Theses and Dissertations

Advisor

Tharp, Paula

Committee Member

McMullan, Leigh Ann

Committee Member

Fitts, Lacey

Date of Degree

5-15-2026

Original embargo terms

Visible MSU Only 1 year

Document Type

Dissertation - Campus Access Only

Major

Educational Leadership (P-12 School Leadership)

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Education

Department

Department of Teacher Education and Leadership

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine whether teachers’ licensure pathways were associated with differences in Mississippi Academic Assessment Program (MAAP) mathematics proficiency outcomes in rural school districts located in the Mississippi Delta. A quantitative research design was used. Data collection and analyses drew on district and school records of teachers’ licensure types and teacher-level MAAP mathematics proficiency outcomes for Grades 3–6 across multiple years (2023–2025) in selected rural Mississippi Delta districts. Teachers’ mathematics proficiency outcomes were operationalized as the percentage of students meeting proficiency on the MAAP mathematics assessment for each teacher-year (aggregated at the teacher level). The teacher sample reflected a workforce that was predominantly African American and female, consistent with the demographic realities of many Delta communities. Across three years of teacher-level analyses (2023–2025), mathematics proficiency outcomes remained persistently low and below statewide expectations. Results of the study showed no statistically significant differences in teacher-level MAAP mathematics proficiency percentages among traditionally, alternatively, and emergency licensed teachers across licensure types for groups within grade- and year-specific comparisons, even when descriptive patterns suggested small differences in some years. In addition, simple linear regression analyses indicated that licensure type did not significantly predict teacher-level mathematics proficiency in Grades 3–6 across the three years of analysis. Overall, findings suggest licensure category/type alone is an insufficient lever for improving mathematics proficiency in the rural Mississippi Delta and point to the need for district attention to instructional supports (e.g., mentoring, coaching, curriculum coherence, and grade-level planning).

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