You say that your methodology is qualitative in nature, yet you say that you are collecting data on statistics from the National Center for Education Statistics' Schools and Staffing Survey.

It makes me think you are doing quantitative and that you have a particular survey in mind. If so, have you found it to be reliable and valid, and more importantly can you use it free of charge for your research.

On the other hand, you talk about stories and themes in case studies, which as you state are qualtitative. Does this mean you are doing a mixed method?

I am told that GCU frowns upon this type of methodology as it requires copious research on both methodologies and can take a lot longer to get through the dissertation process.

I did find a study by Rowell, Polush, Riel, and Bruewer (2015) using mixed methods which found 30 distinguishing characteristics of action research practiced within a community that addressed the challenges associated with defining action research within the Action Research Special Interest Group of the American Educational Research Association. I am not sure if this will help you or not, but I thought I would include it.

Maureen

Rowell, L. L., Polush, E. Y., Riel, M., &Bruewer, A. (2015). Action researchers' perspectives about the distinguishing characteristics of action research: a Delphi and learning circles mixed-methods study.