Date of Award

Summer 7-31-2026

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Education

First Advisor

Brad S. Smith

Second Advisor

Kristy Huston

Third Advisor

Merinda Pratt

Abstract

The purpose of this sequential explanatory mixed methods study was to explore the relationship between teacher agency, distributed leadership, and mandated curriculum. Ecological teacher agency was the dependent variable and used as a framework to explore the problem of restrictive curriculum environments for licensed K-12 teachers in the United States. Distributed leadership functioned as the independent variable and was tested to see whether distributed leadership environments could increase teachers’ agency regardless of curriculum context. Surveys were shared through Qualtrics with 195 teachers responding (N =195), with 12 teachers participating in follow-up Zoom interviews. Distributed leadership and teacher agency were positively correlated with distributed leadership predicting teacher agency. Teacher interviews supported the results of the statistical analysis, with teachers sharing more positive curriculum experiences in school environments that shared qualities of distributed leadership.

Keywords

Curriculum mandates, distributed leadership, ecological teacher agency, mixed methods

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