught, Paula Lynn, "A Study of Marshallese Student Attendance in a Northwest Arkansas Secondary School" (2019). Theses and Dissertations from 2019. 4. https://orc.library.atu.edu/etds_2019/4 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Research and Publications at Online Research Commons @ ATU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations from 2019 by an authorized administrator of Online Research Commons @ ATU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 1 A STUDY OF MARSHALLESE STUDENT ATTENDANCE IN A NORTHWEST ARKANSAS SECONDARY SCHOOL A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate College Arkansas Tech University in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of DOCTORATE OF EDUCATION in School Leadership in the Department of Leadership and Learning of the College of Education May 2019 Paula Lynn Floyd-Faught Educational Specialist, Arkansas State University, 2017 Master of Arts, Arkansas Tech University, 2009 Bachelor of Arts, Arkansas Tech University, 1999 2 © Paula L. Faught iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would first like to thank my family for all of their support and understanding throughout the process of writing this dissertation. Landyn and Travis, you both have encouraged me countless times, and that encouragement helped me push past barriers and frustrations to achieve this goal. Landyn, it has always been my goal to set a positive example for you as a human being, but it has also been a goal of mine to show you that you can pursue your dreams and accomplish whatever you set your mind to despite challenges you may face along the way. Travis, I could not have done this without you. As you always say, I have been in school since you have known me, and without your continued support, I would not have reached this goal of mine. Thank you for being a wonderful father and example to our son. To my inspirations, my mother and my grandmother, I deeply appreciate the examples you set for me in pursuing my education. You were both dedicated educators who continually encouraged me to pursue my own education to the fullest. Mom, even though you are not here to see it, I know I have made you proud, and that brings indescribable joy to my heart. Grandma, thank you for teaching me to read and setting the stage for the rest of my academic career. To my dad, I know first and foremost, you have told me that you are proud of me for being a good mother and wife who models a Christian attitude for Landyn, but I want to thank you for your support in pursuing my dreams on a personal and professional level. Papa, I also want to thank you for loving and encouraging me throughout my life. iv To my in-laws, Larry and Trudy, thank you for your help with making sure Landyn had all the love, guidance, and support he needs, even when I was able to be there. I would also like to thank my cousins and aunts for always encouraging me to be a strong female who is not afraid to follow her dreams. To my school family, thank you for always encouraging me and for being understanding of my shortcomings. To my support group (Angie, Candra, Karla, and Missy), thank you for always helping me stay on track and for encouraging me to never give up. To my committee, Dr. Treadway, Dr. Freeman, and Dr. Smith, thank you for all of your help in guiding and refining my work. I would not have reached this milestone without your leadership. v Abstract Northwest Arkansas has one of the largest populations of Marshall Islanders outside of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The first know Marshallese immigrant arrived in the 1986, and the first Marshallese student in Northwest Public Schools arrived in the late 1980’s. Since that time, an estimated 10,000–12,000 Marshallese have settled in Northwest Arkansas (McElfish, 2016, p. 2). Almost 3,000 Marshallese students attend Northwest Public Schools, with Northwest High School having the largest population in the state. There is a perception that Marshallese students have lower attendance rates than peers, and this study was conducted to determine which factors most impact the attendance of Marshallese students attending NHS. Research was conducted through analysis of archival data and one-on-one interviews with stakeholders. Archival data included attendance as well as English language proficiency scores, standardized assessment scores, graduation rate, and disciplinary infractions. Stakeholders interviewed included recent Marshallese graduates (five years or less), Marshallese parents/guardians, Marshallese community liaisons, and non-Marshallese school personnel to capture a diverse set of perspectives. Findings were analyzed, and the data revealed that family and connectivity to school were the major factors impacting the attendance of Marshallese students at this Northwest Arkansas high school. Based on these findings, implications and recommendations for future research were discussed. As stated by Helen Keller, “Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much.” I could not have reached this point without the love, support, and guidance from each of you, and I offer my most sincere appreciation to you all. vi Table of Contents Page AKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................. iv ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................... vi LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................. ix LIST OF FIGURES .............................................................................................................x I. INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................1 II. LITERATURE REVIEW ..............................................................................................22 Schooling in the Marshall Islands ..........................................................................32 Special Education Identification ............................................................................46 Theoretical Frameworks ........................................................................................55 Implications............................................................................................................57 III. METHODOLOGY ......................................................................................................58 Research Design.....................................................................................................60 Data Collection / Data Analysis .............................................................................61 Participants .............................................................................................................62 Reflexivity and Ethical Considerations .................................................................64 Interviews ...............................................................................................................69 Summary ................................................................................................................78 IV. RESEARCH FINDINGS .............................................................................................79 Findings from Archival Data .................................................................................79 Summary of Archival Data ....................................................................................97 Findings from Interviews .......................................................................................97 vii Conclusions ..........................................................................................................150 V. CONCLUSIONS .........................................................................................................151 Summary of Findings ...........................................................................................151 Recommendations for Future Research ...............................................................163 Summary ..............................................................................................................164 Conclusion ...........................................................................................................165 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................167 APPENDICES .................................................................................................................179 Appendix A. Letter of Informed Consent ...........................................................179 Appendix B. Permission to Use Research Questions .........................................180 viii List of Tables Table 2. 1: Student Enrollment and Teacher Count by Location ......................................36 Table 2. 2: Elementary Student Enrollment Trends by Location ......................................36 Table 2. 3: Student Distribution by Grade Level and Age ................................................39