The purpose of this study was to conduct a program evaluation case study on the impact of standards-based grading in a North Carolina school district. The implementation procedures and end products of grading reform were assessed using the CIPP model. Data from teacher questionnaires, principal implementation checklists, interviews, and…

Many departments seek to improve their equity, diversity, and inclusion using data-informed methods; however, not much is known about how closely department leadership aligns their review practices with appropriate theory. This dissertation seeks to explore four areas: 1) how are equity, diversity, and inclusion are being conceptualized (implied…

Through semi-structured interviews with teachers and semi-structured interviews-turned-"testimonios" of students, I have sought to understand the purposes and consequences of Disciplinary Alternative Programs (DAP). Four different locations from across the state of Nebraska were utilized with 16 teachers and two students participating.…

Introduction: Standardization is used to ensure consistency and reduce variability within a given field such as forensic education. Evaluating how Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission's (FEPAC) programs met select standards during a public health crisis may help us to understand its impact. To this end, an explanatory…

Social and emotional learning is critical when developing and growing the whole child. Teacher self-efficacy also plays a crucial role in growing the whole child and student achievement outcomes. A comprehensive K-5 elementary school had students arriving to school without the social and emotional skills necessary to collaborate, communicate,…

Since the inception of the guided pathways model in 2015, most related research has focused on the interconnecting processes and practices that lead to student persistence and completion. While the processes and practices are the basis of the model, scholars acknowledge that the model's human capital and change management components are just as…

The systematic oppression of Black men and women throughout U.S. history has resulted in persistent unequal access to opportunity. U.S. leaders have long attempted to improve the outcomes of Black Americans through public policy. With nearly all key long-term measures--employment, wealth, incarceration, health--correlating with educational…

In this dissertation in practice, the background of middle grades mathematics acceleration detailed why the organization benefited from a program analysis. Middle grades mathematics acceleration encourages students to take high school Algebra I in eighth grade so they can earn college-level math credits for free in high school. Often acceleration…

Improving student achievement is a continual focus of educational and political leaders. The strategies used to impact student achievement are varied as are the results. The United States Department of Education provides grant funding to states and local educational agencies with the goal of impacting student achievement through the use of…

Developmental Education is the gateway to higher education for the thousands of students who desire to attend college but lack the prerequisite academic skills to be successful. In recent years, DE has been cast into unfavorable light by national policy organizations composed of wealthy entrepreneurs and philanthropists, and the result has. been a…

Online learning continues to grow at unprecedented rates. K-12 had more than 275,000 students enrolled in full-time virtual schools in 2011--2012 and over 2 million participating in at least one online course. Despite this growth, there is little research on model formation and model validation for online learning. Two research-based models were…

Despite an increased need for qualified and certified teachers, teacher preparation programs like the physical education teacher education (PETE) program are diminishing. This study focused on nine PETE programs existing within higher education institutions in this selected area within the Southern region of the United States. The purpose of this…

This Educational Leadership Portfolio (ELP) investigates how university staff can contribute to high-quality professional learning in K-12 public schools. The current shortcomings of most professional learning are well documented in research and policy, and in the lived experiences of teachers and administrators. There is an urgent need to…

This study is an examination of Teach For China in the context of the global transfer of the Teach For America model through the Teach For All network. Specific attention is paid to the role of Teach For China in addressing educational inequities and expanding public participation in education. Teach For America has played a leading role in…

The National Education Association (NEA), the United States' largest labor union representing close to 3 million educators, implemented a $3 per member dues increase in 2013 to create the Great Public Schools (GPS) Fund grant program to support innovative change efforts within its affiliates. In the first five years of the program, $32.3 million…