To gain insight into the farm to school practices implemented across the country, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (USDA FNS) regularly conducts the Farm to School Census (Census). The Census is an online survey sent to all school food authorities (SFAs) in the U.S. and its territories that participate in the National…

Direct certification has been described by policymakers and academics as a tool which may replace National School Lunch Program (NSLP) eligibility data (Douglas Geverdt, National Center for Education Statistics, personal communication, August 28, 2023). It suggests a policy future in which we change the metric of how we identify disadvantage. On…

Many kindergarten teachers are feeling the effects of standard-based education. The problem is that it is unknown whether teachers implement mandated state standards in a developmentally appropriate way. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to investigate kindergarten teachers' perspectives on implementing standards in a developmentally…

This study evaluates the Dual Language Program (DLP) implemented at a Title I public school in Baltimore City during the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years. Building on previous research, the DLP's implementation, sustainability, and effects on students' learning outcomes were examined. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, the study's second…

Annually, the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) prepares the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) and Head Start Saturation Study to analyze access to Washington's ECEAP and Head Start programs serving 3- and 4-year-olds. This study estimates the number of eligible children living within each school district…

This improvement project was designed to ensure students enrolled in elementary schools with a high poverty index received literacy instructional strategies that promoted literacy achievement. When analyzing Graham County School data, I noticed third-grade students attending high poverty elementary schools were not achieving literacy success at…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there is a significant relationship between student achievement and teacher perceptions of school climate. An additional purpose of this study was to determine if there is a significant difference in teacher perceptions between Title 1 and non-Title 1 schools. The final purpose of this…

Students entering Kindergarten need to obtain readiness skills to make their first year of school a successful one. Many students may appear overwhelmed with the activities and expectations that are placed on them in a kindergarten classroom. Many families and teachers would like for kindergarten to be conducted the way it was many years ago, but…

This quantitative study examined the impact of professional learning communities (PLCs) implementing a "Focus on Learning" in a Title I school in north central Georgia. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact PLCs can have on student growth and achievement in fourth and fifth-grade mathematics, once teachers spend time…

This qualitative descriptive study delved into how parents of Pre-Kindergarten through fifth-grade students in Title I schools in a Southeastern state perceive parental involvement, communication, and support for the home literacy environment. Utilizing Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory and Epstein's Model of Parental Involvement as…

The purpose of this quantitative, quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group design study was to measure the effects of both types of manipulatives on student mathematical understanding of 1st and 4th grade, Title I students. This data is needed for teachers to make informed decisions regarding their instructional choices. 270 participants…

This dissertation investigates the factors contributing to low student engagement in a Title I school located in Southeast Texas. Recognizing the critical importance of student engagement for academic success, the study employs a qualitative phenomenological approach to explore teachers' perceptions of the underlying causes of disengagement within…

Background: School-based physical activity (PA) programs are an equitable, evidence-based approach to combat health and PA disparities. This study examined factors associated with implementation of BE Physically Active 2Day (BEPA 2.0), a K-5 school-based PA program, and examined how support from Cooperative Extension via Supplemental Nutrition…

This research brief uses nationally representative data from the Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES 2019) to understand why Head Start families choose their child's Head Start program, what their experiences are like in their program, and if they plan to return next year. The findings offer a glimpse of program characteristics…

Kindergarten unreadiness for children in poverty contributes to an early and persistent achievement gap in elementary school that can evolve into an opportunity gap in adulthood. This study explored the effect of the federally funded Preschool Development Grant program on school readiness for marginalized children in Southern Arizona. The…