This mixed-methods study examined educators' perceptions of obstacles that prevent instructional coaches from increasing teacher efficacy and developing relationships with teachers. Data were gathered from instructional coaches in a focus group, interviews with administrators, and teachers using a survey. Transcripts from the focus group and…

The present study provides a "breadth" and "depth" perspective of the current landscape for school suicide prevention (SSP). Despite an increase in SSP programming, practices, and policy, there remains a gap in understanding of how widely these activities are disseminated and implemented. Additionally, there is a lack of…

This dissertation explored teachers' perceptions of achieving grade-level foundational reading literacy skills. Despite the recognized significance of reading literacy, many students struggled to attain proficiency, prompting an investigation into teachers' perspectives. The study adopted a mixed-methods research design, with PreK-Middle School…

The opportunity gap continues to widen in the U.S. education setting due to the ever-growing diversification of student populations resulting in part from increasing numbers of BIPOC students in schools. Meanwhile, most educators continue to be White middle-class females. In this study, fourth- and fifth-grade students at a K-8 charter school were…

Purpose: The purpose of this journal-ready dissertation was to determine the degree to which cyberbullying prevention and intervention efforts were provided at different school levels (i.e., elementary, middle, and high). In the first journal article, the extent to which the frequencies of cyberbullying teacher trainings differ by school level was…

This dissertation in practice seeks to design an approach to inclusive programming based upon a human capabilities approach to supporting struggling learners, including those who are not receiving special education services. The study examines the evolution of special education law and inclusive programming to highlight the ongoing struggle to…

This explanatory sequential mixed methods study was designed to understand how underrepresented minority medical students perceive their interactions and relationships with their medical education faculty and how these perceived interactions associate with their academic self-efficacy. Data from URM medical students across medical schools based in…

This study examined the influence of mentoring relationship quality, mentoring satisfaction, and mentor matches on novice teachers' self-efficacy. Additionally, the study continued to explore a Midwestern State's mentoring program features, novice teachers' needs, and challenges of working conditions. The study surveyed 340 novice teachers, with a…

This study was conducted to determine if a growing, urban school district was adequately addressing the academic, social-emotional and behavioral needs of students identified as homeless under the McKinney-Vento Act. McKinney-Vento eligible students were compared to non-homeless virtual twins. Each twin was created through averaging three…

This study was conducted to determine if a growing, urban school district was adequately addressing the academic, social-emotional and behavioral needs of students identified as homeless under the McKinney-Vento Act. McKinney-Vento eligible students were compared to non-homeless virtual twins. Each twin was created through averaging three…

This study was conducted to determine if a growing, urban school district was adequately addressing the academic, social-emotional and behavioral needs of students identified as homeless under the McKinney-Vento Act. McKinney-Vento eligible students were compared to non-homeless virtual twins. Each twin was created through averaging three…

Family educational involvement is consistently and positively associated with child achievement, but little work has closely examined the involvement practices of families of color, particularly immigrant families. Utilizing data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort 1998-99 (ECLS-K), this study used Hierarchical Linear…

The nutrition environment in schools can influence the risk for childhood overweight and obesity, which in turn can have life-long implications for risk of chronic disease. This dissertation aimed to examine the nutrition environment in primary public schools in California with regards to the amount of nutrition education provided in the…