The purpose of this study sought to investigate the link between professional development and the implementation of professional learning to improve student performance. The purpose of this study was twofold. First, this study explored whether the professional development of culturally responsive teaching influenced classroom implementation.…

Districts and schools are under pressure to increase student academic outcomes while meeting their various social-behavioral needs. This pressure is compounded by the responsibility of creating climates that are safe and equitable for all students where teachers can teach, and all students can learn. However, far too often, negative, and…

Today's college students can choose from a multitude of learning modalities. Many students elect to earn their degrees through 100% online college programs; however, online learners present higher attrition rates than their on-ground peers (Grau-Valldosera et al., 2019). Many theorists attempt to explain how students can succeed in college,…

Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) provide the best setting for building collective teacher efficacy (CTE). CTE has been identified as having the highest positive effect on student achievement. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore perceptions of teachers and administrators regarding the effectiveness of PLCs for building…

In this dissertation, I investigated the impact of the involvement of students with disabilities in the ASPIRE intervention program and examined the relationship between student involvement in the ASPIRE program and academic performance and growth. To do so, first, I outlined how I built my perspective for this study in the areas of transition,…

Mindfulness-based training of educators in our schools is a necessary skill for the success of young children. As a professional educator and a parent of three children, my interest is in exploring this topic and uncovering the "why" behind student executive functioning skills and the mindfulness-based strategies incorporated into their…

Since the 1960s, business leaders and educators used the idea of "goal setting theory" as a guide to success. Teachers who implemented goal setting strategies contributed to student success and achievement. During my study, I found little existing literature focused on academic goal setting implementation for students in Tennessee rural…

This research study evaluated the effects of the Comprehensive Supports and Improvement (CSI) program on the performance of fifty-six participating schools after one year of school improvement technical assistance. Specifically, it investigated whether the geographic locations of schools, the percentage of inexperienced teachers, and school…

Guided Pathways is a systemic reform movement focused on increasing community college completion rates and student achievement (Bailey et al., 2015b). Within the California community college (CCC) System, every college is implementing Guided Pathways, and the California Community College Chancellor's Office (CCCCO) continues to use this framework…

Community schools are a national initiative gaining traction due to the recent identification of the community school model as an evidence-based approach to education that satisfies requirements set forth by the Every Student Succeeds Act. The community school model centers around four pillars: integrated student support, extended and enriched…

This research study focused on the intersection of three important aspects of public education--district policy, school-level leadership, and racial achievement gaps. The study examined the influence of school-level leadership in the implementation of a specific, district-wide policy designed to reduce racial achievement gaps through changes in…

This program model describes the phases of planning, implementing, and evaluating a program designed for Tennessee public schools to manage student behavior in at-risk populations. This program model employs a hybrid asset-based community development, logic, and interactive model to implement interventions based on the principles of applied…

This study investigated how and to what extent colleges and universities are integrating self-efficacy components within their Quality Enhancement Plans. Higher education institutions that are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS), the regional accrediting body for 11 southern states, are…

This retrospective mixed-methods study examined the effect of PLCs, professional learning activities, and principal leadership on teacher and student learning, and it may serve as a model for enhancing PD and fostering a culture of collective efficacy toward continuous professional learning. Thirty-seven teachers and program facilitators from one…

The purpose of this study was to explore teacher and administrator perceptions of teacher evaluation system modeled after "Enhancing Professional Practice: A Framework for Teaching" (Danielson, 2007). It is universally agreed that teachers are the most significant variable to student educational outcomes. Extensive research has been…