Land-Grant Leadership Impact on Retention of Students with Learning Disabilities

Land-Grant Leadership Impact on Retention of Students with Learning Disabilities

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  Students with disabilitiesare enrolling in public universities at increasing rates due to various statutes that sponsor greater accessibility to education. Notably, public land grant universities are focused on practical education for the working class and are funded to advance industrial and political policy outcomes (Knight, Wessel, & Markle, 2018). Elevating educational access for underserved communities increases retention challenges for university leaders and the need for competency development. The researcher uses a qualitative collective case study design to examine how land-grant leaders relate strategies to enable their support staff to help students be self- determined in their academic progress. This project aims to identify some emerging best practices in public land grant institutions. INTRODUCTION THEORY There is considerable evidence that the conceptual framework of self-determination is effective to increase student success, particularly for students with learning disabilities (Hu & Zhang, 2017; Ju, Zeng, & Landmark, 2017; Newman et al., 2019; Wehmeyer & Little, 2013; Deci & Ryan, 2002). Wehmeyer and Little’s (2013) theory of self-determination for students with disabilities refers to a combination of skills, knowledge, and beliefs that promote goal-directed, self-regulated, and autonomous behavior (Newman et al., 2019). Black students attending historically Black universities further emphasized a need for more research on the benefits of self- determination (Banks & Gibson, 2016) from the perspective of racial and social bias. METHODOLOGY Collective Case Study Design Compares multiple cases within the land-grant system to provide insight into the issue of diversity, equity, and inclusion Cross-case analysis bound within the Southern region of the land-grant system guides the exploration through a deep dive into the historical context of educational segregation in the South. A unique segment of the U.S. land grant education system exists in pairs -- a historically Black college and uni- versity and a predominately White institution -- due to historical segrega- tion in the United States’ southern region. It is currently unclear why Black students with disabilities continue to lag behind their White counterparts (Banks, Ellis, & Palmer, 2016). There is limited research exploring this disparity and how leaders with decision-making responsibilities for students with learning disabilities from diverse backgrounds describe strategies to assist those students with persistence and retention. Elevating the issue of educational access for underserved communities increases retention challenges for university leaders and the need for competency development. LaRachelle Samuel-Smith, PhD Candidate Catharine Penfold Navarro, Doctoral Advisor Capella University, December 2021 A Qualitative Case Study of Land-Grants and Retention of Students with Learning Disabilities The role of land-grant university leaders in the strategic planning of a campus environment that fosters intrinsic motivation in students primed with self-determination is paramount for retention and academic progress in a society that aims to maintain its global preeminence through the opportunities that a quality education provides. Due to historical segregation both HBCU and PWI co-exist creating a unique phenomenon in the Southern Region of the Land-Grant University System Scan the QR Code to Particpate with a Purpose and Continue the Conversation…