The purpose of this quantitative study was to provide school district leaders and policymakers information of the impact grade configuration had on academic performance using math and ELA ILEARN scores over a three-year period. The study included data from 585 schools that were classified into four groups: Elementary Setting, Intermediate Setting,…

School climate is the perceptions and attitudes that are evoked by a school's environment and affects every aspect of the school surroundings. Therefore, it is essential that principals have the resources they need to positively affect the climate in their buildings. In fact, a positive school climate has been linked to not only the achievement of…

Educational Data Mining (EDM) is an emerging field that aims to better understand students' behavior patterns and learning environments by employing statistical and machine learning methods to analyze large repositories of educational data. Analysis of variable data in the early stages of a course might be used to develop a comprehensive…

Schools are frequently seen as the hubs of the community, providing resources and a gathering place for members of the community. The process of surveying the community in order to identify unique needs within the community, and then intentionally forging partnerships capable of ameliorating the specific needs, are strategies used by community…

My dissertation studies the relationship between counseling and violence within U.S. schools. Much of the research on school security and school safety tends to lean heavily on routine activities theory and other opportunity theories, which limits the study of other factors critically relevant to this topic such as school climate. This…

Advances in data analytics and intelligent technologies are enabling smart learning environments that promote personalized learning. Personalized learning systems where learners engage with information in a manner tailored to their unique needs, goals, and abilities have garnered significant academic research attention. If students can achieve…

This qualitative research study investigated the perceptions of successful turnaround school leaders regarding factors attributing toward success, barriers thwarting success, and strategies that assisted in minimizing barriers. This study specifically investigated the perceptions of African American school leaders in urban turnaround schools in…

This qualitative case study explored how undergraduate students from rural areas experience higher education environments and develop a sense of belonging at a large Midwestern public university. This study defined rural considering students' hometown population size and density as well as each individual participant's constructed reality of a…

The purpose of this correlational study, which took place in a Central Florida school district, was to investigate the relationship between the quality of the early childhood education (ECE) programs and students' kindergarten readiness scores. Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, which states that a child's environment, culture, and language are…

This study captured the experience and perceptions of faculty members who have implemented Universal Design (UD) in their courses, to understand the implementation process and outcomes UD had on their students and themselves; as the current research on UD has been long on best practices, and short on empirical evidence. A thorough review of…

This dissertation was designed to examine and assess the impact of a Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) program on student behaviors, academic environment, and the total school environment. The study examined and assessed the impact of PBIS on student suspensions, student attendance, and student interactions. Additionally, this…

Teacher stayers have remained within a profession experiencing an average annual turnover rate of 14% (Liu, 2007) and its lowest levels of job satisfaction in 20 years (MetLife Survey of the American Teacher, 2011). Exploring the lived experiences of teacher stayers might hold significant potential in decreasing the turnover rate given they have…

Literature suggested that the mandated filtering required by the Children's Internet Protection Act of 2000 adversely affected the educational system. The literature stated that schools imposed more restrictive filtering than the Act mandated. School systems had the responsibility to ensure that children learn to read, write, and perform…

In response to the controversial conditions of education in American and the need to identify other educational models to properly educate and train children to meet the demands of the 21st century, schools have created and developed learning environments that aid in reforming education. Educators, school districts, state and federal governments…

A growing body of research has emerged to support the concept of providing early childhood education as a quality investment for our children, unlocking early potential and creating lasting impacts related to school success and beyond. Several landmark studies indicated that a quality education targeted at our youngest learners has the ability to…