Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice

Advisor

Gloria Kieley

Committee Member

Sherry Burke

Committee Member

Kimberly Durham

Keywords

academic achievement, academic outcomes, bilingual support, community liaisons, community support, culturally responsive education, cultural celebrations, cultural heritage, cultural practices, discipline, elementary education, English proficiency, family-school partnerships, Haitian communities, Haitian culture, Haitian cultural values, Haitian families, Haitian students, Haitians, interpretative phenomenological analysis, language barriers, organizational culture, parental engagement, resilience, resource-based view theory, semi structured interviews, southern United States, student motivation, teachers, translators

Abstract

This qualitative study explored how teachers, parents, and administrators perceived the influence of Haitian cultural values and practices on the organizational culture and academic outcomes of elementary students in a southern United States county. Guided by the resource-based view theory, which frames culture as an intangible organizational asset, the study used interpretative phenomenological analysis to examine the lived experiences of five participants, including three teachers, one parent, and one school administrator. Data were collected through semi structured interviews and analyzed to develop personal experiential themes for each participant and group experiential themes across cases.

The study’s findings generated four group experiential themes: Education Is a Core Value in Haitian Culture, Navigating Cultural and Linguistic Barriers, Resilience and Community Support, and Integrating Cultural Practices in Education. Participants described Haitian families as strongly invested in their children’s education, demonstrating discipline, respect for authority, and sustained parental engagement, despite limited English proficiency. Language barriers emerged as the most consistent challenge affecting communication and academic performance, although resilience and community support helped to offset these challenges and sustain student motivation.

Participants also identified strategies for integrating Haitian culture into school life, including bilingual support, translators, cultural celebrations, and community liaisons, most of which are implemented in ad hoc manner rather than through formal district policy. The findings imply that schools serving Haitian communities should formalize culturally responsive practices, expand bilingual staffing, engage communities more, and strengthen family-school partnerships to sustain the cultural strengths these families already bring. The study contributes to the limited body of research addressing Haitian students within United States elementary education.

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