Date of Award

Fall 11-18-2021

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Executive Ed.D. in Education Leadership Management and Policy

Department

Education Leadership, Management and Policy

Advisor

David Reid, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Richard Blissett, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Carolyn Jurkowitz, Ph.D.

Keywords

EdChoice, vouchers, Catholic school, principals, time management

Abstract

Voucher programs are an important, though controversial, part of the education landscape in Ohio. This study explored the experience of Catholic school principals in Ohio whose schools have participated in the EdChoice Scholarship program. This study employed the lens of principal time usage to examine the experiences of Ohio Catholic school principals with EdChoice. The study focused on the direct experiences of principals participating in the program, the principal’s role in the supervisory aspects of operating the program at a school, and on the connections between workload and principal perceptions of the EdChoice program. This inductive study was designed as a narrative inquiry, intended to gather data to develop a theory to explain the experience of Catholic school principals with EdChoice. The research questions were explored through semi-structured interviews with eight Catholic school principals and three administrative designees at those schools. The study concluded that no significant and direct administrative burden was created by the program on the study participants, but that secondary effects are present, such as the need for the hiring of a staff member to manage the program and the need for communication with stakeholders. This study also illustrated the need for Catholic school principals to remain aware of and engaged in the legislative process in Ohio, as changes made by the government can have a direct effect on the operation of a school.

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