Purpose: The purpose of this journal-ready dissertation was to determine the degree to which the number of days that Texas Grade 9, 10, and 11 students assigned an exclusionary discipline consequence differed by their ethnicity/race (i.e. Black, Hispanic, and White), and economic status (i.e. Poor, Not Poor). In the first study, the extent to…

Biodiversity loss and rising global challenges are directly linked to the current climate crisis. Peoples' behaviors and lives are being negatively impacted daily, ushering in a new wave of physiological and emotional distress referred to as eco-anxiety, which is being experienced by young people. Urgent concerns for the need for environmental…

According to the National College Attainment Network (NCAN, 2023), each year, thousands of high school graduates leave billions of dollars in federal student aid unclaimed because they do not complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). To holistically investigate this phenomenon, this dissertation accomplished three goals. The…

This quantitative dissertation examined the differences between young men and women's perceptions of mathematics and science identity, self-efficacy, and utility. There are gender norms and stereotypes that impact identity, self-efficacy, and perceived utility of mathematics and science. The secondary data analyzed were drawn from the follow-up…

This quantitative study sought to learn if instructional mode (online, blended, traditional) had an impact on evidence-based reading and writing SAT scores for English Language Learners, as well as if WIDA (World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment) is a predictor of the evidence-based reading and writing SAT scores for ELL students. This…

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of critical thinking in International Baccalaureate (IB) classes in Japan. This study helped to determine the effects of using critical thinking methods in IB classes to determine to what extent critical thinking methods affect students' critical thinking skills, Japanese language skills,…

The purpose of this study was to examine the presence of gender and ELL Differential Item Functioning (DIF) in a teacher-created mathematics benchmark test in one public charter school district in Northeast Georgia. DIF occurs when an item behaves differently in different subgroups, rather than measuring a test taker's true ability. The geometry…

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of project-based learning on the scale scores of 11th grade students on Arkansas' 11th Grade End of Course Literacy exam and to determine the cost effectiveness of project-based learning by determining the return on investment and productivity of a project-based learning model. I compared the…

Reading motivation plays an important role in students' reading development. This study examined the effect of grade, gender, and reading ability on students reading motivation. A total of 261 students in grades 5, 8, and 11 from a public school in North central Florida participated in the study. They completed the Motivation to Read Survey…

This mixed method research study set out to address the central problem statement of whether the Advanced Placement (AP) program results in higher academic growth and college preparedness than other rigorous course work. To understand and address this problem statement an explanatory sequential mixed method design was used (Creswell & Plano…

The iPad and other mobile devices have become so popular over the past few years that many school districts are purchasing these devices and implementing them in the classroom with little to no research. Because there has been no previous research at one rural school district in Michigan, the primary purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative…

In the United States (US) and in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) students are still attaining poorly in high school mathematics despite efforts from educational leaders to improve the math curricula both in middle and high schools. Results of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) revealed that 31 countries out of 65 had better…

We are living in a conceptual world which we build through both informal and systematic interaction. Concepts enable us to simplify and organize our environment and communicate efficiently with others. The learning of concepts is represented by a general idea, usually expressed by a word, which represent a class or group of things or actions…

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between virtual school size and student achievement in virtual schools in a southwestern state. Enrollment size and the following areas were studied in an attempt to determine student achievement: STAAR English Language Arts/Reading, STAAR Math, STAAR Science, and STAAR Social Studies…

The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not a significant difference existed in the overall academic performance of athletes when compared to non-athletes at one rural high school in Wisconsin. The study was important to the field of educational leadership because in the current environment of accountability, educational leaders need…