Date of Award
8-2026
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
School
Education
Committee Chair
Dr. Thomas Lipscomb
Committee Chair School
Education
Committee Member 2
Dr. John Guillory
Committee Member 2 School
Education
Committee Member 3
Dr. Kyna Shelley
Committee Member 3 School
Education
Committee Member 4
Dr. Kenneth Thompson
Committee Member 4 School
Education
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to identify and measure the confidence of K-12 administrators in hiring music faculty. This study also aimed to analyze administrators’ perspectives and confidence in key stages of the hiring process, including defining job expectations, posting, advertising, interviewing, and selecting highly specialized music teachers in K-12 settings. Confidence of K-12 administrators can be gauged through their understanding of how well an applicant aligns with the specific needs of the school’s program. Three research questions guided this investigation: (1a) How confident are K-12 administrators in their understanding of music teaching pedagogy when interviewing music teacher candidates and (1b) do the administrator’s demographic factors influence their level of confidence?; (2) Do candidate evaluation factors influence administrative hiring confidence?; and (3a) How confident are K-12 administrators in determining a music teacher applicant’s fit for their school’s program and (3b) do the administrator’s demographic factors influence their level of confidence? To investigate these questions, the researcher utilized a quantitative survey design with a convenience sample of campus and district-level administrators across the United States. Participants included leaders from both public and private school settings who were directly involved in music personnel acquisition. The questionnaire captured demographic data and measured administrative confidence across the various phases of the hiring process. Quantitative data were statistically analyzed using SPSS. Analysis of the questionnaire responses revealed patterns in confidence throughout the process and distinct characteristics among some administrative demographic groups. Specifically, geographic setting emerged as a critical factor, with rural administrators demonstrating significantly lower confidence in evaluating specialized music pedagogy than their non-rural peers. Additionally, while time spent as an administrator or even generally in education did not predict pedagogical evaluation confidence, it significantly influenced administrators' confidence regarding final hiring selections. Ultimately, the study highlights an overreliance on subjective "gut feelings" and traditional, conversational interview methods, which are unsupported by objective, generic rubrics, leaving districts vulnerable to mismatched placements and subsequent teacher attrition.
Copyright
Aaron M. Strum, 2026
Recommended Citation
Strum, Aaron M., "Measuring Administrative Hiring Confidence of Music Teachers in the Context of Shallow Hiring Pools" (2026). Dissertations. 2496.
https://aquila.usm.edu/dissertations/2496
Included in
Arts Management Commons, Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons, Educational Leadership Commons, Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration Commons, Elementary Education and Teaching Commons, Fine Arts Commons, Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching Commons, Music Education Commons, Music Pedagogy Commons, Music Performance Commons, Music Practice Commons, Other Music Commons, Secondary Education Commons, Secondary Education and Teaching Commons, Training and Development Commons