Parent and community involvement has always been a part of the public education system; from its inception in the early American colonies, local community control was a hallmark of schools. Today, with mandates present in the No Child Left Behind Act, the Race to the Top legislation, and amidst more pressing international comparisons, educators…

The current study explored the relationship between test-based accountability and teachers' involvement in school-level decision-making and classroom autonomy, examining how this varied by country, specifically in the United States, Australia, South Korea, and Japan. Additionally, the study investigated whether this relationship differs based on…

Special education and general education teachers must work collaboratively in a single classroom that serves the diverse needs of all children due to federal regulations such as the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004. Evidence-based practices that foster collaboration are scarce. The…

Parent involvement in education has long been viewed as a pathway to increased student achievement. Although much research exists with regard to this topic, little examines this relationship specifically for students with disabilities in grades 1-5 despite being required by both the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and the Individuals with…

This study investigated the relationship of statewide high school graduation rates of student ethnic groups from 2002 to 2006 to the four policy pillars of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001: Accountability for Results; Expanded Flexibility and Local Control; Expanded Options for Parents, Strengthening Teacher Quality. The quantitative,…

This effort: 1) establishes an autonomy definition uniquely tailored for teaching, 2) validates a nationally generalizable teacher autonomy construct, 3) demonstrates that the model describes and explains the autonomy levels of particular teacher groups, and 4) verifies the construct can represent teacher autonomy in other empirical models. The…

Since its implementation in 2002, NCLB, through its expectations and sanctions, has created a state of urgency among school leaders and instructional staff in most urban public high schools. While there is significant literature on urban school reform promoting the academic performance of urban high school students, the perspectives of…

Parents of Cherokee children with disabilities encounter educational agencies from their child's birth to adulthood. Living rurally within the Cherokee Nation's jurisdictional boundaries, these indigenous families engage with a myriad of special education agencies and subsequent policies. This qualitative study explores parental involvement with…

Historically Hispanic students have lagged behind African American, White, and other ethnic groups in academics. The Hispanic population is the fastest growing minority group in the United States. The increase of Hispanic students in our schools has created significant concerns among educators. The schools are not prepared to meet the needs of…

There are approximately 15 million school-age children left unsupervised during hours when school is not in session. Studies indicate that crime (drug use, violent, abuse) triples for school-aged children (Kinder through 12th grade) and the risk of becoming a victim of such crimes increases during non-school hours. Providing additional learning…

The signing of the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001 created a need for Title 1 principals to conceptualize and operationalize parent engagement. This study examines how three urban principals in Arizona implemented the mandates of the Act as it pertains to parent involvement. The purpose of this qualitative case study is to examine how principals…

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) established guidelines pertaining to student achievement and included requirements regarding parental involvement and communication between the school and home. Various issues stand in the way of realizing the level of parental engagement desired by educators and ordered by NCLB. Parental participation…

Students not having the positive opportunities of an education, often experience negative effects throughout their lives. Educators need to do more to meet the needs of elementary students at risk, and if this can be accomplished the students will receive a 21st Century education that will help students with a global education, which is necessary…

The purpose of this study was to investigate, through quantitative research, effective middle school characteristics that predict student achievement, as measured by the school-wide California API score. Characteristics were determined using an instrument developed by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), which asked middle…

Parental involvement in education has long been recognized as an important indicator of student academic achievement. Teachers, administrators, policy makers, and our state and federal government continue to recognize the vital role of the parent in education. Policies and mandates, with titles such as "No Child Left Behind" and…