All ETDs from UAB

Advisory Committee Chair

Loucrecia Collins

Advisory Committee Members

Martha Barber

Margaret Rice

William Rogan

Foster Watkins

Document Type

Dissertation

Date of Award

2008

Degree Name by School

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) School of Education

Abstract

This qualitative case study described the experiences of federal programs coordinators in Alabama as they implemented the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001. Furthermore, this study identified a significant gap in research and other published literature that addresses the ongoing struggles faced by federal programs coordinators as they lead their colleagues and respective school systems in efforts to implement and ultimately comply with the numerous and stringent regulations regarding NCLB. The study brought to light and pinpointed a multitude of difficult and time-consuming tasks relating to adherence to NCLB guidelines. The researcher incorporated the professional perspectives and experiences of five federal programs coordinators employed in five separate school systems in Alabama. Forms of data collected included open-ended interviews, observations, and documentary materials. At the conclusion of the study of how federal programs coordinators effectively implement NCLB, final analysis revealed the emergence of five prevalent themes: (a) compliancy; (b) expertise in the law; (c) organizational expertise; (d) collaboration; and (e) and a feeling of being overwhelmed. This study focuses on the experiences of professional school system personnel who are individually charged with achieving and maintaining compliance with NCLB guidelines in their respective school systems. The findings of this study revealed the extensive challenges faced by federal programs coordinators as they faced what often appeared a daunting task in the implementation of NCLB. Collected data led to a new awareness of the federal programs coorii iii dinators’ personal and professional struggles which led to collaboration and utilization of all of the stakeholders in their respective school systems. Finally, this case study expands the knowledge base for subsequent research in the area of federal programs coordinators as they implement NCLB.

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