Date of Award
1-23-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Educational Leadership, Ed.D.
First Advisor
Topeka Singleton
Committee Members
Brad Faught; Twila Patten
Abstract
Over the years, research has been undertaken to find what works to improve proficiency in literacy skills. However, most of the research has been done in urban areas. Therefore, the problem addressed in this study is K-3 literacy in southern, rural areas where students are below grade level and falling further behind, increasing the risk of student-drop out in their later years. The research is rooted in the interviews of 11 teachers in four states, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisianna, and Mississippi. They gave their perspectives and experiences on literacy education post Covid. Consequently, the purpose of the qualitative phenomenology study was to examine the lived experiences of K-3 literacy teachers who teach K-3 rural, southern, at-risk students after Covid. The study examined the lived experiences of the K-3 literacy teachers to better identify educator perceptions, understanding, preparation, and trust in the system and programs that influence the students in the classroom setting. Two questions guided the research. RQ1: What are the lived experiences of southern, rural K-3 elementary teachers who instruct the at-risk students post Covid? RQ2: How do the teachers perceive the effectiveness of interventions post Covid? The perspectives and experiences of the teachers highlighted the critical role of instructional flexibility, access to appropriate resources per individual student, professional support, and nurturing classroom environments in promoting early literacy development. The participants’ insights provided valuable information on continued instructional improvements.
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Griffin Brown, Venesia Dreon, "K-3 Southern, Rural, Public-School Teachers’ Perspectives on Literacy Post Covid" (2026). Student Theses and Dissertations. 1154.
https://arch.astate.edu/all-etd/1154
