Congratulations to Anibal Soler, Jr., who on July 16, 2026, successfully defended his dissertation.
The title of Anibal’s dissertation is, “THE ROLE OF SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS IN IMPROVING GRADUATION RATES IN NEW YORK SCHOOL DISTRICTS.”
The abstract of this study follows:
Overview of Problem: Despite ongoing reform efforts, significant graduation disparities persist across New York State. Limited research has examined how superintendents lead districtwide graduation improvement efforts while navigating policy reforms, accountability systems, and local implementation challenges.
Research Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative interpretive study was to examine how New York State superintendents lead graduation improvement through dropout prevention, credit recovery, and alternative pathways to graduation. Guided by Institutional Theory, the study explored leadership practices and decision-making processes used to improve student outcomes.
Research Design: A qualitative interpretive design was employed. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and document analysis to examine how institutional pressures influence superintendent leadership and graduation improvement efforts.
Sample: The study included 19 New York State public school superintendents representing districts with enrollments exceeding 2,000 students.
Data Collection and Analysis: Data consisted of interview transcripts, strategic plans, and DCIPs. Analysis utilized open, axial, and selective coding, the constant comparative method, memoing, and peer debriefing.
Findings/Results: Six themes emerged: (1) graduation as a systemwide commitment, (2) instructional leadership, (3) flexible pathways, (4) data-driven decision making, (5) policy-practice navigation, and (6) organizational adaptation. Findings highlighted the importance of leadership, equity, innovation, and strategic decision making in improving graduation outcomes.
Conclusions/Implications: The study concluded that superintendent leadership is central to improving graduation outcomes through coherent systems, data-informed interventions, and flexible student pathways. Findings have implications for educational policy, superintendent preparation, and district leadership practice.
Dissertation Committee Chair:
Dr. Kenneth Mitchell
Dissertation Committee Members:
Dr. Joanne Marien
Dr. Betty A. Rosa
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