Date of Graduation

Spring 2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Education Policy, Planning, and Administration

Committee Chairperson

Mimi Staulters, PhD

Committee Member

David Barry, PhD

Committee Member

Rose Jagielo-Manion, EdD

Abstract

Although there have been efforts to narrow the "achievement gap," research shows that the academic achievement levels of students in low socioeconomic school settings are likely to be significantly lower than the academic achievement levels of students in higher socioeconomic school settings (Babayiğit et al., 2021; Rahman et al., 2024). Studies also show that teachers have a significant impact on their students' growth, no matter what their academic setting may be (Petek & Pope, 2023), and that collective teacher self-efficacy is a significant factor in positive student achievement (Hattie, 2008). If targeted professional development could support teachers' self-efficacy, student achievement could be a positive result, no matter the school setting; however, more information is needed to determine the factors that impact teacher self-efficacy. This explanatory sequential mixed methods study explored the reported self-efficacy of 57 K-6 classroom teachers in various school settings in Pennsylvania and examined which factors contribute the most to heightened or diminished self-efficacy. Participants completed an online survey using Qualtrics, and ten participants completed a follow-up interview. Five of these participants also completed three journal prompts detailing experiences that impacted their self-efficacy. The quantitative data showed that although school setting and location did not affect self-efficacy levels, the relationship between parental involvement and students with IEPs were statistically significant. The qualitative data suggest that teachers in all settings reported the positive impact their colleagues had on their self-efficacy, while also acknowledging the obstacle of mental health challenges.

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