The Performance Evaluation Reform Act (PERA) has been the governing legislation for teacher evaluation in Illinois since its inception in 2010. PERA's original purpose was to improve the professional competence of teachers while increasing the academic performance of students. This study explored the perceptions and experiences of a small group of…

The purpose of this study was focused on the various perceived impacts created by the expansion to a four-tier teacher performance evaluation rating model which would inform educational leaders in the State of Illinois. By studying the experiences of principals in two other states who previously underwent the same change, Florida and…

The purpose of this study is to determine the levels of concern of Illinois principals regarding the adoption of an evaluation system modeled after Charlotte Danielson's Framework for Teaching. Principal demographics and involvement in the use of and professional development surrounding Charlotte Danielson's Framework for Teaching were studied for…

This dissertation reports the results of a mixed methods study examining the perceptions of Illinois Directors of Special Education (DOSE) about concepts in Disability Studies in Education (DSE): Disability Civil Rights, Authentic Disability Voice, Inclusive Practices, and Competency/Capability/Supports-Oriented Approaches. In an online survey, 64…

This mixed methods, case study research examined the teacher education program at Illinois State University (ISU-Normal, Illinois) as related to the views and assessment practices of the dispositions of its teacher candidates. Five years of quantitative and qualitative data from ISU's Disposition Concern form was collected and analyzed currently…

This study focused on exploring Illinois community college faculty development coordinators' perceptions about how they are implementing faculty technology professional development programs and providing technical support for part-time faculty in the Illinois community college systems. Also examined were part-time faculty perceptions of the degree…

This study examined how elementary teacher education programs in the Midwest Environmental Education Conference partner states (Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin) address and assess the competencies set forth by the NAAEE "Guidelines for the Preparation and Professional Development of Environmental Educators". In April 2012,…

Nearly all high school seniors plan college, but many low-income students do not enroll. Moreover, among students who do enroll, low-income students often pursue less dependable college pathways. While research typically focuses on college cost and academic preparation as explanations of socioeconomic differences in enrollment outcomes, other…

From computer workstations to the world of the web, statutes and policies have afforded students with disabilities the right to participate in postsecondary education in a non-discriminatory manner. Automatic doors and adjustable tables are a commonplace on campuses and represent prime examples of accessible policy adherence, but what affect do…

This study examined elementary school principals' beliefs and practices regarding the types of resources that facilitate collaboration between general and special education staff working on prereferral intervention/Response to Intervention (RtI) teams and serving students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). In June 2009, elementary…

This qualitative research focuses on 15 teachers' sensemaking and implementation of standards-based mathematics curricular reform in Chicago Public Schools. Data for this study include interviews, focus groups, and observations of teacher during the course of their implementation of one of four standard-based mathematics curriculum adopted by the…

Enormous demands for online degrees in higher education have increased the pressure on universities to launch web courses and degrees quickly and, at times, without properly attending to the quality of these ventures. There is scarce research that defines which quality indicators are used to assess cyberlearning environments, how different…

This case study research was designed to examine the referral process for Washington Gifted Middle School in Peoria Public School District 150 in Peoria, Illinois. The purpose was to determine if perceptions of fourth wade classroom teachers who recommended students to the school were a contributing factor in the disproportionate number of African…

This study compares the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM) Board of Commissioner and Panel of Accreditation Reviewer understanding of what constitutes student learning outcomes and an effective program evaluation plan with that of campus-based health information technology (HIT) program…