Date

Summer 8-14-2026

ESRP 9000 Professor

Sandy Underhill, Ed.D.

ESRP 9001 Professor

Sandy Underhill, Ed.D.

Executive Summary

A Strategic Plan for Improving Extracurricular Participation in Athletics Through Community Transportation Partnership Networks. Xavius Loggins, 2026: Strategic Research Project, Nova Southeastern University, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice. Keywords: community transportation partnership networks, educational equity, extracurricular participation in athletics, stakeholder collaboration, student engagement, transportation barriers

 This strategic mixed-methods research project aims to reduce athletic participation barriers for Cleveland Central High School through an equity-focused transportation plan. To determine the focus and weighting of the organizational factors and evaluate potential strategies, the Internal Factor Evaluation Matrix, External Factor Evaluation Matrix, and Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix were employed. Findings from these matrices were integrated with qualitative data from stakeholder interviews and observations, contextual data, and supporting research. The analysis concluded that insufficient after-school transportation disproportionately impacted students from low-income families, students who lived farther from the school, and students in households with inflexible work schedules. Community transportation partnership networks were identified as the best strategy.

 This proposed strategy aims to collaborate with the school district, transportation service providers, nonprofits, churches, businesses, families, and other community organizations. Through this collaboration, the goal is to expand available transportation, reduce collaboration stress, and rely less on a single funding source. The plan outlines the need for a collaborative assessment, partnership development, the acquisition of needed resources, the launch of a pilot program, framework monitoring, and outcome evaluation.

 The outcome was that more reliable transportation would increase participation, encourage engagement, and give more students access to academics, social, physical, and leadership aspects of athletics. One semester pilot, clearly defining responsibilities of partners, giving priority to students with documented needs, increasing the number of ways to pay for the program, and collecting feedback from stakeholders were the suggested reforms. Every week data would be analyzed for operations and assessed for outcomes every nine weeks to adjust route offerings and service levels. One of the outcomes was to show that this would be an excellent cost-effective way to reduce transportation barriers and improve educational opportunities.

Document Type

Strategic Research Project-NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

College

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

Concentration

Sports Leadership

Language

English

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