This dissertation examines the relationship between teacher retention and student perceptions of school climate in an urban school district, both in individual school years and across multiple school years. This secondary analysis uses a school-level measure of teacher retention from New York City (NYC) public schools and measures of school…

The dynamics of higher education have changed as a result of online learning. However, it can be challenging for teachers to effectively engage students online. Furthermore, limited research about the relationship between presence and online student engagement is a social problem that impacts the quality of online nursing education. The purpose of…

The South Carolina Department of Education and the South Carolina Education Oversight Committee developed an accountability system that informs the public of the status of public schools while meeting the mandate of state and federal law (Robinson, 2018). Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) is a U.S. Law that passed in December 2015 that governs the…

Women are over-represented in some sectors of higher education and underrepresented at doctoral institutions, particularly at the highest professor rank and at institutions with high prestige (Carr, 2021, Blackmore, 2015; Brewer et al., 2002; West & Curtis, 2006). This study explored gender disparity in the context of societal and…

This study examined sexual assertiveness among female undergraduate students at an institution of higher education in the southeastern United States from the context of the social-ecological model. An online survey instrument examined sexual assertiveness, sexual communication self-efficacy, campus climate, and sexual scripts. Structural equation…

Underrepresented female doctoral students (UFDS) face challenges in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, particularly concerning a low sense of belonging (SoB). Little is known about the impact of learning settings (online or on-campus) and the inclusive leadership qualities of research supervisors on the SoB of…

Teacher retention is a foundational issue and schools have historically struggled to retain teachers. Previous research indicates that teachers leave the profession at high rates before year five of teaching expertise. Lack of teacher retention contributes to instability and lack of trust in school districts. This secondary data study explores…

Every year roughly 50% of graduate students drop out of doctoral programs (Farkas, 2018). Per Farkas (2018), the top seven reasons for this include time management difficulties, conflicts with a supervisor, the student's thesis not having a "story," exhaustion or burnout, problems writing up theses (one of the main problems described is…

Faculty trust and student bullying are two salient properties known to affect school environments. Indeed, the presence of organizational trust bolsters student achievement and promotes school safety, thus making schools more effective, although bullying behaviors abate the effectiveness of schools. Therefore, understanding potential relationships…

There has been substantial scholarly attention given to teachers' functioning over the past two decades. Much of this attention has been precipitated by accounts of increasing teacher burnout and attrition from the profession. Central to this scholarly focus has been the construct of teacher self-efficacy, which has been shown to be a predictor of…

Researchers have identified self-determination as a key predictor supporting the transition process and achievement of positive in-school and post-school outcomes in adolescents with disabilities. Self-determination is also a malleable characteristic, as various factors influence its development and expression. However, the influence of this…

International students are critical for a flourishing U.S. higher education landscape (Younger, 2018). Since 2016, however, these students have faced significant cultural, economic, and social challenges while studying at U.S. universities (Peters & Anderson, 2021). To better understand international students' success in the current era, this…

In this dissertation, I describe patterns of educational placement for students with disabilities, test the degree to which placement is impacted by student and school variables, and offer practical guidance for how schools can promote the principle of least restrictive environment (LRE) to promote access to general education classrooms to the…

It's well-known that motivation is essential for learning and how well students do in school. Research also suggests that a student's motivation is likely connected to their behavior in the classroom. This study was particularly interested in understanding how different types of student motivation (e.g., wanting to learn vs. wanting to look good)…

An increasing number of adolescents are struggling with mental health related disorders including anxiety, depression, substance abuse, or suicide. While positive psychologists and researchers continue to search for possible solutions, an increasing number of studies point to the impact that exploring and eventually finding purpose has on an…