Graduation Term

Fall 2025

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Department of Educational Administration and Foundations: Educational Administration

Committee Chair

Perry Schoon

Committee Member

Lindsey Hall

Committee Member

Lydia Kyei-Blankson

Abstract

Student transportation is a daily yet often overlooked component of school climate, safety, and equity. This Dissertation in Practice (DiP), aligned with Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED) principles of inquiry, collaboration, and continuous improvement, examined how a structured, team-based intervention could improve student behavior and bus climate on Bus Route 40 at Pinecrest Primary School. Guided by improvement science principles and grounded in a commitment to equity, the study applied a 90-day Plan–Do–Study–Act (PDSA) cycle to test and refine strategies aimed at fostering safety, belonging, and accountability among students. The intervention organized students into color-coded teams that earned collective points for positive behavior, supported by increased adult presence and visual structure.

A mixed-methods design was used to analyze change across multiple data sources, including discipline referrals, bus video observations, student surveys, and interviews with students, staff, and transportation personnel. Quantitative data revealed reductions in disruptive behavior and fewer bus discipline referrals during the intervention. Qualitative findings showed overall improvements in perceptions of fairness, belonging, and safety among participating students, with some indications that the structured, team-based approach particularly supported students who had previously struggled to feel included or understood by peers and adults. Triangulated data indicated that adult consistency, visible structure, and team-based incentives contributed most to positive climate shifts.

This study extends the literature on school climate to the non-classroom context of student transportation and demonstrates how practitioner-led, team-based interventions can produce measurable improvement. Findings also underscore the importance of addressing systemic inequities through structure, collaboration, and student-centered design to sustain safer, more inclusive transportation experiences for all students.

Access Type

Dissertation-Open Access

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